Joel Villanueva

Emmanuel Joel Jose Villanueva (/vɪljɑːnuːwɛbɑː/, born August 2, 1975), nicknamed "Tesdaman", is a Filipino politician who previously served as the Senate Majority Leader from 2022 to 2024 and has been a Senator since 2016. He previously served as the Director General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) from 2010 to 2015 in the administration of President Benigno Aquino III. He started his political career in the House of Representatives, representing CIBAC party-list from 2002 to 2010; at the age of 26, he was the youngest member of the House when he assumed office. He is a son of evangelist and politician Bro. Eddie Villanueva, founder of Jesus Is Lord Church Worldwide.

Villanueva is also a basketball player currently playing for the Senate Defenders in the UNTV Cup. He also played for the Philippine national team and the University of Santo Tomas. Since 2016, Villanueva has been facing ongoing criminal cases in the Sandiganbayan for two counts of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and one count of malversation through falsification of public documents, originating from misused 10 million pesos in public funds which Villanueva used for ghost projects through a questionable NGO. Administrative sanctions have also been filed against him for grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of public service. The Ombudsman has released a dismissal order against Villanueva in November 2016, barring him from public office. The Senate leadership, tasked to enforce the dismissal, has not yet acted on the order.