Pérez was born on November 13, 1896, in Sitio Obong, Barrio Basista, San Carlos, Pangasinan (now Barangay Obong, Basista, Pangasinan). He earned his Bachelor of Arts at the University of the Philippines in 1918 and his law degree from that institution's College of Law in 1922. While in law school, he worked as a clerk in the Bureau of Agriculture and the Executive Bureau.[1]
Political career
Pérez first entered politics in 1926 when he was elected to the municipal council of his hometown, San Carlos. In 1928, he was elected to the House of Representatives of the Philippine Islands (later National Assembly) as a Representative of the 2nd district of Pangasinan. He served for nine consecutive terms.
In 1946, Pérez joined the newly established Liberal Party, which obtained a congressional majority in the House of Representatives in the 1946 general elections. He was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives when the 1st Congress of the Philippines convened later that year, and would serve as House Speaker throughout the 1st and 2nd Congresses.
Pérez was a leading congressional ally of PresidentsManuel Roxas and Elpidio Quirino, both of whom were Liberals. He helped secure the passage of the Bell Trade Act and the Parity Rights Amendment to the Constitution, allowing American citizens and corporations equal access to Philippine minerals, forests and other natural resources.[2] He defended the exercise of President Quirino of emergency powers granted to the President after the end of World War II. When Quirino grew increasingly unpopular, Pérez rejected pleas from fellow Members of Congress to challenge the incumbent president for the Liberal Party nomination in the 1953 presidential elections.[3] Perez managed the unsuccessful re-election campaign of Quirino in 1953.
The Liberal Party lost its congressional majority in the House of Representatives in the 1953 general elections. Pérez assumed the role of Minority Floor Leader, while he was succeeded as House Speaker by Jose Laurel, Jr. of the Nacionalista Party. Pérez died in office on August 4, 1957.
Family
Pérez was married to a soprano, Consuelo Salazar with whom he had three legitimate children, Victoria, Consuelo and Eugenio Jr.
^Sheila Coronel (2007-03-14). "The Seven Ms of Dynasty Building". i-Report Online. Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. Archived from the original on 2008-02-26. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
Corazon L. Paras; La Vina, Dean Karlo B. (1996). The Speakers of the Philippine Legislative Branch. House of Representatives of the Philippines. pp. 99–101. ISBN971-92100-0-1.
Political offices
Vacant
Title last held by
Vicente Singson Encarnacion as Minority Floor Leader of the Philippine Assembly