Ernesto Maceda, Jr.

Ernesto M. Maceda Jr. is a columnist and a Filipino politician who served as a Senator from 1971 to 1972 and again from 1987 to 1998. He served as Senate President from 1996 to 1998.

Early Life and Career

Ernesto Maceda, Jr. was born on March 26, 1935 in Pagsanjan, Laguna. Maceda earned his associate in Arts degree, Magna Cum Laude in 1952, and bachelor of Laws degree, Cum Laude, from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1956. He then finished Master of Laws, Taxation and International Law at Harvard Law School, Massachusetts, USA in 1957.

At the age of 23, he was hailed as the No. 1 Councilor of Manila in 1959. Because of his numerous achievements in the City Council, Councilor Maceda was named “Outstanding Councilor of Manila". However, Manila Mayor Arsenio Lacson famously branded him when he quipped about Maceda "so young, yet so corrupt." In 1966, he served as the Secretary of Community Development and was the youngest Cabinet Member of the Marcos administration. In 1969, he was appointed Executive Secretary in concurrent capacity as Chairman of the Commission on Reorganization. In 1970, the Commerce and Industry portfolio was given to Maceda. In the post, he launched consumer protection programs and established trade relations with various Eastern European Social countries.

Senator of the Philippines

First Term (1971-1972)

During the 1971 midterm elections, Maceda was only one out of three senators elected under the banner of the Nacionalista party of then-President Ferdinand Marcos. He took office on December 30, 1971. In 1972, Maceda’s bill granting protection to real estate buyers on installment basis was the only bill signed into law before Martial Law was proclaimed. The bill is known as the Maceda Law. His term was supposed to have ended on December 30, 1977. He then went to exile in the United States after breaking with President Marcos over the Martial Law declaration and eventually became the adviser of the late Sen. Benigno S. Aquino. Following Sen. Aquino's assassination, he became one of the leaders of the opposition during the 1984 Batasan Pambansa Campaign and the 1986 snap presidential election.

Second Term (1987-1992)

When Corazon Aquino was installed as President of the Philippines, he was appointed to head the Ministry of Natural Resources. The following year, he ran for the Senate under the Corazon Aquino's ticket. He served from June 30, 1987 to June 30, 1992.

Third Term (1992-1998)

During the 1992 general elections, Senator Maceda was re-elected under the Nationalist People's Coalition, which was a faction that bolted from the Nacionalista Party, headed by former Tarlac Governor Danding Cojuangco. Placing sixth in the senatorial race, he took office as Senator for a third time and served from June 30, 1992 to June 30, 1998. In his third term, he served as Senate President from 1996-1998.

Senate Presidency

On October 10, 1996, the Senate was re-organized and Maceda was installed as Senate President succeeding Neptali A. Gonzales, Sr.. November of that year, Senate President Maceda delivered a speech denouncing the PEA-Amari Scandal - calling the same as the "grandmother of all scams".^[1] The PEA-Amari Scandal was a controversial deal involved the acquisition of 158 hectares of reclaimed land on Manila Bay that was to be converted into so-called Freedom Islands. The deal was forged as part of the Ramos administration's Manila Bay Master Development Plan (MBMDP).^[1] During this time, he also dubbed as "Mr.Expose." by the Philippine Free Press. On January 26, 1998, the Senate went another revamp and Maceda was succeeded as Senate President by Neptali A. Gonzales, Sr.

Post-Senate Presidency

Following the end of his senate term, he was chosen to be the Philippines' Ambassador to the United States from 1999-2001 by President Joseph Estrada. In 2007, he joined the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila and became one of the professors of the PLM College of Law. Maceda holds the distinction of being the only Filipino to have held 5 Cabinet Positions in his lifetime.

He writes a column for the Philippine Star, entitled "Search For Truth". He also hosts a program over radio station DZRJ AM 810 kHz every Sunday, from 8:00-9:30 AM.

External links and sources

• Official Website of the Philippine Senate - Sen. Ernesto Maceda

References