Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri

Biography

Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri is a veteran legislator, having served in both houses of Congress and posting perfect attendance since 1998—a real Trabahador ng Senado.

Prior to his career in the Senate, he served as Representative of the Third District of Bukidnon from 1998 to 2007, and was always cited as one of the most outstanding solons in the House of Representatives.

At age 39, he became the youngest to be elected as Senate Majority Leader since the First Congress in 1946. Owing to his zeal and work ethic, he was again elected by his colleagues to serve as Majority Leader of the 17th and 18th Congresses.

An effective consensus builder and consultative leader, he served as Senate President of the 19th Congress from 2022 to 2024.

Sen. Migz is the principal author and sponsor of more than a hundred laws of national application. As a Mindanawon, the Bangsamoro Organic Law (RA 11054) is his most notable contribution to promoting peace and development in Mindanao. A fervent advocate of clean energy, he also worked for the passage of the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 (RA 9153) and the Biofuels Act of 2006 (RA 9367), earning him the moniker “Mr. Clean Energy.”

He is considered the Father of the New Cooperative Code, being the principal sponsor and author of RA 9520 or the Philippine Cooperative Code of 2008.

Among other laws he sponsored, principally authored, or co-authored are the:

RA 11959 – Regional Specialty Centers Act;

RA 11476 – GMRC and Values Education Act;

RA 11648 – Increasing the Age for Determining Statutory Rape;

RA 11032 – Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act;

RA 11053 – Strengthened Anti-Hazing Act of 2018;

RA 11535 – Cooperative Development Officers Act;

RA 11364 – Cooperative Development Authority Charter of 2019;

RA 11494 – Bayanihan to Recover as One Act;

RA 10931 – Free Tertiary Education Act;

RA 11549 – PNP, BFP, BJMP, and Bucor Height Equality Act;

RA 10068 – Organic Agriculture Act of 2010;

RA 9147 – Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act;

RA 11524 – Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act;

RA 10121 – Philippine Disaster Risk Management Act;

RA 9165 – Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002;

RA 9679 – the Home Development Mutual Fund Law of 2009 (Pag-IBIG Fund);

RA 9653 – the Rent Control Act of 2009;

RA 9997 – the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos Act of 2009;

RA 9996 – the Mindanao Development Authority Act of 2010;

RA 9904 – the Magna Carta for Homeowners and Homeowners’ Associations;

RA 9903 – Condonation of Penalties on Delinquent Social Security Contributions;

RA 9507 – the Socialized and Low-Cost Housing Loan Condonation Program;

RA 9850 – Declaring Arnis as the National Martial Art and Sport;

RA 9500 – UP Charter Amendments;

RA 9163 – National Service Training Program;

RA 9166 – Armed Forces of the Philippines Rate Pay Base Increase Act;

RA 10072 – the New Charter of the Philippine Red Cross;

RA 9645 – Declaring July 27 of Every Year as Araw ng Iglesia Ni Cristo and as Special Working Holiday;

RA 9849 – Declaring Eidul Adha as a National Holiday; and the

RA 10962 – Gift Check Act of 2017.

Outside of his legislative work, he is involved in a variety of environmental programs. He is the founder of the Philippine Deer Foundation, a deer conservation project, and the Palawan-based Katala Foundation, which protects endangered wildlife species and their habitats. A trained first aider and certified rescue diver, he is a Governor of the Philippine Red Cross and a member of the Red Cross Youth Committee and the Concerned Divers of the Philippines.

Sen. Zubiri has published two books: Philippine Cooperative Code of 2008 and Bukidnon: The Philippine Frontier. He holds a Master’s degree in Environment and Natural Resources Management from the University of the Philippines - Open University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Agri-Business Management from the University of the Philippines - Los Baños.

He has also been conferred Honoris Causa doctorates from the Philippine Christian University, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Southwestern University, Bukidnon State University, and Visayas State University.

He takes pride in being a devoted husband to his wife, Audrey; a loving father to Ma. Adriana, Juanmi, and Santi; and a good son to Rep. Jose Ma. Zubiri, Jr. of Bukidnon, and Victoria Fernandez-Zubiri of Libon, Albay.

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