Mang Jess Arranza is a businessman and sector leader, serving as chairman of the Federation of Philippine Industries. He also provides commentary on social, political and economic matters on both print and radio.
In addition to his duties as FPI chairman, Arranza hosts a radio show with former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, Dito sa Bayan ni Juan, on Sonshine Radio DZAR 1026. Sonshine Radio is owned and operated by Sonshine Media Network International, a broadcast company owned by Davao-based Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.
Quiboloy, who is President Rodrigo Duterte's so-called spiritual adviser, is facing several charges under a 74-page indictment document filed by federal prosecutors in the United States for a series of alleged criminal acts, including orchestrating a sex trafficking operation within his church.
An investigative report published by Rappler also found that Quiboloy's Sonshine Media Network International, a recipient of one of the networks seized from ABS-CBN Corp., fuels online disinformation and attacks against journalists and activists.
This is Arranza’s first electoral race. He has recently cited reenergizing the local industry as the key factor in achieving economic recovery. If elected, he intends to support the agricultural sector, which has been suffering under the inundation of imported products and smuggled items, by promoting a “buy Filipino” agenda and modernization of the agricultural sector.
However, in more than 30 years of commercial success and business sector development, Arranza has advocated for the promotion of local businesses through ensuring globally competitive industries as well as supporting anti-smuggling advocacies and buying local movements.
The candidate's top priorities if elected to office, tracked against previous promises and accomplishments, if any
Stop smuggling
Leads anti-crime groups, such as:
Anti-Crime Council of the Philippines, a cooperation of law enforcement agencies, big private businesses, civic groups, the academe, and non-governmental organizations aiming to battle “all crimes” that affect Filipinos
Fight Illicit Trade, broad-based, multisectoral movement intended to protect consumers, safeguard government revenues and shield legitimate
Support and modernize the sector
Support local inventors and technologies, which give more value local raw materials
Rejuvenate the local industry
Chairman of the Federation of Philippine Industries
The candidate's top five accomplishments and contributions for the last 15 years or so
Private Sector
Arranza is a businessman and sector leader. He chairs the FPI, which is composed of local manufacturing and industrial companies allied together to promote and develop globally-competitive industries. Among the group’s advocacies are anti-smuggling campaigns, encouraging fiscal incentives for local industries, cooperation with laborers to increase productivity, promotion of trade policy and becoming an indispensable partner of the Philippine government in enhancing competition in a global economy.
Arranza was appointed as president of Coconut Industry Investment Fund – Oil Mills Group in 2009 by then president, now Pampanga solon Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. In June 2018, the entire 12-man board of directors and key officials, including Arranza, submitted their mass resignation in protest of the appointment of Rehan Lao as president and chief executive officer of CIIF-OMG by President Rodrigo Duterte, claiming it could have reverberating effects on the local coconut industry. Arranza stressed the need to put people who are competent and knowledgeable about the coconut industry to ensure that CIIF-OMG, being a sequestered company, is run profitably in support of the government and the local coconut industry.
In October 2020, FPI, through Arranza, pushed for improvement of the rules on product standards since consumers were placed at greater risk of purchasing substandard goods during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
By August 2021, when re-imposition of enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila was imminent due to spikes in positives COVID-19 cases caused by the Delta variant, Arranza called for the government to gather public health leaders and listen to their expertise experience on the country’s COVID-19 response. FPI said that it would respect the government’s decision on quarantine “as long as it is based on science and sound analysis of relevant statistics, but emphasized that the government needed to ramp up vaccination to protect Filipinos and support unhampered economic recovery.
Arranza also writes a column, Make Sense, in Business Mirror.
Chairman, Federation of Philippine Industries and FPI Anti-Smuggling Committees, 1990s - present
Actions and/or proceedings pending against or resolved in courts or tribunals involving the candidate, based on publicly available information
Also known as SALN, this document is a declaration of one's personal finances. Philippine Law requires the SALN to be submitted by all public officials and employees to the Ombudsman. Public officials and employees may opt to voluntarily disclose their SALN to the public.
Key details about the candidate's campaign
Candidate's major donors and campaign funding sources
The candidate's top advocacies in the last 15 years or so
Position/Date: Chairman, Federation of Philippine Industries Anti-Smuggling Committees, 1990s - present
- Anti-Crime Council of the Philippines, a cooperation of law enforcement agencies, big private businesses, civic groups, the academe, and non-governmental organizations aiming to battle “all crimes” that affect Filipinos
- Fight Illicit Trade, broad-based, multisectoral movement intended to protect consumers, safeguard government revenues and shield legitimate industries from the ill effects of smuggling
Position/Date: Founder, 2018
Position/Date: Columnist
Status: In his Jan. 5, 2022 Make Sense column, Arranza opined that establishing a PhilHealth-owned hospital would be beneficial for the government, the health industry and the public, especially PhilHealth members; according to him, such move would increase total capacity for hospital beds, lessen government’s cost of hospitalization and dependence on private hospitals for its healthcare program, help minimize corruption in the health care industry and give a needed boost to the Universal Health Care Act
Basic information on the candidate's family, background and work experience
●Master’s in Public Administration, University of the East, 1998
●Bachelor of Arts in Economics, University of the East, 1965
●Doctor of Humanities, Honoris Causa, University of the East, 2016
● Chairman, Federation of Philippine Industries, 1990s - present
● Chairman, FPI Anti-Smuggling Committee
● Fight IT - Fight Illicit Trade
● Consultant, Dangerous Drugs Board
● Anti-Crime Council of the Philippines, current
● United Coconut Association of the Philippines
● Chairman, Coconut Oil Refiners Association, Inc. current
● Columnist, “Make Sense”, Business Mirror
● Radio Personality, weekly show Dito sa Bayan ni Juan, on Sonshine Radio DZAR 1026 with Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile
● Director, Philippine Electricity Market Corporation, current
● Coconut Industry Investment Fund Oil Mills Group, 2009-2013
● Director, United Coconut Planters Bank, 2002-2009, 2013-20191
● Faculty member, Graduate School, University of the East, 2001-2002
