Filipino politicianIn this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Ng and the surname or paternal family name is Tolentino.Presidential Adviser on Political AffairsIn office
July 11, 2017:– October 17, 2018PresidentRodrigo Roa DutertePreceded bySec. Ronald Llam*ucceeded bySec. Jacinto ParasChairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development AuthorityIn office
July 2010:– October 7, 2015PresidentBenigno S. Aquino IIIPreceded bySec. Oscar InocentesSucceeded bySec. Emerson CarlosMayor of TagaytayIn office
June 30, 1995:– June 30, 2004Preceded byBenjamin ErniSucceeded byAbraham TolentinoIn office
1986–1987
Officer-in-chargeAppointed byCorazon AquinoPersonal detailsBornFrancis Ng Tolentino
(1960-01-03) January 3, 1960 (age:62)
Guinobatan, Albay, PhilippinesPolitical partyPDP–Laban (2016–present)
Hugpong ng Pagbabago (c. 2019)RelationsAbraham Tolentino (brother)Alma materUniversity of Michigan (LL.M)
University of London (LL.M)
National Defense College of the Philippines
Ateneo de Manila University (LL.B)
Tulane University (S.J.D)OccupationEnvironmentalistProfessionLawyerWebsiteOfficial websiteMilitary serviceAllegiance:PhilippinesBranch/servicePhilippine ArmyRank Brigadier General

Francis Ng Tolentino (Tagalog pronunciation::; born January 3, 1960) is a Filipino politician and lawyer serving as a Senator since 2019. He served as Chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) from 2010 to 2015 and was the Mayor of Tagaytay from 1995 to 2004.

Contents

• 1 Early life
• 2 Education
• 3 Political career
  • 3.1 Mayor of Tagaytay City
  • 3.2 Chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority
  • 3.3 2016 Senate campaign
  • 3.4 Senator
• 4 References
• 5 External links

Early life

Tolentino was born in Albay, and grew up in Tagaytay, where he lives.

Education

Tolentino obtained two Master of Laws degrees, one from the University of Michigan Law School in Ann Arbor where he concentrated on cons*utional law, and another from the University of London in England specializing in public international law where he graduated Second Honors (with merit). He graduated Master on National Security Administration at the National Defense College of the Philippines where he ranked 6th out of 55 graduates. He obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree from the Ateneo de Manila University Law School. He completed his doctor of juridical science studies at Tulane University Law School in New Orleans.

He p*ed the New York State Bar Exams as well as the Philippine Bar Exams in 1984 where he obtained a general average of 86.25%. He also aut*d several articles on International Law and Cons*utional Law.

Political career

Mayor of Tagaytay City

Tolentino was first appointed to the post of OIC Mayor of Tagaytay from 1986 to 1987 by former President Corazon Aquino. He ran unopposed in the 1995 general election for Mayor of Tagaytay and served for nine years from 1995 to 2004.

Under his administration, he created the Tagaytay Office of Public Safety, which later became the basis of policies he put into force as chair of the MMDA. He also initialized the Character First programs which encourages governments, government leaders, civic organizations and religious organizations to band together to establish a "city" or "community" of character with character traits of a Filipino every month.

Chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino

On July 27, 2010, Tolentino was appointed as the ninth chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). He is the first and only non-resident of Metro Manila to be appointed to the post.

In August 2013, Tolentino, as MMDA chairman, launched the first Metro Manila Integrated Bus Terminal known as the Southwest Integrated Provincial Transport Terminal (SWIPTT).

On September 19, 2013, Tolentino signed the Metro Manila Outdoor Media Magna Carta along with various advertising groups, setting the terms for regulating outdoor adverti*ts in Metro Manila. Among the terms in the 15-page agreement were a 216-square meter limitation on all outdoor signs and structures, with 30 percent of the space of ground level ads allotted "for landscape works or vertical gardens". Prior to the signing of the do*ent, no limit had been placed on the size of adverti*ts, such that a number of billboards as big as 1,000 square meters had been allowed. The do*ent provided a nine-month grace period for advertisers to be able to comply.

To address the traffic situation in Metro Manila and to offer transportation alternative to the public, Tolentino relaunched the Pasig River Ferry System last April 2014, in coordination with the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission and the Department of Transportation and Communications.

As an environmentalist, one of his advocacies is environmental protection. His plans include creating alternative energy resources that would be beneficial for both the people and the environment. Another advocacy that he is focusing on is the disaster calamity fund. He understands that Mother Nature is unpredictable and it is better to brace for the worst.

As chair of the MMDA, Tolentino was also designated by Metro Manila Commission Executive Order No. 86-09 as chair of the annual Metro Manila Film Festival, in which capacity Tolentino introduced a number of changes, including the introduction of new contest categories and the removal of box office receipts from the criteria for the selection of best picture starting from the 2010 edition.

2016 Senate campaign

Tolentino was originally included as a senate candidate in the LP-endorsed Daang Matuwid Koalisyon. However, he got involved in an event that featured a controversial Playgirls performance in Laguna last October 7, 2015. This incident eventually prompted him to resign and led to his independent candidacy. He placed 13th.

Senator

Tolentino ran for senator in the 2019 Philippine Senate election. Endorsed by President Rodrigo Duterte, he is under the Hugpong ng Pagbabago and the informal Kilusang Pagbabago coalitions.

Tolentino successfully secured the 9th place in the 2019 elections and is serving as a Senator of the Philippines until 2025. He expressed support reinstatement of the death penalty.

References

External links

Media related to Francis Tolentino at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website
• Senator Francis N. Tolentino – Senate of the Philippines