| Neptali "Boyet" Gonzales, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Mandaluyong City's Lone District | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office June 30, 2007 |
|
| Preceded by | Benjamin Abalos, Jr. |
| In office June 30, 1995 – June 30, 2004 |
|
| Preceded by | Position Created |
| Succeeded by | Benjamin Abalos, Jr. |
| Mayor of Mandaluyong City | |
| In office June 30, 2004 – June 30, 2007 |
|
| Preceded by | Benjamin Abalos, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Benjamin Abalos, Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Neptali M. Gonzales II August 29, 1954 Mandaluyong City, Philippines |
| Nationality | Filipino |
| Spouse(s) | Joesphine Olivia Francisco (+) Alexandria Pahati |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Religion | Evangelical Christianity |
Neptali "Boyet" Medina Gonzales, Jr. is a Filipino lawmaker. He is a current house member, representing the Lone District of Mandaluyong City in the Filipino House of Representatives. He has been a house member during the 10th, 11th, 12th and 14th Congress, respectively. As of 2007, in the 15th Congress he has been the House Majority Floor Leader.
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The youngest and only male in the family, Boyet was born on August 29, 1954 in Mandaluyong City to the late Senate President Neptali Gonzales and Candida Medina-Gonzales. He also has three sisters Myrna, Sorohayda, and Rhodora.
In December 2002, Gonzales married Alexandria Pahati with whom he had twins, Neptali III and Isabel Candida. He had only one child named Kristine Olivia by his first wife, the late Josephine Olivia Francisco who succumbed to a lingering illness in May 2001.
He finished his elementary education at the Mandaluyong Elementary School, and attended the Union High School of Manila of the Philippine Christian College (now the Philippine Christian University)for his secondary and college dducation. He finished his degree in Political Science at the Far Eastern University (FEU) in 1975, and took up law at the Ateneo de Manila University where he graduated in 1979.
Before his public service stint, he was a private practicing lawyer from 1980-1995 as a senior partner of the Gonzales, Batiller, Bilog, and Associates Law Firm. He also briefly served his Alma Mater as a Bar Reviewer and Professor in Criminal Law and Constitutional Law at FEU’s Institute of Law.
Congressman Neptali M. Gonzales, Jr. is a public servant, he is well loved and respected by his constituents and peers. He has been active in public service for 13 years now, He Served as City Mayor of Mandaluyong for three years (2004–2007), and as Congressman for the City during the 14th Congress (2007-2010).
Boyet, as he is fondly called by friends and constituents, was the first Congressman of Mandaluyong when it was converted into a city in 1995. It was separated as a congressional district from what used to be the San Juan-Mandaluyong Congressional District.
In the 10th Congress, the then neophyte solon served on eight congressional committees, including the Committee on Rules. In the opening session of the 11th Congress, he was chosen as one of the two vice–chairmen of the Committee on Rules, then chaired by Majority Leader Rep. Mar Roxas of Capiz City. Eventually, he became Majority Leader toward the end of the 11th Congress, and held the position all the way into the 12th Congress. In his nine years as Congressman, he authored 33 bills and was co-author of 92 bills. In his first term, he also held the distinction of being one of two neophyte members of this Congress to have the most number of bills adopted as laws of the land.
During his first 9-year stint in Congress, Gonzales improved the city youth’s access to quality education by passing a bill allowing the construction of the City of Mandaluyong Science High School, and leading the conversion of the Rizal Technological Colleges into Rizal Technological University. For this very significant contribution, the RTU conferred him a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration (Honoris Causa) in October 2003.
During his brief 3-year term as Mayor for Mandaluyong, he fully supported the implementation of physical and social infrastructures which significantly increased the efficiency in public service in Mandaluyong. As mayor of Mandaluyong during the last three years, Gonzales pushed the envelope of local governance by initiating innovations in computerization, social infrastructures and urban renewal, which benefited all sectors of his constituency. He specially pushed for the uplift of health care in the city by strengthening the city's only public hospital and empowering all health centers for preventive health care. He instituted fresh initiatives in local fiscal reforms and tax collection which tremendously improved the city’s fiscal health. He facilitated housing for the poor by enjoining private entities to give their support to the program. His administration’s partnership with the Gawad Kalinga and the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission, gave adequet housing to more than a thousand families in the city. Most significant accomplishment during his term was the boost of employees’ morale on public service Through positive reinforcements in human resource development.
Currently, Gonzales is Senior Deputy Majority Leader of the 14th Congress. As such, he is considered an ex-officio member of all House Committees. He is also Senior Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Rules, and heads the caucus of NCR Congressmen. As a returning Congressman for Mandaluyong, he hopes to continue his all-out support in all facets of city development thrusts such as in education, health, infrastructure and housing. In the 15th Congress, he is the current Majority Floor Leader of the House.