Former House Speaker and Pangasinan 4th District Representative Jose de Venecia Jr. passed away at the age of 89, confirmed by his niece, Joan de Venecia-Fabul, in a Facebook post on Tuesday, February 10.
“Grateful that I got the chance to say goodbye today. We love you, Tio Pepe. Go with God, and say hi to dad Tony for me. Jose Claveria De Venecia Jr. 1936-2026,” she wrote.
Dagupan City Mayor Belen Fernandez remembered de Venecia as a “statesman of national stature” and “son of Dagupan,” praising his leadership during the city’s recovery from the 1990 earthquake.
“In our city’s darkest hour after the devastating 1990 earthquake, it was Speaker Joe who stood firmly for Dagupan. Through his leadership and authorship of the necessary national funding, he became the principal architect of our rehabilitation, recovery, and renewed rise. Because of him, Dagupan did not simply rebuild — we rose stronger,” Fernandez said.
“Today, we honor not only the public servant, but the visionary who believed in his hometown and fought for its future… his legacy lives in the streets, institutions, and progress of the city he so dearly loved. Maraming salamat, Speaker Joe. Dagupan will forever remember,” she added.
De Venecia was a founding member of the so-called “rainbow coalition” in the House of Representatives and served as Speaker from 1992 to 1998. He ran for president in 1998 under the administration of former President Fidel Ramos but lost to then-Vice President Joseph Estrada.
He returned to Congress in 2001 and served again as House Speaker until 2008, when political disagreements with then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo led to his departure.
De Venecia was last publicly seen endorsing former Vice President and current Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo during the 2022 presidential elections.