Buhay Party-list 1st nominee Vladimir Neil “Von” Valdepeñas recently laid out his credentials as a congressman if his group gains a seat in the House of Representatives in a press conference with the Camp Vicente Lim Press Corps (Calabarzon) led by its President Roy Tomandao at Mommy’s Garden Cafe, Bypass Road, Bucal, Calamba City.
Buhay Party-list (Buhay Hayaan Yumabong) was founded on October 22, 1999 by former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza with Melquiades Robles to cultivate and propagate Buhay’s advocacy – Pro-God, pro-life, and pro-family.
The 22-year-old party-list has been supported by multiple congregations and religious groups on nation-building, democracy, and human rights.
Valdepeñas was a former number 1 municipal councilor of Los Baños, Laguna in 2004. He was the council’s Committee chair on Public Works, Infrastructure, and Telecommunication.
The party-list nominee was also the Regional Executive Director of the Philippine Councilors’ League for Region IV-A, and the National Liaison Officer for Luzon of the National Movement of Young Legislators.
Valdepeñas was an Information Technology consultant to the Office of the Secretary, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and was a KALIPI-Liberal Party vice-chair.
A born entrepreneur, he started running his own businesses since 1997 via Von’s Coconut Lumber; Petron Gasoline Station (manager/dealer for Los Baños); Asianware Technologies Corp. (2003-present); Baseline Unlimited Inc. (2009 to date) and Vladimir “V1” Corporation (real estate, transportation, construction, and trading).
In 2019, Valdepeñas worked as Goodwill Philippines president and Country Manager who champions the cause of persons with disabilities (PWDs).
He is a BA Management Economics graduate from Ateneo de Manila University and took the Advanced Management Program and Senior Executive Fellows (a development program for executives) at Harvard University, Massachusetts.
Valdepeñas is married to Chi Atienza, daughter of the former Manila Mayor and current vice-presidential candidate, and they have three children.
His political, entrepreneurial, and educational background made him the top choice for Buhay Party-List’s first nominee in the May 9 elections. Roy Tomandao