LOOK: Dagupan City, Pangasinan gives hero's welcome to late House Speaker Jose de Venecia

Jose De Venecia Jr., the country’s longest-serving Speaker of the House of Representatives, passed away at the age of 89 on February 11, 2026.

A huge crowd gave him a hero’s welcome as his remains were brought to his hometown — Dagupan City in Pangasinan, on February 14 for a memorial program and public viewing.

On its official Facebook page, the Dagupan City Government wrote, “A beloved statesman and distinguished son of Dagupan, De Venecia devoted decades of his life to public service, championing national development and leading the city’s rehabilitation after the 1990 Luzon earthquake.”

On Tuesday, the De Venecia family announced his passing in a statement, remembering him as "beloved husband, father, grandfather, and patriarch who devoted more than six decades to public service as a journalist, diplomat, entrepreneur, legislator, and global advocate for peace.”

“As we mourn his passing, we give thanks for a life that helped shape the Philippine Republic and for a legacy that endures in our laws, our institutions, and our continuing pursuit of peace,” the family said.

According to the Philippine News Agency, the late House Speaker is survived by his wife — Pangasinan Fourth District Representative Gina de Venecia, and their their children Vivian and Dennis Garcia; Joey and Karen de Venecia; Sandra and Mark Haner; Leslie Norton; Carissa and Juju Evangelista; Philip Cruz; their son, former Rep. Christopher de Venecia, and the memory of their late child, KC de Venecia, along with grandchildren.

-Paraluman News/Photos by Juan Carlo Naval