Miro Quimbo

Romero Federico Saenz "Miro" Quimbo (born December 12, 1969) is a Filipino politician who is the representative-elect for Marikina's second district, a seat he previously held from 2010 to 2019.

A graduate of University of the Philippines Diliman, Quimbo began his legal career as a partner of the Poblador Bautista & Reyes law firm, during which he participated in the impeachment of Joseph Estrada. He became the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Pag-IBIG Fund in 2002 and served until 2010, when he resigned to run for a seat in the House of Representatives.

During his tenure in Congress, he held senior roles in the lower house and within the Liberal Party. During the 2016 elections, he served as the campaign manager of the Senate slate of the administration-backed Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid and remained with the party following an exodus of members to PDP–Laban. Following Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's election as House speaker, he claimed the minority leadership before losing a voice vote to minority leader Danilo Suarez, an outcome he has since contested.

Early life and career

Quimbo was born on December 12, 1969, in Catbalogan, Samar. He is the son of Romulo Quimbo, who would serve as a justice of the Sandiganbayan. He spent his first two years of elementary school at the Sacred Heart College in Catbalogan before transferring to the Marist School in Marikina, where he completed his elementary and secondary education. He graduated at the University of the Philippines Diliman, where he also pursued his legal studies.

After graduating, he worked as the chief of staff of Representative Catalino Figueroa of Samar's second district from 1996 to 1998. He would be hired as a partner for the Poblador Bautista & Reyes law firm in Makati. During his time in the law firm, Quimbo notarized the affidavit of a witness in the impeachment of President Joseph Estrada and presented their testimony during the impeachment trial.

CEO of the Pag-IBIG Fund

He joined the Pag-IBIG Fund in 2001 as its deputy chief executive officer (CEO). In 2002, he was appointed as head of the same agency, serving until the end of 2008. During that period, the Fund became the most profitable government corporation and was consistently listed in the top ten corporations in the Philippines. In 2008, the Pag-IBIG Fund was awarded the United Nations Scroll of Honour for its outstanding and innovative housing programs, a first for any Philippine government agency. That same year, the Fund was given an AAA corporate rating, a distinction given to a government corporation for the first time.

In 2007, he was recognized by the Philippine Jaycees as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men for his leadership of the Pag-IBIG Fund.

House of Representatives (2010–2019)

Elections

After resigning as the CEO of the Pag-IBIG fund in 2010, Quimbo announced his bid for representative, running in Markina's second district. He went on to win in an upset, defeating Councilor Donn Favis. He was reelected in 2013 and 2016.

Tenure

Quimbo was sworn in as a representative on June 30, 2010, succeeding Del de Guzman.

Aquino administration (2010–2016)

During his first term, he served as the chairman of the Philippine House Committee on Ways and Means and the spokesperson of the Liberal Party. From 2010 to 2014, Quimbo's wealth increased by million.

In the early stages of the Globe Asiatique scandal, Quimbo, as the former CEO of the Pag-IBIG Fund, was summoned by the Senate to explain his role in the dispute. During the impeachment of Renato Corona from 2011 to 2012, Quimbo served as a spokesperson of the prosecution team, alongside Tranquil Salvador III and Valentina Santana-Cruz.

In March 2014, Quimbo expressed his openness to participating in the Congressional inquiry on the Globe Asiatique scandal. In June, Alex Alvarez, a former manager at Pag-IBIG, co-accused of '' estafa'' with Delfin Lee, filed a corruption case against Quimbo before the Office of the Ombudsman, citing his failure to implement preventive guidelines during its dealings with Globe Asiatique. Quimbo dismissed the case, deeming it a rehash of a similar case dismissed by the Ombudsman that same year.

During the 2016 elections, Quimbo served as the campaign manager of the Senate slate of the administration-backed Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid, which went on to win seven seats in the upper house. In his role, he opposed the disqualification of Senator Grace Poe as a presidential candidate, deeming the pertinent cases baseless.

Duterte administration (2010–2016)

Quimbo remained with the Liberal Party for the 17th Congress, when many Liberal members of Congress switched to PDP–Laban, the ruling party under President Rodrigo Duterte. After being appointed as a deputy speaker following the election of Pantaleon Alvarez as House speaker, he became the highest-ranking member of the Liberal Party during that congressional period. During his term, he opposed efforts to impeach Duterte, citing the president's popularity.

After Vice President Leni Robredo resigned from the Duterte Cabinet in December 2016, Quimbo remained keen on remaining in the majority bloc but stated that he would be ready to leave the majority should it contradict his party's principles. In March 2017, Quimbo voted in favor of a bill reinstating capital punishment in the Philippines. He condemned the subsequent removal of several House leaders from their posts over their votes opposing the bill.

Following the ouster of Alvarez from the speakership in favor of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Quimbo stepped down as deputy speaker and joined 11 other members in forming the minority bloc under her speakership. Both Quimbo and Danilo Suarez claimed the minority leadership following Arroyo's election, with Quimbo contending that he was the rightful holder of the role, as Suarez actively campaigned for Arroyo, citing House rules affirmed by the Supreme Court. Suarez denied Quimbo's claims, stating that he remains minority leader until a new election for the role is held. During the dispute, Vice President Robredo expressed support for Quimbo, deeming Suarez's retention a failure of House leadership to provide a "real opposition".

A motion by Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. succeeded by voice vote in retaining Alvarez in the minority leadership, a move Quimbo criticized as unlawful.

House of Representatives (from 2025)

Election

On August 6, 2024, Quimbo left the Liberal Party and joined Lakas–CMD, the largest party in the House of Representatives, led by House Speaker Martin Romualdez. He filed his candidacy to succeed his wife Stella as a representative after she launched a campaign for the mayoralty. He joined her ticket Team Bagong Marikina (; also stylized as Team Bagong Marik1na), which positioned itself as the opposition to the incumbent administration led by Mayor Marcelino Teodoro, whom they had criticized as being adversarial to Stella's projects and policies during her tenure as a representative. He faced Councilor Donn Favis, his main rival in the 2010, in the congressional race, along with two minor candidates.

On April 26, 2025, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Kontra Bigay committee issued show-cause orders to both Stella and Miro to explain their conduct over alleged incidents of vote buying and abuse of state resources during their respective campaigns. In response, they released a joint statement denying the claims and ensuring their compliance with the order.

In the May 12 election, Quimbo defeated Favis in a landslide, winning 60.95% of the vote.

Tenure

Quimbo will be sworn in as a representative on June 30, 2025.

Personal life

Quimbo married economist Stella Alabastro in August 1998; they have three sons and one daughter.

Electoral history

References

External links

Official Website

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Quimbo, Miro
1969 births
Deputy speakers of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
Liberal Party (Philippines) politicians
Living people
Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Marikina
People from Catbalogan
People from Marikina
University of the Philippines Diliman alumni