Migz Zubiri

In thisPhilippine name,themiddle nameor maternalfamily nameisFernandezand the surname or paternal family name isZubiri.

The Honorable Juan Miguel Zubiri
File:Migz Zubiri.jpg
Senator of the Philippines
Incumbent
Assumed office June 30, 2016
In office June 30, 2007 – August 11, 2011
Chair of thePhilippine Senate Cooperatives Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office July 25, 2016
Preceded by	Lito Lapid
Chair of thePhilippine Senate Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office July 25, 2016
Preceded by	Bam Aquino(as Trade and Commerce)
Majority Floor Leader of the Senate of the Philippines
In office November 17, 2008 – June 30, 2010
Preceded by	Francis Pangilinan
Succeeded by	Vicente Sotto III
Member of thePhilippine House of RepresentativesfromBukidnon's 3rd District
In office June 30, 1998 – June 30, 2007
Preceded by	Jose Ma. R. Zubiri, Jr.
Succeeded by	Jose Ma. F. Zubiri III
Personal details
Born	Juan Miguel Fernandez Zubiri (1968-04-13)April 13, 1968 Makati, Metro Manila,Philippines
Political party	PDP-Laban(2016–present)
Other political affiliations	PMP(2012–2013) Lakas CMD/Lakas-Kampi CMD(1998–2011) Independent(2011–2012, 2014–2016)
Spouse	Audrey Tan
Children	Maria Adriana Juan Miguel Jr. Santiago Gabriel
Residences	Malaybalay City,Bukidnon Makati City Muntinlupa City
Alma mater	University of the Philippines Los Baños
Profession	Businessperson

Juan Miguel "Migz" Fernández Zubiri(born April 13, 1969) is aFilipinobusinessman and politician who served three consecutive terms in thePhilippine House of Representativesfor thethird district of Bukidnonand as a senator. In the Philippine Senate he becameSenateMajority Leader,replacing SenatorFrancis Pangilinan,on November 17, 2008.He is the current vice chairman of the Philippine Red Cross.

Zubiri announced his resignation from the Senate on August 3, 2011, following allegations of poll fraud during theSenate electionsof 2007.He is the first Philippine Senator to do so, since all historical resignations from the Senate prior to his resignation involved senators leaving to assume other positions in government.

Early life

Zubiri was born inMakati City,Philippines to aNegrensefather,Jose Maria Rubin Zubiri, Jr.fromKabankalan Cityand aBicolanamother, Maria Victoria Ocampo Fernandez ofLibon, Albaywho was raised in the province ofBukidnonin Mindanao. He speaksCebuano,Tagalog,English, and his father's nativeHiligaynon.His father Jose Maria is the incumbent Bukidnon provincial governor.

His family is of partial (patrilineal)Basqueand Spanish heritage.

Education

Zubiri finished elementary and high school inColegio San Agustin-Makati.He graduated from theUniversity of the Philippines Los Bañoswith a degree in Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness Management. He also earned a Master of Environment and Natural Resources Management degree from theUniversity of the Philippines Open University.

Political career

Congress

After serving as chief of staff of his father, Rep. (now Bukidnon Governor) Jose Ma. R. Zubiri, Jr., from 1995–1998, he ran for the seat representing thethird district of Bukidnonto be vacated by his father in the 1998 general elections. Winning easily in that election, he served his first term in the10th Congress.During his first term, he was one of the members of what the media dubbed as the "Spice Boys",a group of neophyte and two-term congressmen who were openly critical of PresidentJoseph Estrada'sadministration. He was subsequently re-elected to thePhilippine House of Representativesin the 2001 and 2004 elections.

Senate

After serving as aCongressmanfor three-terms, he was drafted byLakas CMDto be one of their candidates in the pro-Macapagal-ArroyoadministrationTeam Unityticket in the 2007 mid-term elections.

In the final tally for the 2007 senatorial race by thePhilippine Commission on Elections (Comelec),Rep. Zubiri narrowly defeated opposition candidateAquilino Pimentel IIIfor the 12th and last slot in the Senate. Zubiri had a total of 11,001,730 votes against Pimentel's 10,983,358 votes.The margin of some 18,372 votes was hotly contested, particularly the votes from the southern Philippine province ofMaguindanao,where Pimentel had lost heavily to Zubiri.

Claiming the votes inMaguindanaowere tainted,Pimentel petitioned thePhilippine Supreme Courtto invalidate the votes from Maguindanao, effectively disenfranchising a whole province. The Supreme Court voted unanimously 14 -0 against Pimentel and allowed the COMELEC (Commission on Elections) to count the votes in Zubiri's favor. Pimentel then returned to the Supreme Court for the second time. This time, he petitioned the justices to issue a restraining order against the proclamation of Zubiri. After oral arguments, however, the High Tribunal again voted to uphold the COMELEC's decision to proclaim Zubiri, consequently failing to grant Pimentel's petition.The next day, July 14, 2007, Zubiri was duly proclaimed elected to thePhilippine Senate.However, the Court's judgment did not prevent Pimentel from bringing his poll protests to the Senate Electoral Tribunal.

On March 14, 2008, the Supreme Court, in a 40-page decision penned by Associate JusticeMinita Chico-Nazario,dismissedAquilino Pimentel III's petition to stop the Commission on Elections from canvassing votes from the province ofMaguindanao,a definite morale booster for Senator Zubiri.

While serving his stint in the Senate, Zubiri began advocating a more in-depth study of biofuels in order to prevent food shortages, all the while allowing current production of alternative clean energy and biofuels so as to lessen dependence on imported oil and allow the Philippine economy a new avenue of economic success, "especially in this day and age of constant rising oil prices".

On August 3, 2011, however, during his privilege speech on the floor in thePhilippine Senate,Zubiri suddenly announced his resignation from the body.In his speech, he said that his family was hurt by the "unfounded" accusations against him. "Without admitting any fault and with my vehement denial of the alleged electoral fraud hurled against me, I am submitting my resignation as a duly elected Senator of the Republic of the Philippines in the election for which I am falsely accused without mercy and compassion," Zubiri said in his speech. "My political detractors began calling me ugly names and dragging the name of my family in entirety. In other words, Mr. President, the trial by publicity has begun," he continued.

His resignation was lauded byMalacañangand various sectorsbut was also seen as a step that helped restore the Filipino's faith in national electoral protests.

SenatorFrancis Pangilinan,a member of the Senate Electoral Tribunal, likewise refused to comment on what the next procedure is for the vacancy left by Zubiri. "Let's just wait for developments if any," he said.

In 2016, he ran for the senate under thePartido ng Galing at Pusoof SenatorGrace Poe'spresidential campaignplacing 6th in the polls.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Juan Miguel Zubiri
4. Jose Zubiri, Sr. 2.Jose Maria Zubiri, Jr. 5. Rosa Rubin 1. Juan Miguel Zubiri 24. Manuel Fernández 12. Bartolomé Fernández 25. Mamerta Seda 6. Manuel Fernandez 26. Ignacio Calleja 13. Pilar Calleja 27. Aquilina Maronilla 3. Maria Victoria Fernandez 28.? Ocampo (first name unidentified) 14. Jesús Ocampo 29.? (first and last name unidentified) 7. Rosita Ocampo 15. Rosenda Villaroman

External links

• Juan Miguel "Migz" F. Zubiri's Official Website
• Official Website of the Senate of the Philippines