Bem Noel Explained

Bem Noel
Office:Member of the
Philippine House of Representatives
for An Waray
Term Start:June 30, 2004
Term End:June 30, 2013
Term Start1:June 30, 2019
Term End1:September 27, 2023
Birth Name:Florencio Gabriel G. Noel
Birth Place:Tacloban, Philippines
Nationality:Filipino
Spouse:Josephine Veronique Lacson
Children:3

Florencio Gabriel "Bem" G. Noel[1] is a Filipino politician who served as representative of the An Waray party-list in the House of Representatives.

Career

First An Waray stint

Noel first served in the House of Representatives as the party-list representative of An Waray from 2004 to 2013.[2] An Waray first got involved in the lower house's partylist system in 2004.[3]

Tacloban mayor bid

With Noel limited by the three-term consecutive term in the Congress,[2] he ran for mayor in his hometown of Tacloban for the 2013 election.[4] He lost to incumbent mayor Alfred Romualdez.[5] [6]

PCSO

In December 2014, Noel was appointed as director of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office by President Benigno Aquino III. He resigned from his position on September 15, 2015 due to expressing open support for the presidential campaign of Grace Poe for the 2016 election, instead of Aquino's preferred candidate Mar Roxas.[7]

Second An Waray stint

In 2018, Noel announced his intent to return to the Congress as An Waray's representative once again.[8] He filled in the lone seat An Waray was able to win in the 2019 election.[9] He retained his role for the 2022 election.[10]

Noel lost his seat on September 27, 2023, after the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) cancelled the registration of An Waray over alleged infractions against the party-list law.[11] This was due to his sister Victoria assuming the role of An Waray's second representative for the 16th Congress in 2013 without a proclamation from the COMELEC.[12]

Personal life

Noel is married to Josephine Veronique Lacson, who is an incumbent member of the House of Representatives representing Malabon, with thom they have three children.[4] [13] [14] Their son Nino is an incumbent city councilor of Malabon.[15] His sister Victoria Noel also served as an An Waray representative.[16] Noel was born in Tacloban.[4]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: House Members: Hon. Noel, Florencio Gabriel "Bem" G. . House of Representatives (Philippines) . 21 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230711133246/https://www.congress.gov.ph/members/search.php?id=noel-f . 11 July 2023.
  2. News: Internal An Waray rumblings give rise to rival party-list group in Samar-Leyte. 21 October 2023 . Politiko Visayas . 2 April 2016.
  3. News: Abella . Lizbeth Ann . An Waray eyes at least 1.5 million votes to secure 3 congressional seats . 21 October 2023 . Leyte Samar Daily News . 12 October 2021.
  4. News: Rep. Noel running for Tacloban City mayor . 21 October 2023 . The Philippine Star . 4 October 2012.
  5. Web site: 2013 City or Municipality Election Results - Region VIII (Eastern Visayas) . Open Data Philippines . 21 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211008011620/https://data.gov.ph/?q=dataset/2013-city-or-municipality-election-results/resource/276086e4-0a25-41d9-8d49-44ff9bd9155b. 8 October 2021.
  6. News: Jimenea . Lalaine . Romualdez gets another mandate as Tacloban mayor . 21 October 2023 . The Philippine Star . 15 May 2013.
  7. News: Go . Miriam Grace . Aquino appointee quits PCSO to support Grace Poe . 21 October 2023 . Rappler . 18 September 2015.
  8. News: Tatoy . Jake . Bem Noel, madalagan pagka-Congressman han An Waray Party-list - RMN Networks . 21 October 2023 . RMN Networks . 3 October 2018 . war.
  9. News: Gabieta . Joey . Nothing wrong with having celebrities as nominees or endorsers, says party-list . 21 October 2023 . Philippine Daily Inquirer . 10 October 2021 . en.
  10. News: Leyte’s new provincial officials take oath . 21 October 2023 . Philippine Information Agency . 6 July 2022.
  11. News: Porcalla . Delon . An Waray party-list unseated . 21 October 2023 . The Philippine Star . 28 September 2023.
  12. News: Leon . Dwight de . House unseats An Waray lawmaker Bem Noel after losing election case . 21 October 2023 . Rappler . 27 September 2023.
  13. News: Cruz . RG . Lawmaker speaks on spat with wife over RH bill . 21 October 2023 . ABS-CBN News . 22 September 2011.
  14. News: Porcalla . Delon . Husband-wife, parents-children dynasties dot 19th Congress . 21 October 2023 . The Philippine Star . 29 June 2022.
  15. News: Jaye Lacson-Noel honors the ‘Fathers’ in her life in recent post. June 19, 2023. March 22, 2024. Politiko Metro Manila.
  16. News: De Leon . Dwight . Comelec upholds cancellation of An Waray's registration . 21 October 2023 . Rappler . 14 August 2023.