JDV's son replaces Ma as congressional bet

Toff de Venecia, son of former Speaker Joe de Venecia and incumbent congresswoman Manay Gina de Venecia, is the Liberal Party’s candidate for congressman of the 4th district of Pangasinan in the 2016 elections.

Christopher de Venecia shows his Certificate of Candidacy (CoC) with Election Supervisor
 Marino Salas at the Commission on Election in Dagupan City. De Venecia is 
accompanied today by his parents Rep. Gina de Venecia (4th District, Pangasinan
and the one he substituted and his father  former 5-Time Speaker Joe de Venecia.

This after Manay Gina withdrew her candidacy this morning, Dec. 8, at the Commission on Election’s provincial office at Dagupan City.

Rep. Gina de Venecia shows her withdrawn CoC after her son
Christopher substituted her for the congressional race in
the 4th District of Pangasinan.

According to Manay Gina, they decided as a family that it was the right time for Toff to enter the world of politics since he has a willingness and determination to help the people, most especially the youth.
“The youth is incredibly vital to the community because like me, they are energetic, passionate, and full of ideas,” says Toff.

After filing his CoC today, Toff de Venecia visited a constituent first class town
Mangaldan. He posterity poses with Mayor Bona Fe D. Parayno (5th from
left) and staff of the treasury department. 

 He said he wants to galvanize them to become more involved in reimagining the fourth district, not to mention, bolster district’s culture and education, industry, and tourism in service of the people.

The substitution is not a farewell bid from politics of  Manay Gina.
 “Toff will serve the people with his style of serbisyong three-in-one wherein myself and Manong Joe will guide him every step of the way in continuing our legacy but elevating it with his style of consultative leadership and ideas that will bring the fourth district into the 21st century, she stresses”.

De Venecia poses with Mayor Parayno in front of
the newly constructed Pasalubong Center of the town.
Toff told the mayor that during his incumbency
he would boost the tourism draws of the 4th Congres-
sional District. De Venecia is a shoo-in in the  2016 congres-
sional race as he has no serious opponents.

Toff is a former child star, having appeared in sitcoms such as Ober da Bakod, Billy Bilyonaryo, HaybolRambol, and movies such as Pretty Boy and Kung Kailangan Mo Ako. He is formerly an editor for Chalk Magazine and is currently an editor for Young Star, the Friday youth section of The Philippine Star where he also writes a regular column. He is the founder and managing artistic director of progressive theater group, The Sandbox Collective, an experimental and cutting-edge Manila-based production outfit, responsible for the hit productions “Dani Girl,” “The Boy in the Bathroom,” and “No Filter” and has been directing plays for various companies for the past six years.


Toff finished elementary school at the Colegio de San Agustin where he pursued higher education at the Ateneo de Manila High School and college at the Ateneo de Manila University where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science.

Toff and Mayor Bona at one of the offices in the municipal hall
of Mangaldan - the most progressive town in the 4th District.

According to Toff, he wants to continue the countless projects and endeavors that his parents have started but also forge new narratives in putting the fourth district of Pangasinan in the map.
“My father (JDV) was the builder; my mom was the heart. I’d like to nurture the soul of our district.”