By NESTOR MATA
MALAYA
MALAYA
‘In this third list of dynasts, the longest belong to the Ortega family of La Union and the Romualdez family of Leyte, which hark back to the Spanish and American colonial days up to the present time.’
IN this third list of dynasts, the biggest number of dynasts, who have been in power for many decades, some of them go back to Spanish colonial times and to the early days of the American occupation at the start of the 20th century, to the Commonwealth government years, the Japanese occupation during the Second World War, and to this day, belong to the Ortega of La Union and Romualdez of Leyte families.
Ortega Family (La Union): Joaquin Ortega, former governor of La Union appointed by the Taft Commission on August 15, 1901 and served until 1904; Joaquin L. Ortega, Jr., son of Joaquin, former councilor, provincial board member, congressman of the 1st District of La Union ( 1969–1972) and Batasang Pambansa (1978–1986), and as a provincial governor (1988–1992); Francisco L. Ortega, son of Joaquin, former representative of the 1st District of La Union to the 10th Philippine Legislature (1934–1935), 3rd National Assembly (1941–1946), 3rd (1953–1957), 4th (1957–1961), and 5th Congress of the Philippines (1961–1965);
Congressman Victor Francisco Ortega, son of Francisco of the 1st District of La Union to the 14th Philippine Congress, the 8th (1987–1992), 9th (1992–1995), 10th (1995–1998), and former governor of La Union (2001–2007); Mary Jane Ortega, wife of Victor, former mayor of San Fernando City, La Union (1998–2007); Manuel Ortega, son of Francisco, current governor of La Union, former congressman 11th (1998–2001), 12th (2001–2004), 13th (2004–2007) Congress of the Philippines;
Alfredo Pablo R. Ortega, son of Governor Manuel C. Ortega, current councilor of San Fernando City; Jennifer Joan O. Manquiat, daughter of Manuel, who served as her father’s chief political affairs officer at the House of Representatives; Francisco R. Ortega III, son of Manuel, former provincial board member (1998–2001) and former councilor (2001–2007) of San Fernando City, La Union; Pablo Ortega, current mayor of San Fernando City; Mario C. Ortega – Barangay captain of San Fernando, up to the present; Robert C. Ortega, former councilor, Baguio City (1998–2001l); Roberto Ortega Jr., son of Robert, former councilor of Manila (1995–2007); Francisco C. Ortega Jr., current councilor of San Fernando City, La Union (2001–2007); Jose Ma. C. Ortega, former barangay chairman in Bauang, La Union and provincial board member of La Union (2004–2007); Ramon C. Ortega, executive assistant of the City Government of San Fernando up to present, grandsons of Joaquin Ortega.
Osmeña Family (Cebu): Sergio Osmeña, Sr., 4th President of the Philippines, who was Vice President, along with President Manuel L. Quezon, of the Commonwealth government from 1935 up to the declaration of independence in 1945 at the end of the Second World War; Senators Sergio Osmeña, Jr. and Sergio Osmeña III; Tomas Osmeña, Cebu City mayor; John Gregory Osmeña, Cebu vice governor; and Christian Alexander V. Osmeña, senator of the Associated Students of the University of California.
Ramos Family (Pangasinan) : Narciso Ramos, Secretary of Foreign Affairs; Fidel V. Ramos, 9th President of the Philippines; former Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani, and her son Ranjit Ramos-Shahani, former representative of the 6th district of Pangasinan in the 10th Congress of the Philippines..
Recto Family (Batangas): Claro M. Recto, former senator 1945-1946;1953–1960 and Representative of the 3rd District of Batangas 1919-1928); his son Rafael R. Recto, former Assemblyman, Batasang Pambansa 1984-1986; Richard Recto, former Vice Governor of Batangas 1995-2001; 2004–2007); Senator Ralph G. Recto, son of Rafael Recto; Vilma Santos Recto, former Mayor of Lipa, Batangas 1998-2007, Governor of Batangas 2007–present), wife of Ralph Recto.
Revilla Family (Cavite): Former Senator Ramon Revilla Sr.; Senator Ramon Revilla Jr.; Lani Mercado-Revilla, Congresswoman of the Lone District of Bacoor, Cavite; Strike Revilla (former board member of Cavite and mayor of Bacoor, Cavite), son of Rowena Bautista-Mendiola (Councilor of Imus); former Senator Robert Jaworski, son-in-law of Revilla Sr.; Robert Jaworski Jr., former Councilor and Congressman of Pasig; and Casimiro Yñares III (Governor of Rizal), son-in-law of Revilla Sr.
Romualdez/ Lopez Family (Leyte): Francisco Lopez of Granada, Spain, grand-patriarch and founder of the Lopez-Romualdez clan of Leyte, Spanish friar and silversmith, founder of Tolosa town in Leyte, built the Pandacan Church in Manila where he served as parish priest and installed the Santo Niño de Cebu as the patron of the parish. He owned vast tracts of land in Leyte and Manila, including the land where the Malacañang Park compound currently stands, until his daughter, Trinidad Lopez-Romualdez, donated it to the Philippine government;
Daniel Romualdez Sr. (Romualdez line patriarch); Justice Norberto Lopez Romualdez, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines; Miguel Lopez Romualdez, Assemblyman and Mayor of Manila; Daniel Z. Romualdez II, former Speaker of the House of Representatives; Eduardo Z. Romualdez, Finance Secretary under Ferdinand Marcos; Luigi Romualdez Quisumbing, representative of the 6th District of Cebu;
Vicente Orestes Lopez Romualdez, provincial Sheriff of Leyte, father of Imelda Romualdez-Marcos, who was former First Lady, Minister of Human Settlements, Governor of Metro Manila, and currently representative of Ilocos Norte; Gov. Imee R. Marcos, former Representative of the 2nd Legislative District of Ilocos Norte; Senator Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.; Benjamin Romualdez, Ambassador and Governor of Leyte; Mayor Alfredo “Bejo” Romualdez of Tacloban City; Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, son of Benjamin and representative of Leyte, Alfred S. Romualdez, representative of the Legislative District of Leyte during the 11th Congress, son of Mayor Bejo Romualdez; Cristina “Kring-Kring” Gonzales-Romualdez, councilor of Tacloban City, wife of Alfred S. Romualdez.
Roxas Family (Capiz): Manuel A. Roxas, 5th President of the Philippines; Senator Gerardo Roxas, son of President Roxas; grandsons Senator Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and Gerardo “Dinggoy” Roxas, Jr., former representative, 1st District of Capiz.
Singson Family (Ilocos Sur): Chavit Singson, former Governor; Eric Singson, representative, 2nd district of Ilocos Sur, 9th, 10th, & 12th Congress; Grace G. Singson – representative, 2nd District of Ilocos Sur, 11th Congress.
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Quote of the Day: “Politicians are little gods on wheels.” – Rudyard Kipling
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