Gerardo Espina Sr.

Political career Marcos regime Espina was a delegate of Leyte to the Philippine Constitutional Convention of 1971. During the regime of President Ferdinand Marcos, he joined the cabinet as Deputy Minister of Trade & Industry, Minister of State for Labor, Administrator of the Export Processing Zone Authority, and member of the Presidential Special Committee on Government Reorganization. At the same time, he served in the Interim Batasang Pambansa as an Assemblyman for Metro Manila and concurrent Assistant Majority Leader from 1978 to 1984.

1986 coup attempt; post-EDSA career In July 1986, Espina took part in a coup attempt led by Arturo Tolentino at the Manila Hotel against the Corazon Aquino administration, being named Tolentino's "press secretary".

In 1988, he unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Manila. In 1992, Espina ran for senator in the 1992 Philippine Senate election, losing with 1,755,120 votes or 7.24 percent.

He was the first congressman for the newly established Biliran's at-large congressional district for three terms (1995–2004) under the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC).

He was also the mayor of Naval, Biliran from 2004 to 2007.

Death Espina died from pneumonia on February 6, 2013 at the age of 77. He was buried in the Loyola Memorial Park in Parañaque.