Emmanuel Pelaez
Encyclopedia
Emmanuel Neri Pelaez was a politician and Vice-President
Vice President of the Philippines
-Description:The Vice-President is the first in the Philippine line of succession, assuming the Presidency upon the death, resignation, or removal by impeachment and subsequent conviction of the incumbent. The position was abolished by Martial Law in 1972, and was not included in the original text...

 of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

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Early life and career

Pelaez was born in Medina
Medina, Misamis Oriental
Medina is a 4th class municipality in the province of Misamis Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 28, 484 people in 4,945 households.-Barangays:Medina is politically subdivided into 20 barangays, namely:* Bangbang...

, Misamis Oriental
Misamis Oriental
Misamis Oriental is a province of the Philippines located in the Northern Mindanao region. Its capital and provincial center is Cagayan de Oro City...

 to Gregorio Pelaez, Sr. and Felipa Neri. He was fourth among eight children: Rosario, Concepcion, Gregorio Jr., Emmanuel, Jose Ma., Lourdes , Antonio, and Carmen. He studied in Cagayan de Misamis (former name of Cagayan de Oro) Elementary School where he got the highest honors. He then went to the Ateneo de Manila
Ateneo de Manila University
The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...

 High School and got his Associate in Arts at the Cebu UP Junior College.

He received his law degree from the University of Manila
University of Manila
The University of Manila is a university located in the heart of Sampaloc in Manila, Philippines, more commonly known as the University Belt area. It was founded in 1913 by five young college students, the three de Los santos siblings and two of their friends.-External links:*...

 in 1938, and in the same year topped the Bar examinations. He worked as a Senate Clerk at the Journal Division from 1934 to 1935, Debate Reporter from 1935 to 1937, and court translator from 1937-1938. He was employed as assistant court reporter at the Court of Appeals from 1939 to 1940, then later Special Prosecutor of the People’s Court from 1945 up to 1946. Peláez practiced law and at the same time professor of law at the University of Manila from 1946 up to 1963. In 1949, he was voted Congressman, representing his home province. During his term as representative (1949-53) he was adjudged one of the Ten Outstanding Congressmen by the Congressional Press Club, one of the Ten Most Useful Congressmen by the Philippine Free Press, and one of the two Most Outstanding Congressmen by the League of Women Voters of the Philippines.

Such achievements in the Lower House of Congress literally brought him to the Senate floor in 1953-60. He was unanimously chosen Most Outstanding Senator by two organizations, the League of Women Voters of the Philippines and the Senate Press Club.

Vice-Presidency

Pelaez was elected Vice President in 1961, simultaneously performing the functions of Foreign Affairs Secretary. He resigned in 1963 as Secretary, after a dispute with the Macapagal administration. In the same year, he was chosen Man of the Year by the Examiner and the following year was adjudged the Most Outstanding Alumnus during the Golden Jubilee Celebration of the University of Manila
University of Manila
The University of Manila is a university located in the heart of Sampaloc in Manila, Philippines, more commonly known as the University Belt area. It was founded in 1913 by five young college students, the three de Los santos siblings and two of their friends.-External links:*...

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Election to Philippine Congress

Pelaez was again elected as representative to Congress in 1965. Two years later he held the office being a senator until the September 1972 proclamation of martial law. While he went back to private life and devoted his time to his family and law practice, he nevertheless continued to take an active interest in public affairs. In 1978, the 63-year old lawyer of Misamis Oriental was elected Assemblyman in the Interim Batasang Pambansa and served as Minister of State.

Diplomat

Pelaez was Chairman and/or ranking member of Philippine delegations to various international conferences among which were: the UN 10th Commemorative Conference at San Francisco in 1955; the UN General Assembly meeting in 1957 and 1962; Interparliamentary Union Conference at London in 1957; in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....

 and the Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...

 in 1972. He had been a member, consultant body of the Philippine Delegation to the SEATO in 1963. In 1973, President Marcos designated him as a member of the Philippine panel in the military bases negotiations with the United States. The RP-US Military Bases Negotiation was held in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....

 in 1975. This was his second time to serve the panel, the first time being in 1956 when he was the spokesman of the panel in the RP-US military bases negotiations then. Peláez served as Philippine ambassador to the United States of America during the Aquino administration.

Civic leader

Pelaez involved himself actively in various civic and professional societies. He served as Chairman of the Cadang-Cadang Research Foundation of the Philippines, Inc., the first Filipino scientific research foundation jointly financed by the government and the private sector for the eradication of cadang-cadang, an infectious viral disease which had threatened to wipe out the coconut industry. He also headed the Philippine Coconut Planters Association, Mindanao-Sulu-Palawan Association and the Philippine National Red Cross Fund Drive in Mindanao (1958).

Personal life

Pelaez married Edith Fabella with whom he has nine children: Emmanuel Jr., Ernesto, Elena, Esperanza, Eloisa, Eduardo, Enrique, Edmundo and Elvira. A failed assassination attempt prompted Pelaez to end his political career and devote his life to Bible studies. He served twice as President of the Philippine Bible Society and Chairman of its Board of Directors, and was later made Honorary President for life by the organization.

He died July 27, 2003 at the Asian Hospital and Medical Center in Muntinlupa City
Muntinlupa City
The City of Muntinlupa is the southernmost city in Philippine National Capital Region. It is bordered on the north by Taguig City; to the northwest by Parañaque City; by Las Piñas City to the west; to the southwest by the city of Bacoor, Cavite; by the city of San Pedro, Laguna; and by Laguna de...

 due to cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest, is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively...

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External links

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