Bem Noel

Florencio Gabriel "Bem" Garcia Noel (born June 17, 1966) is a Filipino politician who served as representative of the An Waray party-list in the House of Representatives.

Career First An Waray stint Noel first served in the House of Representatives as the party-list representative of An Waray from 2004 to 2013. An Waray first got involved in the lower house's partylist system in 2004.

Tacloban mayoral bid With Noel limited by the three-term consecutive term in the Congress, He lost to incumbent mayor Alfred Romualdez.

PCSO In December 2014, Noel was appointed as director of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office by President Benigno Aquino III. He resigned from his position on September 15, 2015 due to expressing open support for the presidential campaign of Grace Poe for the 2016 election, instead of Aquino's preferred candidate Mar Roxas.

Second An Waray stint In 2018, Noel announced his intent to return to the Congress as An Waray's representative once again. He filled in the lone seat An Waray was able to win in the 2019 election. He retained his role for the 2022 election.

Noel lost his seat on September 27, 2023, after the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) cancelled the registration of An Waray over alleged infractions against the party-list law. This was due to his sister Victoria assuming the role of An Waray's second representative for the 16th Congress in 2013 without a proclamation from the COMELEC.

Malabon congressional bid On October 5, 2024, Noel filed his certificate of candidacy for representative of the lone district of Malabon City under the Nationalist People's Coalition.

Personal life Noel is married to Josephine Veronique Lacson, who was a member of the House of Representatives representing Malabon, with thom they have three children. Their son Regino Federico "Nino" Noel was a city councilor of Malabon. His sister Victoria Noel also served as an An Waray representative. Noel was born in Tacloban.

Electoral history