Joseph Estrada

Joseph Marcelo Ejercito Estrada, widely known as Erap (born April 19, 1937) is a popular film actor in the Philippines and was the 13th President of the Philippines from June 30, 1998 to January 20, 2001.

Early life and career

Joseph Marcelo Ejército was born in Tondo, a once affluent area in Manila now notorious for being a poor and underdeveloped district. He was the son of Emilio Ejército, a government contractor, and María Marcelo, a simple housewife.

Related Topics:
Tondo - Manila

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Contrary to the popular notion that he grew up in life of poverty, he lived relatively well-off. After being expelled from Ateneo de Manila University for fighting, he enrolled in an engineering course at Mapua Institute of Technology, eventually dropping out to pursue acting.

Related Topics:
Ateneo de Manila University - Mapua Institute of Technology

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Dropping out of college so displeased his family that they forbade him from using his family name. He adopted the surname "Estrada" (Spanish for 'street') as a screen name. As an actor he acquired the nickname "Erap" (from the reversed spelling of pare, Filipino slang for 'pal'). He played the lead role in more than 100 movies, and was producer of over 70 films. He was the first FAMAS Hall of Fame awardee for Best Actor (1981) and also became a Hall of Fame awardee as a producer (1983). He often played heroes of the downtrodden classes, which gained him the admiration of a lot of the nation's many impoverished citizens. This later proved advantageous to his political career.

Related Topics:
Spanish - 1981 - 1983

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As an actor with no prior political experience, Estrada ran for mayor of San Juan, a municipality of Metro Manila, in 1968. He was only proclaimed mayor in 1969, after winning an electoral protest against Dr. Braulio Sto. Domingo.

Related Topics:
San Juan - Municipality - Metro Manila - 1968 - 1969

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When Corazon Aquino assumed the presidency in 1986, all officials of the local government were removed and replaced by appointed officers-in-charge. Estrada was then removed from his position as mayor. The following year, he ran and won a seat in the Senate under his own party, Partido ng Masang Pilipino.

Related Topics:
Corazon Aquino - 1986 - Senate - Partido ng Masang Pilipino

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