Wes Gatchalian
{{Short description|Philippine politician}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{BLP sources|date=May 2022}}
{{POV|date=May 2022}}
}}
{{Philippine name|Ting|Gatchalian}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = The Honorable
| name = Wes Gatchalian
| native_name = 張僑利
| image = HoR Official Portrait Wes Gatchalian.jpg
| caption = Portrait during the 18th Congress
| office = 27th Mayor of Valenzuela
| term_start = June 30, 2022
| term_end =
| 1blankname = {{nowrap|Vice Mayor}}
| 1namedata = Lorena Natividad-Borja
| predecessor = Rex Gatchalian
| succeeding =
| office2 = Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives
| 1namedata2 = Lord Allan Jay Velasco
| 1blankname2 = {{nowrap|House Speaker}}
| term_start2 = December 7, 2020
| term_end2 = June 30, 2022
| office3 = Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Valenzuela's 1st district
| term_start3 = June 30, 2016
| term_end3 = June 30, 2022
| predecessor3 = Win Gatchalian
| successor3 = Rex Gatchalian
| office4 = Member of the Philippine House of Representatives for Alay Buhay Partylist{{Cite web|url=https://m.wikidata.org/wiki/Q66827036|title=Wes Gatchalian|work=Wikidata.org|language=en|access-date=May 22, 2022}}
| term_start4 = June 30, 2013
| term_end4 = June 30, 2016
| predecessor4 =
| successor4 = Anton Sayo{{Cite web|url=https://ohmybuhay.com/alay-buhay-party-list/|title=Alay Buhay Party List|work=Oh My Buhay|date=February 18, 2016|language=en|access-date=May 21, 2022}}
| birth_name = Weslie Ting Gatchalian
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1980|8|11}}
| nationality = Filipino
| birth_place = Manila, Philippines
| death_date =
| death_place =
| restingplace =
| party = NPC (2015–present)
| otherparty = Alay Buhay (2012–2016)
| spouse = Tiffany Princess C. Gatchalian
| relations = Win Gatchalian (brother)
Rex Gatchalian (brother)
| children =
| residence = Valenzuela, Philippines
| alma_mater = Bryant University
Oxford Brookes University (BA)
London Metropolitan University (MA)
| occupation = Politician
| signature =
| website = {{URL|https://wesgatchalian.com/2020/|Official Website}}
{{URL|https://www.valenzuela.gov.ph/home|Valenzuela Government}}
}}
Weslie "Wes" Ting Gatchalian ({{lang-zh|t=張僑利|p=Zhāng Qiáolì}}; born August 11, 1980) is a Filipino politician who has served as the 27th mayor of Valenzuela since 2022. A member of the Nationalist People's Coalition, Gatchalian was first elected to public office in 2013, as the party-list representative of Alay Buhay Partylist, serving until 2016, where he was elected as the district representative for Valenzuela's 1st district. As a representative, Gatchalian served as House Deputy Speaker from 2020 to 2022.
Gatchalian is a member of a political dynasty in the Philippines, being the brother of Senator Win Gatchalian and Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian, the latter of whom was succeeded by Wes as mayor of Valenzuela in 2022.
Personal life
Gatchalian was born on August 11, 1980, to industrialist William Gatchalian and Dee Hua Ting. He is the youngest of four siblings, namely Sherwin, Kenneth, and Rexlon. The Gatchalian family identifies as Christian with Dee Hua being a pastor and chairman at their own church called Jesus our Life Ministries in Barangay Maysan, Valenzuela.
He was assistant to the president of Waterfront Hotels and Casinos, the country's largest Filipino-owned first class hotel operator. He was also elected as president and CEO of Wellex Industries Inc.
= Educational Background =
Gatchalian received a secondary diploma at Xavier High School (1999), took business administration at Bryant University (2000), BA Honours Degree/DipHE Business and operations management second class and second division degree at Oxford Brookes University (2003), master's degree at London Metropolitan University, and took an executive course on legislation at UP-NCPAG.{{Cite web|url=https://www.valenzuela.gov.ph/index.php/government/officials/The+City+Mayor/+/141|title= Hon. WES Gatchalian |work=Government of Valenzuela|language=en|access-date=July 9, 2022}}
Political career
= 2007 Congressional bid =
Gatchalian ran for representative of Valenzuela's 2nd district in 2007,{{cite news|url=https://www.philstar.com/metro/2007/03/25/391236/3-gatchalian-brothers-eyeing-valenzuela-posts|title=3 Gatchalian brothers eyeing Valenzuela posts|first=Pete|last=Laude|date=March 25, 2007|work=The Philippine Star|accessdate=June 8, 2022}} losing to former Representative Magi Gunigundo.
= Representative for the 16th to 18th Congress =
== 16th Congress ==
He was elected representative for the Alay Buhay Partylist in 2013.
Committee Membership:
- Chairman
- Committee on Youth and Sports Development
- Vice Chairman
- Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs
- Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Development
- Committee on the XXXI Summer Olympic Games
- Membership
- Committee on Cooperatives Development
- Committee on Economic Affairs
- Committee on Population and Family Relations
== 17th Congress ==
In 2016 elections, Gatchalian was elected to his first term as Valenzuela's 1st district representative, succeeding his brother Win.
