Girlie Villarosa Explained

Maria Amelita Villarosa
Office:Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives
Term Start:July 23, 2007
Term End:June 30, 2010
Office1:Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Occidental Mindoro's at-large congressional district
Term Start1:June 30, 1998
Term End1:August 29, 2000
Predecessor1:Jose Tapales Villarosa
Successor1:Ricardo Quintos
Term Start2:June 30, 2004
Term End2:June 30, 2013
Predecessor2:Josephine Sato
Successor2:Josephine Sato
Birth Name:Ma. Amelita A. Calimbas
Birth Date:30 May 1943
Party:Lakas–CMD[1]
Death Place:Metro Manila, Philippines
Spouse:Jose Tapales Villarosa

Maria Amelita "Girlie" A. Calimbas-Villarosa was a Filipino politician who was a representative of Occidental Mindoro in the House of Representatives.

Political career

Maria Amelita Villarosa, known by her nickname Girlie, was first elected as representative of Occidental Mindoro's lone district in the House of Representatives in 1998 for the 11th Congress. However she lost the seat, after Ricardo Quintos won an election protest against her on August 29, 2000. She was forced to concede the seat to Quintos who represented the province until the 11th Congress' dissolution in 2001.[2] In her first stint as a congresswoman, she was involved in crafting a law that which led to the pilot testing of a computerized election system in 1998 in select provinces which in turn paved way for the automated national elections in 2010.[3]

Villarosa would return to the House of Representatives in the 13th Congress after her election as Occidental Mindoro's representative in 2004. She would be a member of the lower legislature for two more terms covering the 14th and 15th Congress.[2] She was named as the first woman deputy speaker of the House of Representatives during the 14th Congress and senior deputy minority leader in the 15th Congress.[4]

As deputy speaker, she supervised the lower house's Social Services Cluster which composed of twelve standing committees in the 14th Congress at that time. The cluster produced eight national laws.[3]

Among her bills she filed as a member which eventually became law were the Girl Scouts Philippine Charter and the Social Security Condonation Law.[4]

Death

Villarosa died in May 30, 2021, which coincides with her 78th birthday. She died of aneurysm while receiving treatment in a hospital in Metro Manila.[5]

Personal life

Villarosa is part of a political family who was influential in Occidental Mindoro.[6] She was married to Jose Tapales Villarosa, who himself was also a member in the House of Representative and governor of Occidental Mindoro.[7]

Notes and References

  1. News: Pacpaco . Ryan Ponce . House honors Villarosa . 3 September 2022 . Journal News . 7 June 2021.
  2. Web site: Roster of Philippine Legislators. Republic of the Philippines, House of Representatives. 3 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20160806183344/http://www.congress.gov.ph/legislators/?v=province. 6 August 2016. Congressional Library Bureau.
  3. News: Cervantes . Filane Mikee . House pays tribute to late ex-deputy speaker Villarosa . 3 September 2022 . Philippine News Agency . 7 June 2021 . en.
  4. News: Mercado . Neil Arwin . House honors late former Occidental Mindoro Rep. Amelita Villarosa . 3 September 2022 . Philippine Daily Inquirer . 7 June 2021 . en.
  5. News: Virola . Madonna . Former Occidental Mindoro lawmaker dies on her 78th birthday . 3 September 2022 . Philippine Daily Inquirer . 31 May 2021 . en.
  6. News: Political dynasties win some, lose some . 3 September 2022 . Philippine Daily Inquirer . Inquirer Southern Luzon . 12 May 2016 . en.
  7. News: Delos Reyes . Nikki . Former Occidental Mindoro gov dies . 3 September 2022 . The Manila Times . 24 May 2022 . en.