Manuel Rey

Manuel Rey was born on November 2, 1868 in Cuyo, Calamianes (now Palawan). He attended high school in Ateneo Municipal de Manila which in 1885, he obtained his bacholer's degree. He then studied medicine in the University of Santo Tomas for two years from 1887 until he continued his education in University of Valladolid, Spain. In Spain, he obtained his degree in medicine and surgery in 1891. He subsequently returned to the Philippines and served in different provinces and became regular physician at the Mariveles Lazareto.^[2] When the Philippine Revolution broke out, he served as a medic under General Vicente Lukban in Samar.^[3]

During the 1902 cholera epidemic, he was a municipal physician in Nueva Cáceres.^[2] Since 1900, Rey was a member of the provincial board of Ambos Camarines.^[3][4]

In 1907, he was elected to the Philippine Assembly representing Ambos Camarines's 2nd district. He defeated Fulgencio Contreras, a member of the Progresista Party.^[5] In the first Philippine Assembly, he served as chairman of the Committee on Health and Special Committees on Cockpits and Horse Racing. He was elected to the Philippine House of Representatives in 1916 after gaining 1,121 votes against his opponent, Felipe Mompombanua, who only gained 826 votes.^[3]