Joseph Emilio "Jun" Aguinaldo Abaya (born May 28, 1966) is a Filipino politician, lawyer, and military officer. He was the
Secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) of the Philippines under the administration of President
Benigno Aquino III
Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III (; February 8, 1960 – June 24, 2021), also known as Noynoy Aquino and colloquially as PNoy, was a Filipino politician who served as the 15th president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016. The son of ...
. A member of the
Liberal Party
The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left.
__TOC__ Active liberal parties
This is a li ...
, he has been elected to three terms as a member of the
Philippine House of Representatives
The House of Representatives of the Philippines ( fil, Kapulungan ng mga Kinatawan ng Pilipinas, italic=unset, ''Kamara'' or ''Kamara de Representantes'' from the Spanish word ''cámara'', meaning "chamber") is the lower house of Congress, the ...
, representing the
1st District of Cavite. He first won election to the House in 2004, and was re-elected in 2007. He and other Aquino administration officials have been charged over the alleged anomalous contracts for the
MRT Line 3 during their tenure.
Early life and education
Abaya is the great grandson of the first Philippine president,
Emilio Aguinaldo through his granddaughter, Consuelo Aguinaldo, daughter of his son, Emilio Aguinaldo Jr., and the descendant of Isabelo Abaya, the revolutionary hero and founding father of
Candon, Ilocos Sur. He is also the second son of the three-term Congressman Plaridel M. Abaya.
Abaya finished his elementary education at the Basic Education Unit of the
De La Salle University in 1979. During his secondary schooling, he was a consistent honor student at the
Philippine Science High School Main Campus, and he became a university and college scholar of the
University of the Philippines
The University of the Philippines (UP; fil, Pamantasan ng Pilipinas Unibersidad ng Pilipinas) is a state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by Republic Act No. 9500 (UP Charter of 20 ...
where he took his engineering studies. After a year in UP, he took and topped the entrance examination for the
Philippine Military Academy
The Philippine Military Academy ( fil, Akademiyang Militar ng Pilipinas / es, Academia Militar de Filipinas) also referred to by its acronym PMA is the premier military academy for Filipinos aspiring for a commission as a military officer of ...
that he was sent by the government to the
US Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy is ...
(USNA) in
Annapolis, Maryland where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics (1988) with distinction of being a consistent Dean's Lister in all the semesters he was there. Jun then proceeded to
Cornell University
Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to tea ...
in
Ithaca, New York
Ithaca is a city in the Finger Lakes region of New York, United States. Situated on the southern shore of Cayuga Lake, Ithaca is the seat of Tompkins County and the largest community in the Ithaca metropolitan statistical area. It is named ...
, and completed a master's degree in electrical engineering (1989 – he was also a fellowship awardee). He was the vice president of PMA Maringal Class of 1988 and is a member of the
Phi Kappa Phi
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (or simply Phi Kappa Phi or ) is an honor society established in 1897 to recognize and encourage superior scholarship without restriction as to area of study, and to promote the "unity and democracy of education ...
honor society and Friends of Aguinaldo Shrine.
He received his
Juris Doctor degree from the law school of
Ateneo de Manila University
, mottoeng = Light in the Lord
, type = Private, research, non-profit, coeducational basic and higher education institution
, established = December 10, 1859
, religious_affiliation = Roman Catholic ( Jesuits)
, academic ...
in April 2005. He was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2007.
Political career
Prior to representing the first district of
Cavite
Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite ( tl, Lalawigan ng Kabite; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Located on the southern shores of Manila Bay and southwest ...
to the House of Representatives in 2004, he first served in the
Armed Forces of the Philippines
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ( fil, Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). The ...
as a cadet (1984–1988) and as a naval officer of the
Philippine Navy (1988–2004).
He ran for congressman in 2004 and won against Jeffrey Sescon Uy and represented the 1st District of Cavite to the
13th Congress of the Philippines. He was re-elected in the 2007 elections. During the
14th Congress, he was chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology. He was also co-chairman of the Joint Congressional Committee on Science and Technology and Engineering with Sen.
Edgardo Angara
Edgardo Javier Angara (, September 24, 1934 – May 13, 2018) was a Filipino politician who served as the President of the Senate of the Philippines from 1993 to 1995. He was a Senator from 1987 to 1998 and then served as Secretary of Agricult ...
.
In 2009, he among with fellow representatives of Cavite –
Elpidio Barzaga, Jr. and
Jesus Crispin Remulla — authored the biggest congressional reapportionment in the history of the Philippines by passin
Republic Act No. 9727 unofficially titled The Cavite Congressional Reapportionment Act of 2009, bringing the representatives of Cavite from three to seven.
During the
15th Congress and on his last term, he served as the chairman of House Committee on Appropriations.
On October 12, 2012, Abaya was appointed by
Benigno Aquino III
Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III (; February 8, 1960 – June 24, 2021), also known as Noynoy Aquino and colloquially as PNoy, was a Filipino politician who served as the 15th president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016. The son of ...
as the
Secretary of Transportation and Communications, succeeding
Mar Roxas.
In February 2016, the
Philippine Senate
The Senate of the Philippines ( Filipino: ''Senado ng Pilipinas'', also ''Mataas na Kapulungan ng Pilipinas'' or "upper chamber") is the upper house of Congress of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines with the House of Representatives a ...
released a report stating that Abaya and other DOTC officials "may have violated" the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act in relation to questionable contracts with the subsequent maintenance providers. In a Senate report where the line's condition was found to be in "poor maintenance" as per studies made by MTR HK, DOTC officials were reported to be involved in graft in relation to questionable contracts, especially those for the maintenance of the line.
Abaya stepped down on June 30, 2016, after Aquino's term ended.
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Abaya, Jun
1966 births
Living people
Joseph Aguinaldo
Ateneo de Manila University alumni
21st-century Filipino lawyers
Liberal Party (Philippines) politicians
Secretaries of Transportation of the Philippines
Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Cavite
People from Kawit, Cavite
University of the Philippines Diliman alumni
Benigno Aquino III administration cabinet members
Presidents of the Liberal Party of the Philippines