FINDNG ANSWERS Former Senator
Atty. Joey Lina At this time of All Saint’s Day and All Soul’s Day when our thoughts and prayers focus on the dearly departed, I reminisce about some remarkable men and women whose love of country and service to fellowmen I find heroic and inspiring. I can say they were truly outstanding because I was fortunate to have gotten to know them up close and personal while they were alive and in the thick of things that had huge impact on fellow Filipinos. Lest they might be easily forgotten among the youth, allow me to name (at random and not in the order of importance) these great Filipinos: Lydia de Vega, Don Emilio T. Yap, Heherson Alvarez, Ernesto Herrera, Dinky Soliman, Caesar P. Perez, Ramon Revilla Sr., Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Nene Pimentel, my father Jose Lina Sr., and elder sister Estrelita Lina-Fronda. Because he was my father, let me talk about him first. Apart from being a poet and school teacher who taught me and my siblings the virtues of discipline, hard work, integrity, and compassion for others, my father is also remembered as a war hero. Last June 16 when Philippine World War II veterans were honored, a digitization center named after him was inaugurated in Camp Aguinaldo. At the center’s marker it says: “2nd Lieutenant Jose S. Lina Sr. rendered his military service by joining the resistance as part of the Mt. Sierra Regiment… His life, works, and contributions make a glorious chapter in the history of the Philippines and serve as a perpetual inspiration to the youth for all generations to love and serve our country and to fight for its freedom and independence.” My sister Estrelita, on the other hand, was also a schoolteacher whose tireless efforts in shaping young minds and molding students into becoming responsible citizens certainly contributed to the nobility of the teaching profession. Lydia was the Philippines’ source of immense pride in the 1980’s and 90’s as the undisputed sprint queen of Asia with her national record of 11.28 seconds in the 100-meter dash remaining unbroken for more than three decades. She was the poster girl of the Create a Sports Hero program which I created when I was then chairman of the Senate youth and sports committee. Don Emilio was a philanthropist and a visionary who believed that the historic Manila Hotel, being an essential part of Philippine national patrimony and national economy, would best be cared for by Filipinos who value its paramount importance in Philippine history. Though born in Fujian, China, he chose to be Filipino, and by his actions expressed true love for his chosen country and people. Heherson, also called Sonny, was my fraternity brother and closest friend ever since we were senators in the ’80s and ’90s. He was an impassioned freedom fighter and human rights champion during the Martial Law era and was best known as Mr. Environment in his relentless pursuit of his advocacy on climate change and environmental protection. Another very close friend of mine in the Senate was Ernesto, also called Boy, who was champion of the working class. He had 20 laws attributed to him including landmark reforms in vocational education that led to the creation of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority or TESDA, and the landmark Migrant Workers’ Act of 1995. Dinky and I were together in Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s cabinet when I was interior secretary and she was head of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. She truly cared for impoverished Filipinos and is best remembered for her tenacity in promoting the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). Caesar was the most beloved and outstanding mayor that Los Baños, Laguna, ever had. When he was assassinated on Dec. 3, 2020, grief-stricken common folks wept openly as they lined up the streets for a glimpse of the remains of their fallen mayor known for his simplicity, brilliance, and humility. The legendary Ramon, the actor turned politician and late father of Sen. