Cong. Benny Abante.pptx

Presentation

1. 18 th Congress of the Philippines BENNY ABANTE

2. BENNY ABANTE 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 .

3. Early life and education Abante was born in  Santa Mesa ,  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, who both grew up to be ministers. [3] 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 as an auditor. [3]  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 .

4. Ministerial 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), [4]  and also heads the Abante International Ministries (AIM), the Grace and Truth Community International Foundation, Inc., and the Ben O. Abante Baptist Bible College.

5. Political career 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.

6. 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. [5]  He also proposed an Anti-Sex Video Bill that imposes stiffer penalties of the people involved in the manufacture of sex videos. [6]  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.

7. 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 . [8]  He was re-elected in  2022 .

8. Positions Abante has made some legislative proposals that affects the LGBT community. In 2010, he filed a bill that proposed the criminalization of conducting  same sex unions , which he views "highly immoral, scandalous and detestable", which aims to penalize couples and the solemnizing officer by fine an imprisonment.

9. He has also filed a bill to institutionalize the rights of  heterosexual  people including guaranteeing them being able to express opinions about LGBT issues according "to their religious beliefs and practices and to biblical principles and standards." Since there were efforts to introduce bills to protect the rights of LGBT people, Abante argued that in the spirit of "justice, equity, and fair play", a bill on heterosexuals, who he says are "actual and direct creations of God" is apt. He also believes that LGBT people who face discrimination ought to "to be what God created us to be".

10. Abante has opposed the passage of a legislation guaranteeing rights of members of the LGBT community, believing that such measure would eventually lead to the legalization of same sex unions. He believes that LGBT rights is more of a "moral issue" rather than a "rights issue". [11]  He opposed the  SOGIE Equality Bill , saying the constitution grants already sufficient rights. Despite his stances, Abante says he does not discriminate against the LGBT community, noting that he had supporters who are LGBT.

11. Pornography 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. [15]  His son Benny Fog III is an incumbent councilor from the same district since 2022.