Joel Chua

Joel Respall Chua (born August 17, 1972) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who has served as the representative for Manila's third district since 2022. He previously served as a member of the Manila City Council from 2007 to 2016 and again from 2019 to 2022. He is also the secretary-general of the Asenso Manileño, a local party in Manila.^[2]

Joel Respal Chua was born on August 17, 1972, in Quiapo, Manila.^[1] He earned his bachelor's degree in accountancy from the University of Santo Tomas, a law degree from San Sebastian College – Recoletos, and a master's degree in public administration from the University of the Philippines.

Chua began his political career in 2007 when he was elected as a city councilor for Manila's third district. He served three consecutive terms until 2016, when he reached his term limit. During this period, he focused on local governance and community development. After a brief hiatus, he returned to the council in 2019 and served until his election to Congress in 2022.

In the 2022 elections, Chua ran for the congressional seat of Manila's 3rd district under the banner of Asenso Manileño, following the decision of incumbent Yul Servo Nieto to run as vice mayor. Chua defeated his opponent, former councilor Ramon Morales of PDP–Laban, by a significant margin.^[3][4]

In 2024, after the announcement of their former ally Isko Moreno's candidacy against Lacuna's re-election bid,^[5][6][7] Chua stated that he and his group felt 'betrayed',^[8] as Moreno ran for mayor in 2025. But while Moreno met with some barangay officials for lunch, he accused Chua of shouting at him while they were in a meeting, saying, 'Di bale nang matalo kami sa iba, wag lang sa'yo!' (transl. "It doesn't matter if we lose to others, just not to you!").^[9] Chua faced Moreno's congressional bet and councilor Apple Nieto, the sister of Vice Mayor Yul Servo.^[10] During the campaign, Vice President Sara Duterte endorsed Nieto while speaking negatively of Chua. Despite the vice president's verbal attacks, Chua defeated Nieto in the election, winning a second term in Congress.^[11]

As a congressman, Chua has authored and co-authored several bills, including measures to waive college entrance examination fees for underprivileged students, regulate the operations of motorcycles-for-hire, including Angkas, and establish the Maharlika Investment Fund, a sovereign wealth fund for the Philippines.

Chua was the only congressman from Manila to vote in favor of the divorce bill. In 2023, he called for the abolishment of the Metro Manila Development Authority, describing it as "disruptive" and that its responsibilities are better off handled by national agencies and local government units.^[12]

Being a critic of Vice President Sara Duterte, he voted for the impeachment and was nominated to be one of the prosecutors for the upcoming impeachment trial.^[13][14]

Chua has been affiliated with several political parties throughout his career. He initially joined the first iteration of Lakas–CMD in 2007 and the party was later merged with Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (KAMPI) to become Lakas–Kampi–CMD in 2008. He later switched to PMP in 2009 and became part of Lito Atienza's ticket for the latter's unsuccessful mayoral comeback bid in 2010. He later became a member of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) from 2012 to 2016, during which he supported Joseph Estrada, who was elected mayor in 2013. He joined the local party Asenso Manileño in 2013, eventually becoming a member of Aksyon Demokratiko (the new national affiliation of then-Asenso leader and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno) ahead of the 2022 elections.^[15]

Chua is married to Eiline Buenaventura, and they have three children. He grew up in Quiapo, Manila, as the eldest and only son among three siblings. His sister, Grace Chua, also a lawyer, succeeded him as a city councilor in 2016.