Antonio de Jesus Villegas (January 9, 1928 – November 16, 1984) was a Filipino

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...

Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...

from 1962 to 1971. His term was after the term of Arsenio Lacson as mayor of Manila, and before the period of

martial law Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory. Use Martia ...

in the Philippines.

Political career

Villegas was elected as vice mayor of Manila in 1959 and became the city mayor when Arsenio Lacson died in 1962 with over one year left on his term. In 1963, he ran for reelection under the Liberal Party (LP) banner and won against Nacionalista Party (NP) Congressman Roberto Oca. Villegas inaugurated the "Manila Film Festival" ("Manila Tagalog Film Festival") in 1966, the precursor of the modern

Metro Manila Film Festival The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is an annual film festival held in Metro Manila, Philippines. The festival, which runs from December 25 (Christmas) through New Year's Day and into first weekend of January in the following year, focuses on ...

. Foreign films were banned from being screened during the duration of the film festival. The annual event was discontinued during the tenure of Villegas' successor in the 1970s. In 1967, he ran again for reelection and won against NP Congressman Pablo Ocampo. His victory along with his party council members in Manila was the only major victory enjoyed by the LP in 1967. All of the LP senatorial candidates except for Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino were defeated by the opposing Nacionalista Party. In 1971, then-Congressman Ramon Bagatsing was chosen by the Liberal Party to run for Manila mayor. Vice-Mayor Felicisimo Cabigao remained NP's bet for mayor. Villegas was left without a party. He formed the Libre'ng Pilipino Party (LPP) to run for reelection as mayor. He selected journalist J.V. Cruz to be his running mate for vice mayor. In the 1971 local election, Villegas lost to Bagatsing.

Later life and death

After losing in the 1971 local mayoral elections to then

Congressman Ramon Bagatsing, Villegas and his entire family emigrated to the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

. He remained in

Reno, Nevada Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry, Reno is th ...

, until his death on November 16, 1984. His coffin was exhumed from Reno cemetery and flown to the Philippines in October 1997. A memorial ceremony was held in

Manila City Hall The Manila City Hall ( fil, Bulwagan ng Lungsod ng Maynila) is the official seat of government of the City of Manila, located in the historic center of Ermita, Manila. It is where the Mayor of Manila holds office and the chambers of the Manil ...

. Eulogies by the Villegas family, then-Mayor

Alfredo Lim Alfredo "Fred" Siojo Lim Jr.. (; December 21, 1929 – August 8, 2020) was a Filipino politician and police officer who served as a Senator of the Philippines from 2004 to 2007. He also served as the Mayor of Manila twice: first from 1992 to ...

, and Senator

Blas Ople Blas Fajardo Ople (February 3, 1927 – December 14, 2003) was a Filipino journalist and politician who held several high-ranking positions in the executive and legislative branches of the Philippine government, including as Senate President fr ...

were given. Villegas's body was finally buried in a plot located along the rotunda of Manila North Cemetery.

Writings

*''Manila, 1962: Mayor Antonio J. Villegas reports (1963)'' *''Building a better Manila (1963)'' *''Manila: Its Needs and Resources (1966)'' *''Dahong Alaala (1968)'' *''To end the reign of misery and strife ... Libre'ng Pilipino (1971)''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Villegas, Antonio J. People from Tondo, Manila Mayors of Manila 1928 births 1984 deaths Liberal Party (Philippines) politicians Burials at the Manila North Cemetery