A good leader and visionary

RAIN OF FIRE
Cesar G. Bonilla

LAOAG CITY -- The group of Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, the “man of vision” was scheduled recently to visit Ilocos Norte to establish friendship and camaraderie with Ilocanos particularly members of the Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity and Sorority. Binay however failed to attend a meeting with the APO members because of an incident involving his family. This humble writer and all participating APO members extend their sympathy to the Binay family.

In my interview with Brod Alfredo "Boyet" Patelo, Jr., the spokesman of the group, at Northview Hote,l he said despite the hectic schedules of Binay due to numerous commitments or activities, he could be able to reach the different parts of the country to become familiar with people specially the APO.

Binay already proved his mettle in the field of management by stirring the once bedridden municipality of Makati into a world class city. He was declared No.4 as world class mayor or being in the list of top ten mayors in the world in 2007.He was number one in Asia. Binay is well-tested chief executive.

His health program, free medicine and hospitalization for the poor, benefits given to senior citizens like monthly allowance, free cakes during birthdays and free tickets in movie houses have been given as an expression of respect to our elders. Brod Boyet said that the good mayor was orphaned at the age of nine, one reason why he understands the hardship of the masses and would like to make their living conditions better.
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It was a great privilege on my part to interview Joey De Venecia III, grandson of the first Ilocano House Speaker from Pangasinan, the late House Speaker Eugenio Perez, and the son of a brilliant and eloquent former House Speaker of the Lower House in Congress Jose De Venecia II.

His grandfather was the first representative from Pangasinan to hold the Speakership on May 25,1946 in the First Congress and was reelected Speaker in the Second Congress. Speaker Perez was tasked with responsibility of formulating policies to expeditiously rehabilitate the country crippled as the result of war.

The problems of peace and order, rehabilitation of the national economy and the stabilization of public finance were the primordial tasks during his incumbency. Joey De Venecia III told this writer that we need a President who is decent, with principles and values so the government will become better.

He urges the people specially the youth to register and vote for the deadline is set on Oct. 30. He believes there would be a presidential election in 2010.Joey has a broad perspective about life and is good when it comes to innovation. He had been the head of many successful business endeavors.

As an entrepreneur, he established the first financial information paging network in the year 1996. He built the first complete call center with Q interaction. He helped in the building of National Bank of Equitorial Guinea in West Africa. He spearheaded the broadband technology in the year 2000.As president and chief executive officer of Multimedia Telephony Inc., he introduced the first mobile voice, data, internet and five wireless voice service in the country through the help of US West Callahan Broadband Wireless Inc., a European cable communication company.

Members of the House of Representatives, according to De Venecia, through House Resolution 1109, have been used to extend the term of the president but it was temporarily interrupted because of the death of President Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino. Joey believes that there will be no more time left for the lawmakers to look for a possible Constituent Assembly since election is coming near.

Constitutional changes, he said, should be made after Presidential election next year so that beneficial changes would be made for the betterment of the Filipino people, not for selfish interests. He emphasized agriculture, education, and tourism as the most important factors in the development of our country.

Infrastructure projects also must be hastened. Joey said that Ilocos Norte had been a repository of talented and qualified candidates who could serve not only in the regional level but national. Decency is what we need, he quipped. Joey became popular of the issue of ZTE contract wherein the First Gentleman was implicated.

NBN is better known as national broadband network deal. His courage and resoluteness has been admired by many Filipinos. In this respect, I would like to mention the name of Makati City Councilor Armand Padilla and other members of the city council of Makati who joined the group of the good mayor in his tour in Ilocos province. My thanks to Sis. Esterlina A. Aguinaldo, Mayor of Sta. Praxedes, Cagayan, my brods like Jessie, Ronald, Alex, Robert, Joshua, Sis. Minda, and all brothers and sisters whom I failed to mention. Mabuhay tayong lahat!