Manuel S. Enverga


Manuel Sarmiento Enverga was a Filipino lawyer and politician who became representative of Quezon's 1st congressional district from 1953 to 1969.

Early life and education

Enverga was born on January 1, 1909 in Mauban, Tayabas to farmers Jose Pastrana Enverga and Romana Sarmiento. He studied at Mauban Elementary School, National University High School, University of Santo Tomas, and Philippine Law School. He passed the bar examination in 1938. During his undergraduate studies, he studied at the Observatory of Music in the University of the Philippines and was a member of the symphony orchestra under Alexander Lippay. He received his Doctor of Laws in Universidad Central de Madrid in Spain.
Before World War II, he also took a course on Foreign Service in the University of the Philippines.

Career

As a lawyer

Enverga worked in the law office of Spanish lawyer Don Alfredo Chicote. He also worked as a partner of Judge Vicente del Rosario. He was then made Professor of the Graduate School of the University of Santo Tomas due to his success as a lawyer.
In 1947, he was the president and founder of the Luzonian Colleges in Lucena. That same year, he was a Filipino delegate to the Inter-Asian Relations Conference held in New Delhi, India. In 1950, he was delegate to the Education Conference Ibero-Americano in Madrid, Spain.

As a politician

Enverga was elected as a representative for Quezon's 1st congressional district in 1953. He was re-elected thrice thereafer. He stepped down at the end of his fourth term in 1969.
In 1955, he was a delegate to the 8th session of the UNESCO general conference in Montevideo, Uruguay. He was a delegate to the World Federation of United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland in 1956 and to the International Monetary Fund Conference in Washington, D.C., United States in 1960. In 1960, he was also delegate to the International Association of Universities Conference in Mexico City.

Personal life

He was married to Rosario Lopez from Lucena in April 10, 1940. His son, Wilfrido, served as Governor of Quezon from 1998 to 2007. His other children are Naila, currently president and chief executive officer of Enverga University, Jazmin, and Manuel Jr.
After his retirement in politics, Enverga dedicated his time expanding the Luzonian Colleges. He died in June 14, 1981. In 1983, the Luzonian Colleges changed its name to Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation in his honor.