Danilo Suarez

Danilo "Danny" Etorma Suarez (born December 20, 1942)[2][3] is a Filipino politician and former Governor of Quezon. He served as Minority Floor Leader of the House of Representatives of the Philippines[4] representing the 3rd District of Quezon.[5]

This article is about the Filipino politician. For the Uruguayan footballer, see Danilo Suárez.
In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Etorma and the surname or paternal family name is Suarez.
The Honorable
Danilo Suarez
Suarez in 2019
29th Governor of Quezon
In office
June 30, 2019 – June 30, 2022
Vice GovernorSamuel Nantes
Preceded byDavid Suarez
Succeeded byAngelina Tan
House Minority Leader
In office
July 27, 2016 – June 30, 2019
Preceded byRonaldo Zamora
Succeeded byBienvenido Abante, Jr.
In office
January 20, 2012 – June 30, 2013
Preceded byEdcel Lagman
Succeeded byRonaldo Zamora
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Quezon's 3rd congressional district
In office
June 30, 2016 – June 30, 2019
Preceded byAleta Suarez
Succeeded byAleta Suarez
In office
June 30, 2004 – June 30, 2013
Preceded byAleta Suarez
Succeeded byAleta Suarez
In office
June 30, 1992 – June 30, 2001
Preceded byBienvenido Marquez, Jr.
Succeeded byAleta Suarez
Personal details
Born
Danilo Etorma Suarez

(1942-12-20) December 20, 1942
Lucena, Tayabas, Commonwealth of the Philippines
Political partyLakas–CMD (2007–present)
Other political
affiliations		LAMMP (1998–2001)
Liberal (2001–2007)
Nacionalista (1987–2001)
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1969)​
[1]
Children5 (including David)

He maintains a regular column with the Manila Standard.[6]

Early life and career

Suarez attended West 1 and Quezon High in Lucena. As a working student, he tried everything from shining shoes, to selling newspapers, to being a hotel bellboy. Armed with nothing but his wits, he moved to Manila to find greener pastures. There, he met his wife Aleta. They had a difficult life, but perseverance rewarded them with better opportunities. The Suarez couple found their calling as entrepreneurs, and in 1992, started giving back to the people of Quezon through public service.[7]

As legislator

Suarez first served as Quezon 3rd district representative in 1992 and served for three consecutive terms until 2001. Due to term limitation, his wife Aleta ran in 2001.[3][8] He was appointed as vice chair of the National Road Board by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. After his wife's term ended, he served for three consecutive terms from 2004 to 2013. On January 16, 2012, Suarez assumed post as Minority Floor Leader of the House of Representatives of the Philippines replacing Edcel Lagman who earlier resigned due to a term-sharing agreement.[9][10][11]

He ran again unopposed during the 2016 election. He then ran for the Speakership in the 17th Congress of the Philippines but lost to Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez where he got 7 votes while Teddy Baguilat got 8 votes. Even though it is a tradition that the one who got the second highest votes is automatically the minority floor leader, a change in the house rules says that there should be an election within the minority bloc. He won as minority floor leader during the election on July 27, 2016, with 22 votes and 3 abstentions.[4][12][13][14]

Environmental advocate

Suarez has been championing the protection of the environment throughout his political career. He opposed the Kaliwa Dam Project in Rizal province during the term of President Benigno Aquino III.[15]

As House Representative, Suarez has been fighting for the growth and development of the local palm oil (copra) industry, urging the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and other concerned agencies to stop the importation of palm oil in support of the development of the country's coconut industry.[16]

Suarez pushed for a congressional investigation on palm oil importation back in 2013 since it was dragging copra prices down.

Bills filed

Suarez introduced House Bill No. 599, an Act Mandating the Construction of the Quezon–Bicol Expressway to be called QuBEx, an expressway that shall link the provinces of Quezon with the Bicol regions starting from Malicboy in Pagbilao, Quezon and terminating in the province of Sorsogon in Bicol.[17]

He also filed House Bill No. 6479, an act establishing Quezon Coconut Research and Development Center in Catanauan, Quezon.

He filed House Bill No. 7503, an act declaring Filipino sign language as the National sign language of the Filipino deaf. This was enacted into Republic Act No. 11106 in 2018.

Governor of Quezon

Suarez was elected Governor of Quezon in 2019. He assumed office on June 30, 2019, succeeding his son David.[18]

He ran for reelection in 2022, but lost to 4th district representative Angelina "Helen" Tan.

References
  1. "DANNY AND ALETA SUAREZ MARK GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY". The Philippine Star. June 5, 2019. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  2. "About Congressman Danilo E. Suarez". Facebook. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  3. "Quezon politico is Arroyo's top bet for BIR chief - sources". GMA News. July 19, 2007. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  4. "Danilo Suarez elected as House minority leader". Rappler. July 27, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  5. "Hon. Suarez, Danilo E." House of Representatives of the Philippines. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  6. "Hon. Suarez, Danilo E." Manila Standard. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  7. "Governor Danilo E. Suarez". Quezon Province. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  8. Coronel, Shiela (July 23, 2003). "Open For Business : Part 4". Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  9. "Lagman resigns as minority leader". Philippine Star. January 20, 2012. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  10. "Suarez new minority head after Lagman". BusinessWorld. January 4, 2012. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  11. "Lagman, Suarez squabble over minority leadership". ABS-CBN News. January 5, 2012. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  12. "Still no minority leader for House?". Rappler. July 25, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  13. "Quezon's Danilo Suarez elected House minority leader". GMA News. July 27, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  14. Cayabyab, Marc Jayson (July 27, 2016). "Suarez — Binay ally — elected House minority leader". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  15. "Aquino OKs P62-billion worth of projects". ABS-CBN News. May 30, 2014.
  16. "Quezon lawmaker asks DTI to stop palm oil importation". Inquirer.net. 13 March 2019.
  17. "Quezon-Bicol expressway OK'd by House body". Manila Bulletin.
  18. Belen, Gideon (July 1, 2019). "Save coco industry, scrap palm oil importation: Suarez". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
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