Monsour del Rosario

Del Rosario was born in Manila and grew up in Bacolod, his family's hometown, and moved to Makati in 1979.^[1] His mother is Lebanese.^[2] His uncle was the businessman and former foreign secretary Albert del Rosario.^[3]

He first learned martial arts under Joe Lopez-Vito, a Moo Duk Kwan system of Tang Soo Do practitioner.^[4] After he returned to Manila for his high school education, del Rosario shifted to taekwondo in 1977 as a student of Hong Sung-Chon (who is known as a "Father of Philippine Taekwondo").^[4] Under Master Hong, del Rosario attained a Korean 8th Dan taekwondo black belt.^[5] He is a graduate of De La Salle University - Manila.

Del Rosario became a member of the Philippine national taekwondo team from 1982 until 1989, serving as the team's captain in his last four years on the team.^[5]

He was ranked first in the Philippines in the Lightweight Division while he was on the team, and was an eight-time National Lightweight champion.^[5] From 1982 to 1989, he competed in several international competitions, including the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the Southeast Asian Games, the Asian Games, the World Games, the World Taekwondo Championships and the Asian Taekwondo Championships.^[5] He earned a gold medal in the 14th and 15th Southeast Asian Games, a bronze medal in the 10th Asian Games, and reached the quarterfinal round during the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.^[5]

Along with Stephen Fernandez, del Rosario established the Olympians Taekwondo Training Center, a taekwondo dojang (school) in Taguig.^[6]

Del Rosario is married to Joy Zapanta. She suffered a miscarriage with their twins but later gave birth to their son Matthew in 2006 and their daughter Isabella, who is also a taekwondo athlete.^[7][8]

Del Rosario appeared in Filipino action films as early as 1986. His more notable starring roles were in Bangis (1995), Buhawi Jack (1998) and Pintado (2000). He appeared in several international film productions, such as Demonstone (1990), Bloodfist II (1990), Techno Warriors (1998) working alongside international martial artist Darren Shahlavi, When Eagles Strike (2003), Bloodfist 2050 (2005) with young martial artist Matt Mullins, and The Hunt for Eagle One (2006). Del Rosario joined Phillip Salvador, Aurora Sevilla and Willie Revillame in Joe Pring 2: Kidlat ng Maynila (1991) produced by Four n Films. He also performed with Lito Lapid, Monica Herrera, and Johnny Delgado in Medal of Valor: Habang Nasasaktan Lalong Tumatapang (1991), also produced by Four n Films. His recent films were Super Noypi (2005) and Tatlong Baraha (2006).

Del Rosario first ran for councilor of Makati from the 1st district in 2007 under the ticket of mayoralty candidate and Senator Lito Lapid, but lost.^[9] He ran for councilor in 2010 under Nacionalista Party and was successful this time.^[9] He was re-elected in 2013 under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), then the ruling party in Makati.

Initially running for re-election in 2016, he instead ran for representative of Makati's 1st district as a substitute to Ichi Yabut, who decided to seek re-election as a councillor instead, and he was elected to a three-year term. As a representative, he principally authored 58 House bills and 47 resolutions and co-authored 118 bills and 9 resolutions in total. The following are the bills he authored and enacted into law :^[10]

• Republic Act No. 11165: Telecommuting Act (as principal author)
• Republic Act No. 10931: Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (as co-author)
• Republic Act No. 10928: Philippine Passport Act (as co-author)
• Republic Act No. 10969: Free Irrigation Service Act (as co-author)
• Republic Act No. 11223: Universal Healthcare Act (as co-author)

Though eligible for re-election as representative, he ran for vice mayor of Makati in 2019 under the ruling PDP–Laban as the running mate of Junjun Binay, who ran under Una Ang Makati; however, they both lost.^[11] He ran for senator in 2022 under Reporma but lost, placing 29th overall.

He ran for vice mayor of Makati for the second time in 2025, this time as the running mate of Senator Nancy Binay and under UNA.^[12] However, he lost again, placing second to Kid Peña.

Film

More information Year, Title ...