== 18th Congress ==
In the 18th Congress of the Philippines, Gatchalian was re-elected as representative of Valenzuela's first district for his second term as congressman. He is one of house deputy speakers of the Philippine House of Representatives since December 7, 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov.ph/leaders/?l=deputy|title=DEPUTY SPEAKERS|work=Philippine Congress|language=en|access-date=May 18, 2022}}
He authored House Bill 02313. The purpose of House Bill 02313 is to mandate ownership registration for all pre-paid SIM cards to stop criminal activities through internet and specially to stop internet trolls.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1167017|title=SIM registration bill 'new weapon against cyber criminals'|date=February 3, 2022|work=Philippine News Agency|language=en|access-date=May 20, 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov.ph/members/search.php?id=gatchalian-w|title=Wes Gatchalian Profile|work=Philippine Congress|language=en|access-date=May 18, 2022}} This was vetoed by the president.{{Cite web|url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1583318/fwd-duterte-vetoes-sim-card-registration-bill|title=Duterte vetoes SIM Card Registration bill|date=April 15, 2022|work=Manila Bulletin|language=en|access-date=May 20, 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://mb.com.ph/2022/04/16/gatchalian-hits-drilons-last-minute-insertion-in-vetoed-sim-card-registration-bill/|title=Gatchalian hits Drilon's 'last-minute insertion' in vetoed SIM Card Registration Bill|date=April 16, 2022|work=Manila Bulletin|language=en|access-date=May 20, 2022}}
On July 10, 2020, Gatchalian voted to reject the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN together with Valenzuela's 2nd district representative Eric Martinez and 68 other representatives.{{Cite web|url=https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/07/10/2027049/list-lawmakers-who-voted-and-against-abs-cbn-franchise-renewal|title=List of lawmakers who voted for and against ABS-CBN franchise renewal|date=July 10, 2020|work=Philippine Congress|language=en|access-date=May 20, 2022}}
One of his projects, the Wellness Entertain Sports (WES) Arena in Barangay Punturin, Valenzuela, was launched on October 7, 2021. Costing {{Philippine peso|310,000,000|link=yes}} with an area of {{convert|1.2|ha|sp=us}}, it has various facilities like basketball court, badminton court, boxing ring, martial arts room, and dance studio.{{Cite web|url=https://www.spin.ph/life/active-lifestyle/new-multi-purpose-sports-facility-rise-in-valenzuela-city-a793-20211009|title=New multi-purpose sports facility rises in Valenzuela City|work=Spin.ph |date=October 9, 2021|language=en|access-date=May 20, 2022}} WES Arena is also one of venues of Bongbong Marcos 2022 presidential campaign.{{Cite web|url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/multimedia/photo/02/11/22/marcos-jr-uniteam-campaign-in-valenzuela|title=Marcos Jr., UniTeam woo Valenzuela residents for #Halalan2022|work=ABS-CBN news|date=February 11, 2022|language=en|access-date=May 20, 2022}}
= Mayor of Valenzuela (2022–present) =
Gatchalian was elected as the mayor of Valenzuela in the 2022 local elections, succeeding his brother Rex who had served since 2013. He was elected with 275,650 votes or 78.61% of the votes, defeating his sole opponent Bombit Bernardo who received 75,026 votes or 21.39% of the votes.{{Cite web |title=2022 ELECTION RESULTS: Valenzuela City, NCR |url=https://ph.rappler.com/elections/2022/ncr-valenzuela-city |access-date=May 20, 2022 |work=Rappler |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=May 10, 2022 |title=Rep. Wes Gatchalian won as Valenzuela City mayor |url=https://mb.com.ph/2022/05/10/rep-wes-gatchalian-wins-as-valenzuela-city-mayor/ |access-date=May 21, 2022 |work=Manila Bulletin |language=en}} In his campaign, he did not deny being part of a political dynasty, stating that there are good and bad political dynasties.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2022/5/11/Gatchalian-political-dynasty.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521020059/https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2022/5/11/Gatchalian-political-dynasty.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 21, 2022|title=Wes touts Gatchalian dynasty in Valenzuela City|date=May 11, 2022|work=CNN Philippines|language=en|access-date=May 21, 2022}}
He took the oath of office on June 29, 2022, at WES Arena in Barangay Punturin, alongside his brother, Win, who was re-elected as senator. Among the attendees in his oath-taking were Vice Mayor Lorena Natividad-Borja, Representatives Rex Gatchalian and Eric Martinez, and Senator Imee Marcos.{{Cite web |date=June 29, 2022 |title=Mayor-elect Gatchalian, other Valenzuela City officials take oath |url=https://mb.com.ph/2022/06/29/mayor-elect-gatchalian-other-valenzuela-city-officials-take-oath/ |access-date=June 30, 2022 |work=Manila Bulletin |language=en}} He is the member of his family to be the city's mayor, following his brothers Win and Rex.
References
{{reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Rex Gatchalian}}
{{s-ttl|title=Mayor of Valenzuela|years=2022–present}}
{{s-inc}}
|-
{{s-par|ph-lwr}}
{{s-bef|before=Win Gatchalian}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the House of Representatives
from Valenzuela's 1st district|years=2016–2022}}
{{s-aft|after=Rex Gatchalian}}
{{s-end}}
{{Mayors of Metro Manila}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gatchalian, Wes}}
Category:Filipino evangelicals
Category:Nationalist People's Coalition politicians
Category:Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Valenzuela, Metro Manila
Category:Mayors of Valenzuela, Metro Manila
Category:People from Valenzuela, Metro Manila
Category:Filipino politicians of Chinese descent
Category:Party-list members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines