Jose Maria Veloso

Jose Maria Bismorte Veloso (born José María Veloso y Bismorte; April 30, 1886 – April 13, 1969) was a Filipino lawyer, politician and legislator.

Early life and education The son of Manuel Rubi Veloso and Casiana Bismorte and educated at Cebu's Seminary College in 1903, he proceeded to take up law at the University of Santo Tomas, became a lawyer in 1909 in the same year he graduated from the university, and in the next year, established a law firm called Veloso and Singson.

Political career

During the 1912 provincial election in Leyte, he defeated former governor Pastor Navarro. Navarro protested the result of Veloso's electoral victory but was dismissed. From 1912 to 1922, he was the governor of Leyte, although he relinquished the position on his second term to serve as senator from the 9th district from 1916 to 1919. He was also elected as representative of Leyte's 3rd district from 1922 to 1925 and the 5th district from 1935 to 1938 as an assemblyman and from 1945 to 1946 as a post-Commonwealth representative. He was also elected senator from the country's 9th district from 1916 to 1919 and from 1925 to 1935.

Personal life His daughter Concepcion, was married to Eduardo Romualdez.

His family later on became one of the oldest political dynasties in the country and oldest in Leyte, pre-dating that of the Romualdezes whose descendants include Imelda Marcos.