JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO’s prominence as a public figure started even before he was born.  Being born to known businesswoman and philanthropist, Guia Gomez, and the Republic’s 13th President, Joseph Ejercito Estrada, who has just won his mayoralty bid in San Juan then, JV is considered a “victory baby”, as his name suggests.  He was raised and has grown to be a humble and God fearing individual, a loving son, a budding entrepreneur, a dedicated civic and youth leader and an accomplished public servant

His childhood years were nothing out of the extraordinary. He grew up in the company of friends, mostly children living around the municipal hall where he frequented. This exposed him to the true conditions of a typical “Masang Pilipino”.

JV is a proud alumnus of Xavier School where he completed his elementary and high school education. He credits his ability to converse in the Chinese language to the Jesuit school. He finished college from the De La Salle University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree, Major in Political Science. He has espoused the Jesuit and La Sallite values which explains why in spite of being the son of two famous personalities and born with a silver spoon in his mouth, JV never manifested even a trace of haughtiness and pride in himself as he was raised to be a humble and God-fearing individual, a loving son, and grew up to be a dedicated civic and youth leader and an accomplished public servant.  He wanted to pursue a degree in law but found his calling in business, the job that he does best.

He is also a commissioned reserve officer of the Philippine Marine Corps with the rank of a Major. He is an adopted son of Class ’88 “Maringal” of the  Philippine Military Academy.

Armed with adeptness in decent managerial, directorial skills, political aptitude and a benevolent personality, JV emerged to become one of the best if not the best leaders of San Juan of all time and one of the well-accomplished town leaders of the Philippines.  JV’s multiple tasks as Mayor, from being a person in command to being an ally, whose helping hands are always open to personally heed to all the needs of his constituents have been successfully carried out.

As national president of the Philippine Jaycees in 1998, he was acclaimed as the Most Outstanding National Jaycee President for Asia and the Pacific during the 53rd Junior Chamber International World Congress held in Manila and was named as one of the “Top Ten Newsmakers of the Year” by various major dailies.

JV was also the National Chairman of the Kabataan ng Masang Pilipino (KAMPIL), the youth arm of the Lapian ng Masang Pilipino. He immediately made a mark when, during the very first party-list elections in 1998, he ran as KAMPIL candidate (to represent the youth sector) and won a sizeable vote. He could have qualified for a house seat had he not decided to withdraw owing to false allegations that he used presidential influence to win a favorable resolution from the Commission on Elections.

JV is the national founder of one of the biggest and militant organizations devoted to drug eradication, the Mamamayan Ayaw sa Droga or MAD. His campaign has helped reduce drug abuse, scared drug peddlers and inspired users to rebuild their lives at rehabilitation centers.

In 2001, there was a great clamor from the San Juaneños to have him as their leader, following the footsteps of his father, JV conquered the local spotlight.  He was handily elected as Mayor for the Municipality of San Juan, at the time when President Joseph Estrada relinquished the Philippine Presidency.

From then on and albeit all the odds, Mayor JV has emerged as one of the best, if not the best performing local chief executives by spearheading San Juan’s economic boom.

As a local government chief executive, his title requires him to exercise general supervision and control over all programs and projects of the municipal government, determine policies, direct the formulation of its development plan, enforce all laws and ordinance relative to governance, initiate and maximize generation of resources and revenues, and ensure delivery of basic services to his constituents.

The support he solicited from the business sector and non-government agencies with so much trust and confidence to his administration had been his powerful weapon. Major projects like the renovation and reformation of the local museum and his scholarship foundation were successfully accomplished without a single centavo from the local budget.

JV has managed to boost the economy of San Juan, with an astounding increase in the municipal revenue; his administration has augmented its resources to efficiently implement all the city projects.

Now as Representative for the people of San Juan City, JV is one of the most outstanding and active neophyte congressmen of the 15^th Congress. With 112 House Bills and 3 House Resolutions filed within the first 8 months of his term, we can expect more for the next two years with this proactive statesman. Already, one of his House Bills for the Committee on People’s Participation, House Bill 4225 (Participatory Governance through CSOs Empowerment Act of 2011) passed the third and final reading.

As Vice Chairman of the House Committee on Labor and Employment and House Committee on Local Government, JV has fought for the advancement of worker’s rights and welfare especially the fight of PAL workers and employees. As an advocate of quality education for the youth, he also stood and fought for the additional budget for State Universities and Colleges during the budget deliberations.

His recent awards include being honored as One of the 15 Most Outstanding Congressman by Congress Magazine, as the First Awardee of the Antonio Quirino Recognition Award by the Rotary Club of Makati East, and recognition by the National Press Club for his advocacy in protecting the welfare of Filipino journalists. JV at present is actively advocating for good governance by pushing for universal health care programs for the poor, and for the reformation of the Sangguniang Kabataan system.

Seldom can you find a man with all the comforts in life, who has already established a budding career in business and who can actually afford to have a luxurious life, would go down and help the poor, the needy and the less fortunate ones, without any hesitation and prejudice.  This has been JV’s mission in life, not only to build his own comfortable life, but to share his blessings to others.  This humanitarian effort was first realized even before he became a mayor, and unsurprisingly this mission is further expanded and strengthened now that he stands as the Father of San Juan.

JV is not only a mere politician but a unique public servant that inspires the Filipino youth to be of service to our country with honor and allegiance.  He belongs to the new breed of public servants that puts the interests of the country above self, as he incessantly upholds the principle of “bayan muna bago ang sarili” which makes him an authentic “Man for Others.”