Neptali Gonzales II is a Filipino politician who has served as the Representative of Mandaluyong's Lone District since 2019. He was also one of the House Deputy Speakers during the 18th Congress. Gonzales obtained his law degree from Ateneo de Manila University and worked as a lawyer before entering politics. He was the first Congressman of Mandaluyong when it was converted to a city in 1995 and also served as Mayor of Mandaluyong from 2004 to 2007. Throughout his political career, Gonzales has authored and co-authored many bills and initiatives focused on infrastructure, education, healthcare, housing, and fiscal reforms.

1. 18th Congress of the
Philippines
Cong. Neptali Gonzales II

2. Neptali Gonzales II
• Neptali "Boyet" Medina Gonzales II (born August 29, 1954) is
a Filipino politician serving as the Representative
of Mandaluyong's Lone District since 2019, and previously in
the 10th, 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th and 16th Congress. He was also
one of the House Deputy Speakers during the entire 18th
Congress and has been the House Majority Leader from 2001 to
2004 and again from 2010 to 2016.

3. Early life and education
• Gonzales was born on August 29, 1954, in Mandaluyong, Rizal to
former Senate President Neptali Gonzales and Candida Medina-
Gonzales. He is their youngest child and only son. He has three sisters,
Myrna, Sorohayda, and Rhodora.
• He attended the Mandaluyong Elementary School and received his
secondary and college education at the Union High School of Manila of
the Philippine Christian College (now the Philippine Christian University).
He finished his degree in political science at the Far Eastern
University (FEU) in 1975 and took up law at the Ateneo de Manila
University, where he graduated in 1979.

4. Career
• Before entering public service, Gonzales was a senior partner of
the law firm Gonzales, Batiller, Bilog, and Associates from 1980 to
1995. He also served briefly as a bar reviewer and professor in
criminal law and constitutional law at the FEU Institute of Law.

5. • Gonzales was the first Congressman of Mandaluyong when it was
converted into a city in 1995 and separated from what used to be
the San Juan-Mandaluyong Congressional District. He was City
Mayor of Mandaluyong from 2004 to 2007 and Congressman for
the city during the 14th Congress of the Philippines (2007–2010).

6. • In the 10th Congress, he served on eight congressional committees,
including the Committee on Rules. In the opening session of the 11th
Congress, he was selected as one of the two vice–chairmen of the
Committee on Rules, which was then chaired by Majority Leader Mar
Roxas of Capiz City. Gonzales became Majority Leader toward the end of
the 11th Congress and held the position into the 12th Congress. From
1995 to 2004, he authored 33 bills and was co-author of 92 bills. He was
one of two newly elected members of Congress to have the greatest
number of bills passed into law.

7. • During his first 9-year period in Congress, Gonzales passed a bill
allowing the construction of the City of Mandaluyong Science High
School and leading the conversion of the Rizal Technological
Colleges into Rizal Technological University. In recognition, the
RTU awarded him a PhD in Public Administration (Honoris Causa)
in October 2003.

8. • During his three-year term as Mayor of Mandaluyong, Gonzales
supported the implementation of improved physical and social
infrastructure in Mandaluyong. He also initiated innovations
in computerization, social infrastructure and urban renewal. He
pushed for improvement in health care in the city by strengthening
its only public hospital and empowering[clarification needed] all health
centers for preventive health care.

9. • He instigated fresh initiatives in local fiscal reforms and tax
collection. He urged private bodies to support the program of
housing for the poor. His administration's partnership with
the Gawad Kalinga and the Pasig River Rehabilitation
Commission provided adequate housing for more than a thousand
families in the city.

10. • Gonzales was Senior Deputy Majority Leader of the 14th Philippine
Congress. As such, he was an ex officio member of all House
Committees. He was also Senior Vice-Chairman of the Committee
on Rules, and headed the caucus of NCR[clarification
needed] Congressmen. In the 15th and 16th Congress, he was the
Majority Floor Leader of the House.
• In the 18th Congress, Gonzales was elected to be one of the
Deputy Speakers of the House.

11. Personal life
• Gonzales' first wife was Josephine Olivia Francisco, who died in
May 2001. They had one daughter, Kristine Olivia. In December
2002, Gonzales married Alexandria Pahati, a television reporter,
with whom he had twins, Neptali III and Isabel Candida.