The Commission on Elections has since confirmed that votes for Marcoleta will not be counted.
Rodante Marcoleta, 68, an incumbent SAGIP Party-list representative, has served in Congress for more than 11 years.
In the House of Representatives, where he serves as deputy speaker, he was among the principal authors of the controversial Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.
Along with other staunch allies of President Rodrigo Duterte in the lower house, Marcoleta pushed for the non-renewal of the franchise of the country's leading broadcaster ABS-CBN Corp. which the chamber's legislative franchises panel ultimately voted to take off free television airwaves amid the COVID-19 crisis.
He is the same lawmaker who moved to give the Commission on Human Rights a mere P1,000 budget for 2018 in the House of Representatives, a move supported by more than 100 of his colleagues but ultimately reversed by the Senate.
Most recently, in 2021, Marcoleta and Rep. Mike Defensor (Anakalusugan Party-list), drew controversy when they set up an "ivermectin pantry" at a barangay and distributed the antiparasitic drug — normally administered to animals — to some 200 Quezon City residents. The Department of Health has reiterated that no evidence currently exists to back up the safety and efficacy of the drug as a COVID-19 treatment. Clinical trials of the horse medicine by the Department of Science and Technology had not commenced at the time the pantry was put up and are still ongoing as of this writing.
As a lawmaker, Marcoleta has advocated for the welfare of workers, alleviation of poverty, and the health of the public. He is campaigning for equality of the law, quality education, and proper implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law.
Marcoleta is included in the Senate slates of the administration PDP-Laban as well as the tandem of former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., son and namesake of the late dictator, and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.
The candidate's top priorities if elected to office, tracked against previous promises and accomplishments, if any
Increase scope of UHCA
- Among principal authors of Universal Health Care Act, passed on Feb. 20, 2019
- Joined a petition asking the Supreme Court to compel regulators to allow ivermectin use to treat and prevent COVID-19 despite a lack of definitive data supporting its efficacy
Establishment of Department of Migrant Workers
Among the principal authors of Department of Migrant Workers Act passed on Dec. 30, 2021
Uplift the quality of life of the poor
- Among the principal authors of Magna Carta of the Poor passed on Apr. 12, 2019
- Among the principal authors of Community-Based Monitoring System Act passed on Apr. 17, 2019
Establishment of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region
Among the principal authors of Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao on July 27, 2018
The candidate's top five accomplishments and contributions for the last 15 years or so
Public Office
As a legislator, Marcoleta authored some 283 bills, at least 39 of which were eventually passed into law. Two of these were related to tax reformation, while another two laws were enacted to help with the quality of education in schools. Marcoleta likewise filed a number of bills supporting poverty alleviation and citizen welfare.
Marcoleta was one of the most vocal lawmakers opposing the renewal of ABS-CBN Corp.'s franchise application. Throughout House hearings, Marcoleta raised the citizenship of chairman emeritus Eugenio Lopez III, alleged tax-evasion schemes by using its subsidiary, Big Dipper Digital Content and Design Inc., supposed Labor Code violations, and the legality of its reacquisition by the Lopez family in 1986 among other issues.
The rejection of the broadcaster’s franchise came despite confirmation from the Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, and the Department of Labor and Employment that the broadcast company was compliant with government regulations.
ABS-CBN's shutdown was lamented by media practitioners and rights watchdogs as an affront to media freedom and by health workers who flagged the dangers of limiting the public's access to vital information in the middle of the pandemic.
Running contrary to his own arguments in 2020, Marcoleta previously filed bills allowing dual citizens to run for public office and to grant franchises to companies that have had them for more than 50 years.
Marcoleta's team also aired a political ad for his senatorial campaign on ABS-CBN's streaming platform Kapamilya Network in November 2021, less than two years after he and his colleagues took the broadcaster off free-to-air television.
Principal author in the House of Representatives, 2017
Approved by the president on Apr. 12, 2019
Principal author in the House of Representatives, 2019
Approved by the president on Dec. 30, 2021
Principal author in the House of Representatives, 2020
Approved by the president on Sept. 11, 2020
Principal author in the House of Representatives, 2017
Approved by the president on Feb. 20, 2019
Principal author in the House of Representatives, 2017
Approved by the president on July 27, 2018
Actions and/or proceedings pending against or resolved in courts or tribunals involving the candidate, based on publicly available information
Pending Actions and/or Proceedings
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.
* As of Dec. 31, 2018
Key details about the candidate's campaign
- PDP-Laban guest candidate
Part of Marcos-Duterte UniTeam Senate slate
Candidate's major donors and campaign funding sources
The candidate's top advocacies in the last 15 years or so
2. Supports the continued multi billion-peso funding for the controversial National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict
Position/Date
As SAGIP party-list representative
Made the motion to cut the CHR's 2018 budget to just P1,000 pesos, questioning its validity and accusing it of failing to do its job
Position/Date
As SAGIP party-list representative
Status
After more than 100 lawmakers in the lower house voted to practically defund the CHR, the Senate restored the commission's proposed budget for 2018
Insisted that the policy was lawful, citing national security, public safety and public health
Position/Date
As SAGIP party-list representative
Among the authors of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) which was enacted in 2017, and the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act or CREATE which was enacted in 2021
Position/Date
As SAGIP party-list representative
1. Magna Carta of the Poor which (enacted in 2019)
2. Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (enacted in 2018)
3. Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict Act (enacted in 2019
Position/Date
As SAGIP party-list representative
Basic information on the candidate's family, background and work experience
• Doctorate Degree in Public Administration, University of the Philippines, Diliman, 2020
• Master’s Degree in Business Administration, University of the East
• Developmental Leadership, Harvard Kennedy School
• Deputy House Speaker, House of Representatives, 2019 to present
• SAGIP Partylist representative, 2016 to present
• Alagad Partylist representative, 2004 to 2007, 2009 to 2013
Learn more about this candidate
PUBLIC OFFICE
Republic Act No. 11534 - Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act or Create
Enacted on Mar. 26, 2021
Principal Author, Sept.22, 2016
Enacted on Dec. 19, 2017
Principal Author, May 18, 2017
Enacted on Feb. 2, 2018
Principal Author, Mar. 20, 2018
Enacted on Jan. 10, 2019
Principal Author, Sept.11, 2018
Enacted on Apr. 17, 2019
| TERM |
DEFINITION
|
|---|---|
| SAGIP party-list | Social Amelioration & Genuine Intervention on Poverty |
| CHR | Commission on Human Rights |
