Arnulfo Fuentebella
The Honourable Arnulfo P. Fuentebella | |
---|---|
19th Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives | |
In office November 13, 2000 – January 24, 2001 | |
President |
Joseph Estrada (2000-2001) Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (2001) |
Preceded by | Manuel Villar, Jr. |
Succeeded by | Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. |
Deputy Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives for Luzon | |
In office July 23, 2007 – June 30, 2013 | |
Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Camarines Sur's 4th district | |
In office June 30, 2010 – June 30, 2013 | |
Preceded by | Felix Alfelor, Jr. |
Succeeded by | Felix William "Wimpy" B. Fuentebella |
Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Camarines Sur's 3rd district | |
In office June 30, 2004 – June 30, 2010 | |
Preceded by | Felix William "Wimpy" B. Fuentebella |
Succeeded by | Luis R. Villafuerte |
In office June 30, 1992 – June 30, 2001 | |
Preceded by | Eduardo P. Pilapil |
Succeeded by | Felix William "Wimpy" B. Fuentebella |
Personal details | |
Born |
Goa, Camarines Sur, Commonwealth of the Philippines | October 29, 1945
Nationality | Filipino |
Political party |
Nationalist People's Coalition United Nationalist Alliance |
Spouse(s) | Evelyn Buquid Fuentebella |
Children |
Patricia Rinah F. Aldaba Felix William "Wimpy" B. Fuentebella Arnulf Bryan "Arnie" B. Fuentebella Pamela Rinah B. Fuentebella John Vincent B. Fuentebella Eugene Adrian B. Fuentebella |
Residence |
Abo, Tigaon, Camarines Sur (provincial) Quezon City (Metro Manila) |
Alma mater | University of the Philippines |
Profession | Lawyer |
Arnulfo P. Fuentebella (born October 29, 1945) was the Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives from 2000 to 2001. He is a former representative of the Third (now Fourth) District of Camarines Sur, more popularly known as the Partido District.
Early Life and Education
Arnulfo "Noli" Fuentebella was born in October 29, 1945 in Camarines Sur to former Representative and Governor Felix A. Fuentebella and Rita Palma.
He was educated in his home province and spent most of his life in scouting until he reached Life Scout. At the age of 15, Fuentebella was a Philippine delegate to the 50th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America in 1960.
He studied law at the University of the Philippines in 1970 and graduated being the 7th in his class and passed the Bar Exams in 1971.
Political and Professional Career
After he passed the Bar Exams, Fuentebella started a family with his wife Evelyn and pursued a career in law and banking, hoping that he could dismount the tiger of politics attached to his name.
But after President Ferdinand E. Marcos imposed martial rule and called for elections to the Interim Batasang Pambansa (IBP), Noli was chosen by the President to run in Congress to represent Partido.
He subsequently won the elections and served as an assemblyman in the IBP from 1978 to 1984. However, he lost his bid for a seat in the 1984 Regular Batasang Pambansa and used the hiatus to practice law in New York, where he was admitted to the State Bar. Then the EDSA Revolution happened and President Marcos fled into exile. As the Fuentebellas had been identified with the Marcoses, Noli opted to sit out the Cory Aquino years.
In 1992, political allies asked him to run again in Congress. Noli returned to the fray and won three consecutive terms as Congressman (1992-2001).
Speakership
After then Speaker Manuel Villar, Jr. passed the President Joseph Estrada's Articles of Impeachment to the Senate, Fuentebella was elected Speaker after Estrada's allies in the House of Representatives motioned to make all positions in the House vacant; Fuentebella won the nomination.
On January 20, 2001, during the EDSA Revolution of 2001, Estrada left the Malacañan Palace and Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was sworn to the presidency at the EDSA Shrine by Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr. Accompanying Davide were the chairs of the two houses of Congress, Aquilino Pimentel and Fuentebella. Four days later, on January 24, the Arroyo allies mustered enough votes to unseat Fuentebella, replacing him with Quezon City representative Feliciano Belmonte.
Post-speakership
When Noli had served the maximum three consecutive terms as a congressman, his son Felix William/Wimpy took over for one term (2001-2004). In the interim, Noli took up post-graduate courses at the Kennedy School of Governance of Harvard University. Noli ran again for Congress and won three more consecutive terms (2004-2013).
He was very instrumental for the proposed creation of a new province to be called as Nueva Camarines, which will be composed of the Fourth and Fifth Legislative Districts of Camarines Sur.
In the 14th Congress of the Philippines, Fuentebella was elected Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines for Luzon.
External links
- Building Institutions: The Fuentebella Legacy by Coylee Gamboa
- Sunday Inquirer Magazine (Pushing for Nueva Camarines: A New Beginning)