Year	Title	Role	Pruduction
1986	Gabi Na, Kumander		Viva Films
1986	Iisa Lang ang Dapat Mamatay		Imus Productions
1988	Enteng the Dragon		RVQ Productions
1989	Eagle Squad	Mon Rivera	Viva Films and Falcon Productions
1989	Hindi Pahuhuli Nang Buhay		Viva Films
1990	Demonstone	Pablo
1990	Bloodfist II	Tobo Castanerra
1990	Legend of Lost Dragon		Archer Films
1990	Dadaan Ka sa Ibabaw ng Aking Bangkay	Arnold	Red Horse Production and Seiko Films
1990	Subukan Kita Kung Kaya Mo!	Arnold	FLT Films
1990	Hanggang Kailan Ka Papatay	Hector	Regal Films and Moviestars Production
1991	Kidlat ng Maynila: Joe Pring 2	Nur Adiloka	Four-N Films and Moviestars Production
1991	Dinampot Ka Lang sa Putik	Ambet	Regal Films
1991	Lt. Jack Moreno, Medal of Valor: Habang Nasasaktan, Lalong Tumatapang	Cpl. Alvarez	Four-N Films
1991	Ganti ng Api	Andro	Vision Films
1991	Contreras Gang	Tenyente Lazaro	Moviestars Production
1992	Amang Capulong: Anak ng Tondo II	Amang Capulong	Four-N Films
1992	Alyas Hunyango	Victor	Omega Releasing Organization Inc.
1993	Maricris Sioson Story		Regal Films
1993	Magkasangga 2000	Sword Narding	Harvest Productions
1993	Lethal Panther 2	Nestor	Harvest International Films
1993	Kakambal Ko sa Tapang	Carding	Harvest International Films
1994	Massacre Files	Dante	Regal Films
1994	Chinatown 2: The Vigilantes		Four N Films
1994	Shake, Rattle & Roll V ("Maligno" segment)	Victor	Regal Films
1995	Romano Sagrado: Talim sa Dilim	Romano Sagrado	Regal Films
1995	Costales	Peter Cortez	Regal Films
1995	Escobar: Walang Sasantuhin - Lt. Escudero		Regal Films
1995	Bangis - Lt. Ariston Navarro		Regal Films
1995	Tough Beauty and the Sloppy Slop	Santos
1996	Oki Doki Doc: The Movie	Taxi Driver	Star Cinema
1996	Huling Sagupaan - Leo		Regal Films
1997	Matang Aguila - Lt. Orlando Marquez		Regal Films
1997	Harangan - Lt. Willy Vergara		MaQ Productions and Regal Films
1997	Padre Kalibre - Marlon		Regal Films
1998	Techno Warriors	Ken	Filmswell International Limited
1998	Buhawi Jack - Buhawi Jack		Regal Films
1998	Codename: Bomba - Bernardo		Regal Films
1999	Kanang Kamay: Ituturo Mo, Itutumba Ko!	Paolo	MAQ Productions and Regal Films
1999	Luksong Tinik	Ado	Regal Films
1999	Pintado	Drigo	Regal Films
1999	Dugo ng Birhen: El Kapitan		Regal Films and Good Harvest Productions
1999	Lalaban Ako Hanggang sa Huling Hininga	Dario	Regal Films
2003	When Eagles Strike		Premiere Films
2004	Mano Mano 3: Ang Arnis Laban sa Kaaway	Dindo Aragon	Rocketts Films
2005	Uno	Mike	Rocketts Films
2006	The Hunt for Eagle One	Lt. Herman Reyes
2006	Super Noypi	Diego	Regal Films
2006	Tatlong Baraha	Faustino	Lapid Films
2008	Namets!	Babyboy Labayen
2016	Master – Philippine Senator
2017	Blood Hunters: Rise of the Hybrids
2018	The Trigonal: Fight for Justice	Mike Vasquez	Viva Films
2019	Bato (The General Ronald dela Rosa Story)	Police officer
2024	Fuchsia Libre	Supremo	Mavx Productions

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Television

More information Year, Title ...

Year	Title	Role
1997	O-Gag
2002	Sa Puso Ko Iingatan Ka	Mario
2003	Narito ang Puso Ko	Ernesto San Vicente
2003	Basta't Kasama Kita	Ramir
2004	Spirits	Eric
2005	Maynila
2006	Panday	Kaupay
2007	Rounin	Draco
2007	Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan	Izcaruz
2007–2009	Fit and Fast....	Host
2008	Kung Fu Kids	Yuen
2023	Black Rider	Nolan Alvarez

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• Taekwondo in the Philippines