Benjamin Abalos

For his son, also a politician, see Benjamin Abalos, Jr.

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Santos and the surname or paternal family name is Abalos.

The Honorable Benjamin Abalos Sr.
Abalos, portrait
Mayor of Mandaluyong
Incumbent
Assumed office June 30, 2022
Vice Mayor	Carmelita Abalos
Preceded by	Carmelita Abalos
In office February 2, 1988 – June 30, 1998
Preceded by	Roman delos Reyes (OIC)
Succeeded by	Benjamin Abalos Jr.
In office February 25, 1986 – December 1, 1987 Officer In Charge
Appointed by	Corazon Aquino
Preceded by	Ernesto Domingo
Succeeded by	Roman delos Reyes (OIC)
Chairman of the Commission on Elections
In office June 5, 2002 – October 1, 2007
Appointed by	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Preceded by	Alfredo Benipayo
Succeeded by	Resurreccion Borra
Chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority
In office January 20, 2001 – June 5, 2002
President	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Preceded by	Jejomar Binay
Succeeded by	Bayani Fernando
Personal details
Born	Benjamin Santos Abalos (1934-09-21) September 21, 1934 San Manuel, Pangasinan, Philippine Islands
Nationality	Filipino
Political party	PFP (2023–present)
Other political affiliations	PDP–Laban (2017–23) Lakas-CMD (1991–2017) LDP (1988-91)
Spouse	Corazon de Castro ​ ​ (m. 1960; died 2021)​
Children	5 (including Benhur)
Residence(s)	Mandaluyong, Metro Manila
Education	Ateneo de Manila University (A.B.) Manuel L. Quezon University (LL.B)
Occupation	Judge
Profession	Lawyer

Benjamin Santos Abalos Sr. (born September 21, 1934) is a Filipino politician who currently serves as the mayor of Mandaluyong, Metro Manila since 2022, a position he also held from 1986 to 1987 and from 1988 to 1998. He also served as a chairman of the Commission on Elections and chairman of the MMDA. As a private citizen, he also serves as the president of the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club and president of the Golfers Association of the Philippines. He is the father of former Mandaluyong mayor and Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos Jr. His paternal grandson is politician, Jonathan Clement Abalos.

Early life and education

Abalos was born into a poor family in Pangasinan on September 21, 1934. His parents are Ciriaco Abalos and Eufrocinia Santos. He studied economics at Ateneo de Manila University and graduated from the Manuel L. Quezon University in 1957. Abalos supported himself through college by taking several jobs, working as a janitor, messenger, factory worker, and a caddy at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club.

Legal career

Abalos was admitted to the roll of attorneys of the Supreme Court in 1958 and then into the Integrated Bar of the Philippines in 1973. He began his career as a fiscal before being appointed as a judge and later elected as President of the Judges Association of the Philippines. He then served as a Trial Court Judge, earning recognition as the Outstanding Judge of the Philippines for ten consecutive years.

Political career

In 1963, Abalos ran for vice mayor of Mandaluyong, which was then a municipality of Rizal, and lost to the scion of a political family.

He ran for Mandaluyong mayor in 1980, losing to the candidate of former President Ferdinand Marcos. In 1986, shortly after Marcos was ousted through a popular uprising, President Corazon Aquino appointed him as Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the then municipality of Mandaluyong.

As OIC of the town, he ran for the post of mayor and won in the local elections of 1988, the first local elections under the 1987 Constitution. He was re-elected two times in the elections of 1992 and 1995, making him one of the two Aquino OIC appointees who survived and secured the constitution-mandated three consecutive terms limit for local officials. Abalos made Mandaluyong's cityhood in 1994, also witnessing economic growth brought about by the establishment of new shopping malls and Marketplace, the country's first build-operate-and-transfer and build-transfer (BOT-BT) project. He also initiated Land for the Landless and Home for the Homeless Program housing projects, Metro Manila's first Office for Disabled People, and Mandaluyong Collegiate Scholarship in 1996, as well as seeing the construction of Mandaluyong City Medical Center (the city's first tertiary hospital) and the Mandaluyong Manpower and Technical-Vocational Training Center. Abalos was a former member of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino later joining the then newly formed Lakas NUCD-CMD.

Upon being term-limited in 1998, Abalos ran for congressman of the lone district of Mandaluyong but lost to incumbent Neptali Gonzales II.

Chairman of MMDA

On January 20, 2001, Abalos was appointed chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, a post he held until the following year.

Chairman of COMELEC

On June 5, 2002, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appointed Abalos to replace Alfredo Benipayo after the latter failed to secure the confirmation of his appointment from the Commission on Appointments.

Impeachment complaint

On September 27, 2007, Iloilo Vice Governor Rolex Suplico filed a 64-page impeachment complaint against Abalos, in his capacity as Commission on Elections Chairman, before the House of Representatives of the Philippines regarding the NBN–ZTE deal corruption scandal. It was endorsed by Representatives Teofisto Guingona III (Bukidnon–2nd), Teodoro Casiño (Bayan Muna), and Representative Ma. Isabelle Climaco (Zamboanga City–1st). Affidavits from Romulo Neri and Jose de Venecia III supported the complaint. On October 1, 2007, Abalos resigned during a press conference; and Resurreccion Borra would be appointed Acting Chairman.

Return as Mayor of Mandaluyong

Abalos ran for mayor of Mandaluyong in 2022 under PDP-Laban, with his daughter-in-law, incumbent mayor Menchie Abalos, as his running mate for vice mayor. He said that he would run to fulfill his promise to his deceased wife that he would spend his remaining years serving the people of Mandaluyong. He won the elections in a landslide victory, securing a comeback as mayor after 24 years. However, he chose not to seek reelection in 2025.

Personal life

Abalos married Corazon de Castro in 1960, with whom he has five children. His sons Benjamin Jr. and Jonathan also entered politics. Benjamin Jr. is the incumbent Secretary of the Interior and Local Government, former mayor of Mandaluyong, and former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman, and former councilor of Mandaluyong. Jonathan also served as a three-term city councilor of Mandaluyong. His wife died on January 25, 2021, due to severe sepsis, secondary to pneumonia caused by COVID-19.