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Stella Quimbo

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Stella Quimbo
Quimbo in 2023, wearing a pearl necklace and a black floral Filipiniana against a blue background
Official portrait, 2023
Member of the
Philippine House of Representatives
from Marikina's 2nd district
Assumed office
June 30, 2019
Preceded byMiro Quimbo
Commissioner of the Philippine Competition Commission
In office
2016–2019
Appointed byBenigno Aquino III
Personal details
Born
Stella Luz Fagela Alabastro

(1969-11-23) November 23, 1969 (age 54)
Ermita, Manila, Philippines
Political partyLakas–CMD (2024–present)
Other political
affiliations
Liberal (2018–2024)
Spouse
(m. 1998)
Children4
Alma materUniversity of the Philippines (BS, MA, PhD)
King's College London (MA)
Occupation
  • Politician
  • economist
  • professor

Stella Luz Alabastro Quimbo (born Stella Luz Fagela Alabastro; November 23, 1969) is a Filipino politician and academic who has served as the representative for Marikina's second district since 2019, as a member of Lakas–CMD. She previously served as a commissioner of the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) from 2016 until her resignation in 2019.

Educated at the University of the Philippines Diliman, Quimbo began her academic career as a professor at her alma mater before becoming a full professor at the Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands from 2011 to 2013. She entered government in 2016 after President Benigno Aquino III appointed her to serve as a commissioner of the PCC. In 2019, she was elected to succeed her husband, Miro Quimbo, as the representative for Marikina's second district as a member of the Liberal Party.

During her tenure as representative, Quimbo was criticized for her support of the Maharlika Wealth Fund and defense of Vice President Sara Duterte's use of confidential and intelligence funds. She intends to run for mayor in the 2025 Marikina local elections.

Early life and education

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Quimbo was born on November 23, 1969, to food scientist Estrella Alabastro, who would serve as dean of the College of Home Economics at the University of the Philippines Diliman and as a secretary of science and technology under the Arroyo administration.[1][2] She studied at the UP Diliman and obtained her Bachelor of Science in Business Economics summa cum laude and University Valedictorian in 1991, Master of Arts in Economics in 1993, and Doctor of Philosophy in Economics in 2000. The following year, she would do her post-doctorate work at Brown University.[3] In 2018, she obtained a Masters Degree in Competition Law from the King's College London.[3]

Academic career

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Quimbo worked as a professor and a department chairperson at the University of the Philippines School of Economics.[4] From 2011 to 2013, Quimbo served in the rank of full professor into the Prince Clause Professorial Chair at the Erasmus University Rotterdam in the Netherlands. She was the first Southeast Asian to hold the position.[5] Quimbo's research portfolio focuses on the field of health economics, industrial organization, microeconomics, education, poverty, and public policy.[3] For her research studies into health economics, a then-new field of research in the country, the National Academy of Science and Technology awarded her the Outstanding Young Scientist (OYS) award in 2009.[6][7]

Philippine Competition Commission (2016–2019)

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In 2016, President Benigno Aquino III appointed Quimbo as a commissioner of the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC).[8] She would serve in that role from 2016 until her resignation in 2019 to run for a seat in the House of Representatives.[9]

House of Representatives (2019–present)

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Elections

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On November 30, 2018, Quimbo filed to run for representative in Marikina's second congressional district under the Liberal Party to succeed her husband, Miro Quimbo, who had held the seat since 2010.[10] In the May 9, 2019, election, Quimbo easily won the seat, defeating former representative Eugene de Vera and independent Mauro Arce.[11]

Following the election, de Vera contested Quimbo's eligibility for the position in a quo warranto petition before the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET), citing the Philippine Competition Act, which prohibited former commissioners of the PCC to run for public office during their tenure and the two-year period following the end of their tenure.[12] Beng Sardillo, Quimbo's legal counsel, derided the petition as self-serving and erroneous.[13][14]

In 2022, Quimbo was reelected to a second term, defeating her closest opponent, former mayor Del de Guzman.

Tenure

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In the 18th Congress, Quimbo was a member of a technical working group tasked to study the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN, the largest broadcaster in the Philippines. She was the lone dissenter against the decision of two other members, representatives Pablo John Garcia and Xavier Jesus Romuald, to disapprove the application of ABS-CBN for another franchise.[15]

In the 19th Congress, Quimbo serves as a vice chairperson of the Committee on Appropriations.[16] As congresswoman, she has been described as having a strict mentality and a volatile office environment.[17]

In September 2023, Quimbo's support of the Maharlika Wealth Fund and defense of Vice President Sara Duterte's use of confidential and intelligence funds (CIF) for her office and the Department of Education resulted in calls to sanction Quimbo as a member of the Liberal Party.[18][19] In response, party president Edcel Lagman confirmed that Quimbo will not receive sanctions for her positions, emphasizing the party's tradition of recognizing the "freedom of expression and dissent" of its members.[20]

In August 2024, Quimbo was embroiled in a dispute with Duterte over the passage of funds for the Office of the Vice President.[21] The same month, Quimbo left the Liberal Party and took oath as a member of Lakas–CMD.[22][dubiousdiscuss]

In October 2024, Quimbo and Barangay Health Wellness Partylist Rep. Angelica Natasha "Nica" Co jointly filed an ethics complaint against AGRI Party-List Rep. Wilbert T. Lee, anchored on alleged threats and acts of aggression during the 2025 budget hearing with the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges.[23]

2025 Marikina mayoral campaign

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Prior to the 2024 State of the Nation Address on July 22, 2024, Miro confirmed that Quimbo will not seek another term as representative to run for mayor of Marikina in the 2025 local elections.[24][25]

Personal life

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Quimbo resides in Quezon City.[26] She married lawyer and former representative Miro Quimbo in 1998; they have four children.[27][28]

Bibliography

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  • Stella Alabastro, Douglas H. Brooks and Myo Thant (1998), "Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Myanmar", in Douglas H. Brooks and Myo Thant (eds.), Social Sector Issues in Transitional Economies of Asia, pp. 367–416, New York: Asian Development Bank, Oxford University Press. (ISBN 0-19-591154-7)

References

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  1. ^ Lina, Joey (December 1, 2020). "The need to spend and to spend in a timely manner". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on December 10, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  2. ^ The Filipino Family and the Nation: A Collection of Readings on Family Life Issues and Concerns. College of Home Economics, University of the Philippines. 1993. p. 135. ISBN 971-8892-00-1. Archived from the original on July 29, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Philippine Competition Commission (March 19, 2016). "Commissioner Stella Luz A. Quimbo". Philippine Competition Commission. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  4. ^ Romulo, Mons (October 17, 2015). "What is one good thing that's worth fighting for?". Philstar.com. Philstar Global Corp. Archived from the original on July 29, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  5. ^ UP School of Economics. "Professor Quimbo appointed to prestigious Dutch chair". University of the Philippines. Archived from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  6. ^ Sanvictores Jr., Benito V. (June 10, 2015). "Economics for better health". University of the Philippines Diliman. UP Diliman Information Office. Archived from the original on July 10, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2024. A member of the 1990 [UPecon Foundation, Inc.] survey team, [Stella] Quimbo was fascinated with health economics, which eventually became one of her fields of interest. [...] Health economics started in the United States as early as the 1960s. 'However, this discipline only started in the Philippines in the 1980s,' Quimbo said.
  7. ^ National Academy of Science and Technology Annual Report 2009 (PDF). National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines. 2009. p. 16. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 29, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  8. ^ de Leon, Dwight (September 23, 2023). "Who is Stella Quimbo, the staunch defender of Sara Duterte's confidential funds?". RAPPLER. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  9. ^ "Commissioner Stella Luz A. Quimbo | Philippine Competition Commission". www.phcc.gov.ph. March 19, 2016. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  10. ^ "Miro Quimbo's wife drops PCC seat for Congress". Politiko Metro Manila. 2018-11-30. Archived from the original on January 12, 2023. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  11. ^ ABS-CBN News (May 14, 2019). "#HalalanResults, Marikina's Stella Quimbo on her way to replacing husband at House". ABS-CBN News. Archived from the original on September 8, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  12. ^ Cepeda, Mara (July 12, 2019). "Losing bet wants Marikina congresswoman Stella Quimbo disqualified". Rappler. Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  13. ^ "Disqualification petition filed vs. Rep. Stella Quimbo has no legal basis —lawyer". GMA News Online. July 13, 2019. Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  14. ^ Nazario, Dhel; Damicog, Jeffrey G.; Panaligan, Rey G. (July 12, 2019). "Marikina congresswoman faces quo warranto petition". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on November 23, 2021. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  15. ^ SunStar Manila (July 10, 2020). "House panel rejects ABS-CBN franchise application". SunStar. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  16. ^ Cupin, Bea (July 26, 2022). "LIST: House committee chairpersons of the 19th Congress". RAPPLER. Archived from the original on July 29, 2022. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
  17. ^ de Leon, Dwight (October 2, 2023). "In House of Representatives, Stella Quimbo's office endures staff turnovers". Rappler. Archived from the original on November 30, 2023. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  18. ^ Relativo, James. "Liberal Party mulls action vs Quimbo over OVP's confidential funds issue". Philstar.com. Archived from the original on June 30, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  19. ^ Bolledo, Jairo (October 7, 2023). "Despite her defense of Sara Duterte's confidential funds, Quimbo remains a party member – LP". Rappler. Manila, Philippines: Rappler Inc. Archived from the original on July 29, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  20. ^ Mendoza, Red (October 8, 2023). "Quimbo escapes LP sanctions". The Manila Times. Archived from the original on June 30, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  21. ^ de Leon, Dwight (August 28, 2024). "In 2023, Sara Duterte was grateful to Stella Quimbo. Now, she's antagonizing her". Rappler. Manila, Philippines. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
  22. ^ Maderazo, Jake J. (August 13, 2024). "Magnificent Manila vs. Bagong Maynila in 2025". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  23. ^ Panti, Llanesca (October 14, 2024). "Ethics complaint filed vs Rep. Wilbert Lee over alleged threat to 2 colleagues". GMA Network. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  24. ^ Quismorio, Ellson (July 23, 2024). "Congresswoman Stella Quimbo eyeing mayoral seat in Marikina". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on July 26, 2024. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  25. ^ Begas, Billy (July 22, 2024). "Marikina Power Couple: Miro Quimbo Confirms Congress Run, Wife Stella Eyes Mayoralty". Politiko. MCD Multimedia Corporation. Archived from the original on July 29, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  26. ^ "Stella Luz A. Quimbo" (PDF). Philippine Men of Science. 25. Department of Science and Technology: 102. December 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 18, 2022. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  27. ^ Lalu, Gabriel Pabico (July 29, 2020). "Ex-lawmaker Miro Quimbo contracts COVID-19; wife, children test negative". INQUIRER.net. Archived from the original on June 28, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  28. ^ Quimbo, Miro (December 3, 2008). "On our 10th year together..." Facebook. Meta Platforms, Inc. Archived from the original on July 29, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
House of Representatives of the Philippines
Preceded by Member of the House of Representatives
from Marikina's 2nd district

2019–present
Incumbent