Maximino Jaen Noel (May 29, 1879 – July 6, 1969) was a Filipino politician and the longest-serving congressman from

Cebu Cebu ( ; ), officially the Province of Cebu (; ), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 surrounding islands and islets. The coastal zone of Cebu is identified as a ...

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. Representing Cebu's 3rd district, he was a member of the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...

from 1928 to 1934, 1945 to 1949 and 1953 to 1965. He was a member of the

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from 1938 to 1941.

Early life and education

Maximino Noel was born to parents Florencio Mercado Noel and Filomena Jaen in

Carcar Carcar, officially the City of Carcar (; ), is a component city in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 136,453 people. History Before Spanish colonization,Carcar was known as "Kabkad" and ...

, Cebu on May 29, 1879. His father was the first municipal president (equivalent of mayor) of Carcar, and so was his brothers Vicente and Mariano who succeeded his father. He attended

Liceo de Manila Manila Central University (MCU), formerly known as the Escuela de Farmacia del Liceo de Manila, is a private, non-sectarian, stock basic and higher education institution located on EDSA, Caloocan, Philippines. It was founded in 1904 by Alejand ...

and took up Commerce. The ancestral house of the Noel family built in the mid-19th century was proclaimed a heritage house by Ambeth R. Ocampo, chairman of the

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in May 2010.

Career

Maximino, planter and businessman, was voted councilor in his hometown of Carcar, Cebu. Then he replaced Mariano when he was elected as mayor of Carcar in 1916 and served for six years. From 1922 to 1925, he became a member of the Cebu Provincial Board. He was considered the longest-serving Congressman due to the length of his tenure representing Cebu's old 3rd legislative district, which was composed then of the municipalities of Talisay,

Minglanilla Minglanilla, officially the Municipality of Minglanilla (; ), is a municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 151,002 people. It is known as the "Sugat Capital of the South" (wher ...

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, and Carcar. He was elected as member of the

in 1928. Vicente Rama, his political rival to the position, published in his newspaper '' Bag-ong Kusog'' the story entitled ''Si Amar ug si Leon (Amar and Leon).'' Scholars believed the hero, Amar, represented Rama and the villain Leon, the political rival Noel. The exhumation of the remains of

Leon Kilat Leon, Léon (French) or León (Spanish) may refer to: Places Europe * León, Spain, capital city of the Province of León * Province of León, Spain * Kingdom of León, an independent state in the Iberian Peninsula from 910 to 1230 and again fro ...

, who was betrayed and killed in Carcar at the height of the

Philippine Revolution The Philippine Revolution ( or ; or ) was a war of independence waged by the revolutionary organization Katipunan against the Spanish Empire from 1896 to 1898. It was the culmination of the 333-year History of the Philippines (1565–1898), ...

, was also made into a political issue during that election. Before

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he was one of the stockholders and original member of the Board of Directors of the now defunct National Rice and Corn Corporation by virtue of the executive order issued by then President Manuel L. Quezon. In 1931, he won reelection and served for another term until 1934. He would run again 1938 as a member of the

. In 1941, he was voted again to the same office but served only in 1945 because of the outbreak of World War II. Moreover, he was voted to the same office in 1946. In the 1949 elections, he was defeated by Primitivo Sato. However, Sato did not finish his term and was unseated as the House Electoral Tribunal ruled in favor of Maximino Noel's electoral protest that was promulgated by Enrique Medina in Electoral Case No. 42 on November 22, 1952. He again won in the same elective post under

Nacionalista Party The Nacionalista Party (Filipino language, Filipino and Spanish language in the Philippines, Spanish: ''Partido Nacionalista''; , NP) is a political party in the Philippines which is the oldest existing party in the country and in Southeast Asi ...

and served from 1953 to 1965. During his term in Congress, he was a member of the Commission on Appointments, Vice Chairman of the Committee on Internal Government and Privileges, and a member of the Committee on Accounts.

Historical commemoration

* The Rep. Maximino Noel (Guadalupe) National High School in Valladolid, Carcar, Cebu was named in his honor by virtue of Republic Act No. 8638 which was enacted on May 17, 1998. *The Noel Boulevard in Talisay City, Cebu was also named after him by virtue of Municipal Council Resolution No. 70-89.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Noel, Maximino J. 1879 births 1969 deaths Members of the Cebu Provincial Board Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Cebu Filipino city and municipal councilors Members of the National Assembly of the Philippines Members of the Philippine Legislature