Jejomar “Jojo” C. Binay (November 11, 1942) is the current mayor of the City of Makati in the Philippines. He is also the president of the United Opposition (UNO), National President of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban) and National President of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines.
Background
Jejomar Cabauatan Binay was born in Paco, Manila but grew up in Makati with his uncle, Ponciano, after Binay’s parents – Diego Medrano Binay of Bauan, Batangas and Lourdes Cabauatan of Cabagan, Isabela – passed away.
At a young age, Binay learned to rely on his resourcefulness and determination. He went around his neighborhood to gather slop for his uncle’s backyard piggery, looked after his uncle’s fighting cocks, and went to market daily.
MANILA, Philippines – Makati City Mayor Jejomar “Jojo” Binay on Tuesday announced his intent to run for president in the 2010 national elections.
A GMA Flash Report said Binay announced his presidential bid during the celebrations of his 66th birthday at the Makati City Hall.
The report quoted Binay as saying that he will accept it if the United Opposition (UNO) will not field him as their standard bearer. Binay is UNO president.
Meanwhile, a report over dzBB radio said Binay had already informed former President Joseph Estrada his plans to run in 2010.
Aside from Binay, those who have announced they will run for president or are reported to be eyeing the presidency in 2010 include Vice President Manuel “Noli” de Castro, Senators Manuel “Manny” Villar, Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, Panfilo Lacson, Richard Gordon, Loren Legarda and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chair Bayani Fernando.
Public opinion polling body Social Weather Station on Friday revealed De Castro is the top pick to succeed President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2010. Following his trail are Villar, Legarda, Lacson, Escudero, former President Estrada, and Roxas. – GMANews.TV
MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) Vowing to take the fight outside the country’s financial district, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay announced his bid for the presidency on Tuesday as he marked his 66th birthday in city hall.
More than 2,000 supporters from the city and the provinces carrying streamers like “Obama of the Philippines” and “Jojo Binay for President” gathered at 7 a.m. for a Thanksgiving Mass as they waited for the mayor to make the declaration.
In his speech, Binay, who is also the United Opposition president, criticized the Arroyo government by bringing up issues like the national broadband network scandal and the fertilizer fund scam and said there was need for another “revolution.”
MANILA, Philippines – Former President Joseph Estrada on Tuesday said Mayor Jejomar Binay’s performance as Makati City’s chief executive indicates he has the capacity to run the country in the future.
“Si Mayor Binay din naman ay may kapasidad, may abilidad. Napakita ni Mayor Binay yung kanyang kakayahan bilang chief executive ng premier city ng Pilipinas (Mayor Binay has the capacity and the ability. He has shown this as the chief executive of the country’s premier city),” Estrada said in an interview over QTV’s Balitanghali.
Earlier in the day, Binay declared his presidential bid for the 2010 elections during the celebrations of his 66th birthday at the Makati City Hall.
AS the political storm brought about by allegations of massive corruption continues to slam President Arroyo, Vice President Noli de Castro stays by her side to provide her the option of a graceful exit by resignation, an adviser to De Castro told a member of the opposition.
The source said the expectation of De Castro, as relayed by his advisers who have started talking with different opposition groups like the United Opposition, Makati Business Club, and the Black and White Movement, the end of the Arroyo presidency is a matter of time and he (De Castro) expects to take over as the Constitution mandates.
“De Castro expects the presidency to fall into his lap like manna from heaven,” the source said expressing the frustration of many in the opposition over De Castro’s refusal to take a position on the issues of corruption and obstruction of justice that stemmed from the exposé on the alleged overpriced $329-million national broadband network deal with the Chinese firm ZTE Corp.
MANILA, Philippines — In a turnaround, the Arroyo administration Sunday deferred the suspension of Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay and lifted the freeze order on all but one of the banks holding the funds of the city.
The twin moves on the crucial last week of the election campaign came after the media reported that Binay had asked his supporters to thank President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for ensuring his reelection by harassing him.
Ms Arroyo’s allies had also assailed the timing of the suspension and the freezing of Makati’s assets.
“It’s a case of too little, too late,” Binay said of the latest moves taken by Malacañang.
“It will not change the fact that this regime has again misused the powers of government for political ends at the expense of public welfare,” he said in a statement.
Armed with a suspension order from the Ombudsman, officials of the Interior department on Friday moved to evict Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay from the City Hall, a little over a week before elections.
About 2,000 supporters of Binay, who is heavily tipped to retain his mayoral post in the May 14 polls, quickly gathered outside the new Makati City Hall shortly before 10 p.m. in an outpouring of support for the opposition leader.
It was not immediately clear why the order was being served late at night before the weekend, where the courts — where Binay could challenge the order — are closed.
MANILA, Philippines – The seizure of Makati City’s assets by the Bureau of Internal Revenue to recover P1.1 billion in alleged unpaid taxes could cripple operations at City Hall.
Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay said yesterday utility bills would not be paid along with salaries of city employees, and basic or social services would not be met while the garnishment order is in effect.
“In short, the national government is shutting us down,” he said.
“We’re supposed to release the midterm benefits we promised our workers today. But now, we have to tell them that we don’t have the money,” Binay added.
One of the Philippines’ top opposition politicians, Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay, barricaded himself in his office on Tuesday hours after the government issued an order suspending him and his entire city administration from office.
As supporters of the mayor gathered outside his headquarters, police in Metro Manila were placed on alert in anticipation of possible violence. The entire affair is being shown live on television.
“This is pure harassment,” the fiery Binay told radio stations in successive interviews as the crisis began and police ringed the city hall of the country’s wealthiest enclave. The Department of the Interior and Local Government accuses Binay and other local officials of keeping so-called “ghost employees” on the municipal payroll in order to pocket their salaries. Binay, a one-time human rights lawyer, denies the charge.
