Benjamin Santos Abalos Sr.

Benjamin "Ben" Santos Abalos is the son of Eufrocinia Santos of Barangay Hagdang Bato Libis and Ciriaco Abalos. Ben Abalos has one sister and three brothers, one of whom, Dr. Arsenio Abalos, was a Barangay Chairman of Hagdang Bato Libis and also served as interim councilor of this city. Ben Abalos is married to Corazon Pineda de Castro of Apalit, Pampanga and they have five children, namely Maria Corazon "Girlie" Abalos, Benjamin "Benhur" Abalos, who became Mayor and Congressman of Mandaluyong, Dr. Arnold Abalos, Jonathan Abalos, who served as City Councilor for three consecutive terms, and Joy Abalos. Ben studied at the Mandaluyong Elementary School where he finished elementary for only five years. After finishing high school, he worked as janitor and messenger at the Riverside Mills while studying. He took up Law at Manuel L Quezon University. He served as a young fiscal and later was appointed as Judge and elected President of the Judges Association of the Philippines. In 1963, Ben Abalos run for Vice Mayor but unfortunately he did not get elected. After the EDSA Revolution in 1986, Ben was appointed by President Corazon Aquino as OIC Mayor. He won the mayorship of Mandaluyong in the first ever elections after Martial Law, and also became its first city mayor. He was appointed the first chairman of Metro Manila Authority. When Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed the office of presidency, Ben was again appointed as Chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority and later appointed as chairman of the Commission on Elections. As a private individual, he is the current president of the Wack-wack Golf and Country Club and president of the Golfers Association of the Philippines.