Sample Page

Ramon Hidalgo Felipe Jr. (March 11, 1920 – June 15, 2017) was a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 14th chairman of the Commission on Elections from 1986 to 1988 and House minority leader from 1972 to 1973. He represented Camarines Sur’s first district in the House of Representatives from 1965 to 1973.

Felipe was born on March 11, 1920, in Naga, Camarines Sur, to former provincial governor Ramon B. Felipe and Rosalia Felin Hidalgo. He completed his primary education at the Naga Barrio Training School and the Naga Normal Training School, graduating as valedictorian of his class in 1932. He initially enrolled at Camarines Sur Provincial High School for his freshman year but later transferred to the Ateneo de Manila University, where he completed his secondary education with first honors.

He attended the Ateneo de Manila University, where he graduated summa cum laude with an AB degree in 1940 and earned his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1942. He served as president of the Ateneo Student Council and was a member of the Ateneo College of Law debate team.

He placed third in the 1944 Bar examinations with an average of 94.9% before formally graduating from law school.

From 1957 to 1958, he served as president of the Naga chapter of Junior Chamber International.^[1]

Felipe ran for mayor of Naga in 1959 but lost to incumbent Victorino Ojeda.^[2]

In November 1963, Felipe was elected mayor of Naga. He was known for spearheading projects that included the paving of city streets, the installation of mercury-vapor street lamps, reforms within the local police department, and an increase in the basic salaries of city employees from ₱120 to ₱180.^[3]

Felipe resigned as mayor in September 1965 to run for Camarines Sur’s 1st district seat in the House of Representatives. He defeated incumbent Juan Triviño, carrying 16 of the district’s 18 municipalities. He served as the last House minority leader from the Liberal Party before the abolition of Congress in 1973 following President Ferdinand Marcos‘s declaration of martial law.^[3]

After his congressional career, Felipe returned to private legal practice. He was unsuccessful in his bid for reelection as mayor of Naga in 1980.

In 1984, amid growing pressure to appoint a member of the opposition to oversee the elections to the Regular Batasang Pambansa, President Marcos appointed Felipe as a commissioner of the Commission on Elections.^[4] After Marcos was ousted during the People Power Revolution in 1986, Felipe was appointed acting chairman of the commission by President Corazon Aquino in April 1986. He was later sworn in as permanent chairman in July 1986, serving until his retirement in 1988.

Felipe died on June 15, 2017, at the age of 97.

Felipe was married to Aida de Belen Abella, with whom he had eight children: Cecile, Annabel, Amelia, Marlene, Emerito, Ramon IV, Antero, and Jesus.^[3]