Neptali Gonzales
Neptali Alvaro Gonzales (* July 10, 1923 in Mandaluyong City; † 16 September 2001 in Makati City ) was a Filipino jurist, professor and politician.
Biography
High school teacher and deputy
After schooling, he studied law at the Philippine Law School and graduated in ninth Best student of the Philippines in 1949 with a score of 92.50 percent.
He then worked as a lawyer and later was 31 years professor of law at several universities in the Philippines and worked authored five highly regarded legal reference books on constitutional law, political rights, administrative law and law of public corporations.
He also began a political career and was initially 1967-1969 Vice- Governor of the Province of Rizal. Following 1970 he was elected a member of the House of Representatives and represented there until 1973, the first electoral district of the province of Rizal, the then-largest congressional district in the country, in addition to the three cities of Quezon City, Caloocan City and Pasay City, the ten other municipalities Malabon City, Navotas City, Mandaluyong, San Juan City, Makati, Taguig City, Pateros, Parañaque City, Las Piñas City and Muntinlupa City included.
After the dissolution of the parliament due to the restrictions imposed by President Ferdinand Marcos martial law in 1973, he took up teaching again and was 1976-1986 Dean of the Law Institute of the Far Eastern University.
In the last used again by President Marcos Congress ( Batasang Pambansa ) from 1984 to 1986 he was member representing the electoral district Mandaluyong - San Juan.
Ascent to the Senate President
After the end of the Marcos dictatorship during the People Power Revolution and the beginning of the presidency of Corazon Aquino in February 1986, he was appointed by the Minister of Justice ( Secretary of Justice) in the Cabinet.
In 1987 he was elected member of the Senate, where he served for two terms until 1998. During this time, in which he was several times elected " Outstanding Senator ", he was from 1 January 1992 to 18 January 1993 for the first time the Senate President. This office he held again between 29 August 1995 to 10 October 1996. Subsequently, he was as Minority Leader ( Senate Minority Leader ) Leader of the Opposition of the Progressive Coalition. Most recently, he was on 26 January 1998 to June 1998 Senate President again.
During this time he brought several legislative initiatives for the budget bills (General Appropriations Bill from 1988 to 1992, 1994, 1998). In addition, he was instrumental in numerous other laws ( Republic Act ) involved in the economic, social and educational policy.
During this time he was also Permanent Delegate to the Inter-Parliamentary Union ( IPU ) and in the Inter-Parliamentary Organization of ASEAN ( AIPO ).
Honors and Awards
For his political achievements, he has received several awards and has received, among others, the ASEAN Father for Public Service Award (1994 ), the Ama ng Bayan Award ( 1996), the Special Ideal Parents Award (1996) and the Golden Parents Special Award (1996).
In addition, he has also been honored many times for his contribution and work in the field of legal science, education and public service, and has won both honorary doctorates in law from the University of Bohol and the University of Misamis in 1987, an honorary doctorate in public administration from Polytechnic University of the Philippines in 1991 and another honorary doctorate in technological education of the Rizal technological Colleges 1995. 1996 was it also the Dr. MV Delos Santos Memorial Medallion of Honor of the University of Manila awarded.
His son Neptali M. Gonzales II was also a member of the House of Representatives and was also mayor of Mandaluyong City.