Benny Abante

The Honorable
Bienvenido M. Abante
The Honorable Bienvenido M. Abante
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives
	In office; December 7, 2020 – June 1, 2022
House Speaker	Lord Allan Velasco
House Minority Leader
	In office; July 22, 2019 – October 16, 2020
Preceded by	Danilo Suarez
Succeeded by	Joseph Stephen Paduano
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives; from Manila's 6th District
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; June 30, 2019
Preceded by	Sandy Ocampo
	In office; June 30, 2004 – June 30, 2010
Preceded by	Mark Jimenez
Succeeded by	Sandy Ocampo
Member of the Manila City Council from the 6th District
	In office; June 30, 1992 – June 30, 1995
Personal details
Born	Bienvenido Mirando Abante Jr.; May 15, 1951 (age 73); Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines
Political party	NUP (2019–present); Asenso Manileño (2019–present)
Other political; affiliations	UNA (2012–2018); Lakas-Kampi-CMD (2008–2010); Lakas–CMD (before 2008)
Spouse	Marie Paz Toledo (m. 1977)
Alma mater	Far Eastern University; Baptist Bible College; Citadel Baptist College; Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

Bienvenido "Benny" Mirando Abante Jr. (born May 15, 1951) is a Filipino politician and Bible Baptist pastor who is currently serving as the representative of Manila's 6th district since 2019, a position he previously held from 2004 to 2010. He also served as a House Deputy Speaker from 2020 to 2022, House Minority Leader from 2019 to 2020, and a councilor of Manila from the 6th district from 1992 to 1995.^[1]^[2] He is also the host pastor of the Metropolitan Bible Baptist Church and Ministries in Santa Ana, Manila.

Early life and education

Abante was born in the outskirts of Sampaloc, Manila on July 15, 1951, the eldest of four sons of the Rev. Ben O. Abante Sr. and Priscilla Mirando. He has two younger brothers, Jose Hernes and Reuben, who both grew up to be ministers.

He grew up taking on odd jobs such as shining shoes, selling newspapers and corsages and working on a construction site at a young age to support himself. He also worked in an accounting firm as an auditor to support his college education. He earned his bachelor's degree from Far Eastern University in 1971. He later graduated with a bachelor's and graduate degrees in theology at Citadel Baptist College in Sacramento, California and Baptist Bible College in Makati, respectively. He also holds a master's degree in Government Management from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.^{[citation needed]}

Career

In 1975, he started the Metropolitan Bible Baptist Church and Ministries in Santa Ana, Manila. He is also in the academe, having been named as the president of Metropolitan Lighthouse Theological School and Institute in Quezon City and administrator of the Metropolitan International Christian Academy in Manila in 1985. He was conferred a honorary degree in theology at Citadel Baptist College in 1985 and honorary doctor of theology at Indianapolis Baptist College in 1987.

In 1986, he founded the Bible Believers League for Morality and Democracy (BIBLEMODE),^[3] and also heads the Abante International Ministries (AIM), the Grace and Truth Community International Foundation, Inc., and the Ben O. Abante Baptist Bible College.

He served as a councilor of Manila from the 6th district from 1992 to 1995. He was recognized by the Manila City Hall Press Club as the Outstanding Councilor of Manila in 1994. After his term as councilor, he served as commissioner of Presidential Commission for Urban Poor, Manila from 1996 to 1998. He was also named special assistant to national chairman of Lakas–NUCD in 2000.^{[citation needed]}

House of Representatives

He ran and won a seat in the House of Representatives in May 2004. He was subsequently named chairman of the Committee on Public Information. His major undertakings in his district focused on health, education, social services and infrastructure development and/or improvement. Abante's committee also scrutinized the Right of Reply Bill that was criticized by the media organizations as a curtailment to the freedom of the press.^[4] He also proposed an Anti-Sex Video Bill that imposes stiffer penalties of the people involved in the manufacture of sex videos.^[5] He was one of the principal authors of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill during the 14th Congress. The FOI bill was defeated in Congress after its opponents questioned if there was a quorum on the final session day.^[6] Abante unsuccessfully defended his seat in the 2010 election, losing to former representative Rosenda Ann "Sandy" Ocampo. He attempted a comeback to the Congress in 2013 and 2016 but was unsuccessful, losing both to Ocampo. Abante was elected as Representative of Manila's 6th District in 2019 with the previous incumbent Ocampo ineligible for reelection. He ran against Councilor Cassy Sison and newcomer Yvette Ocampo, Sandy's sister. He ran under the banner of Asenso Manileño with Isko Moreno running for Mayor.

On July 10, 2020, he is one of the 11 representatives who voted to grant the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN. He is one of the two Manila Lawmakers to grant the franchise along with Edward Maceda.^[7] He was re-elected in 2022.

Personal life

Abante married Marie Paz Toledo in 1977, and has three children. His daughter Priscilla Marie is a lawyer and had served as a councilor of Manila from the 6th district from 2013 to 2022.^[8] His son Benny Fog III is an incumbent councilor from the same district since 2022.

References

^ Cruz, RG (December 7, 2020). "More Velasco allies named House deputy speakers". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
^ Cepeda, Mara (October 16, 2020). "House Minority Leader Abante Steps Down, Joins Velasco-Led Majority". Rappler. Archived from the original on October 20, 2020. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
^ Agron, Edmon (July 3, 2018). "Baptist pastor explains Duterte's "stupid god" statement". eVolved. worldngayon.com. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
^ Dalangin-Fernandez, Lira (March 5, 2009). "House begins discussing right of reply bill". INQUIRER.net. Archived from the original on July 25, 2009. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
^ Mabutas, Gabriel (June 13, 2009). "Bill vs sex videos pushed". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved December 15, 2011.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ Mangahas, Malou (June 7, 2010). "Secrets of Nograles House could be exposed by FOI". GMA News Online. Retrieved December 15, 2011.
^ Perez-Rubio, Bella (July 10, 2020). "List of lawmakers who voted for and against ABS-CBN franchise renewal". Philstar.com. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
^ Gutierrez, Dennis (February 16, 2022). "'Team Isko' taps 2 Manila councilors as new campaign spokespersons". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved August 8, 2022.

External links

https://web.archive.org/web/20100326043515/http://www.mbbcintl.com/bma.html

[1] Cruz, RG (December 7, 2020). "More Velasco allies named House deputy speakers". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved December 8, 2020.

[2] Cepeda, Mara (October 16, 2020). "House Minority Leader Abante Steps Down, Joins Velasco-Led Majority". Rappler. Archived from the original on October 20, 2020. Retrieved October 17, 2020.

[3] Agron, Edmon (July 3, 2018). "Baptist pastor explains Duterte's "stupid god" statement". eVolved. worldngayon.com. Retrieved July 15, 2018.

[4] Dalangin-Fernandez, Lira (March 5, 2009). "House begins discussing right of reply bill". INQUIRER.net. Archived from the original on July 25, 2009. Retrieved December 15, 2011.

[5] Mabutas, Gabriel (June 13, 2009). "Bill vs sex videos pushed". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved December 15, 2011.^{[permanent dead link]}

[6] Mangahas, Malou (June 7, 2010). "Secrets of Nograles House could be exposed by FOI". GMA News Online. Retrieved December 15, 2011.

[7] Perez-Rubio, Bella (July 10, 2020). "List of lawmakers who voted for and against ABS-CBN franchise renewal". Philstar.com. Retrieved July 22, 2020.

[8] Gutierrez, Dennis (February 16, 2022). "'Team Isko' taps 2 Manila councilors as new campaign spokespersons". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved August 8, 2022.

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