That's right. Jose de Venecia recently passed away yesterday. As an advocate for reform, it's sad but true that de Venecia didn't win because he was boring. It was easy to think of him as a boring guy. I remember the time when he was called in ISPUP as Yoda De Venecia (after the Star Wars character). I was just a clueless college student at that time when the ISPUP episode was shown. I was only 13 years old when de Venecia ran for president. It was also that era when Joseph Estrada (who's now 88 years old) ran for president, and it was that time when Atty. Hilario G. Davide Jr. (who turned 90 last year) became the chief justice.
Just recently, I found this eulogy for JDV. I will not post the whole eulogy, but only the one from the one that would "fit better" for a business-economics blog:
He helped advance policies that enabled major infrastructure projects through public private partnerships, converted former military bases into thriving economic centers, and expanded economic zones that attracted investments and created jobs nationwide.
These reforms strengthened the national economy while opening opportunities that benefited cities like Dagupan and improved the lives of countless Filipino families.
This makes me think that while the late Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III had his legacy, it wasn't uniquely his own. Thankfully, not all Aquino supporters I know paint Noynoy like "some kind of a god," and I refuse to do the same to JDV, a man who would've probably been the best president the Philippines never had. Sadly, JDV lost, which I attribute to his "boring personality". I felt that the Philippines has a problem with voters because silly sentimentalities tend to reign longer, such as Estrada's career as an actor, or when Maria Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino died of cancer, which may have caused Noynoy to run for president.
From ABS-CBN News, we can also read this one, which makes me think the country suffered a great loss:
In a Facebook post, Dagupan City Mayor Belen Fernandez said "Dagupan mourns" the passing of De Venecia.
"With deep sorrow and profound gratitude, we bid farewell to former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. — a five-time Speaker of the House, a statesman of national stature, and above all, the foremost son of Dagupan," Fernandez said.
Fernandez recalled that during the "devastating 1990 earthquake" in Dagupan, it was De Venecia who stood firmly for the city.
"Through his leadership and authorship of the necessary national funding, he became the principal architect of our rehabilitation, recovery, and renewed rise. Because of him, Dagupan did not simply rebuild — we rose stronger," she said.
Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez in a statement also paid tribute to the veteran lawmaker, whom he called "one of the greatest pillars of Philippine democracy."
"Today, we mourn the passing of one of the greatest pillars of Philippine democracy and the political father of Lakas-CMD, former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.—a man whose brilliance, courage, and compassion helped shape the soul of our nation," Romualdez said.
The European Business School also writes those of JDV as a businessman, something I can only dream of:
GLOBAL BUSINESS LEADER
- In the 1970s, as an international entrepreneur, he pioneered Filipino projects in the Middle East and North Africa, which led to the employment of millions of Filipinos worldwide.
- His companies engaged in port operations in Saudi Arabia, agriculture in Africa, mass housing in Iraq and oil exploration in the United Arab Emirates.
- With his brother Oscar de Venecia, JDV was one of the pioneers in the first historic commercial oil discoveries in the Palawan offshore. They were decorated by the Philippine government.
Knowing De Venecia was an international entrepreneur makes me realize, "Why are Filipinos still so scared of Open FDI destroying the Philippines?" JDV is proof that Filipinos are indeed capable of evolving as a people. The call isn't just "The Filipino is worth dying for." but also, "The Filipino is worth fighting reforms for." That is as long as there's even a handful of Filpinos who want change, they're still worth fighting for.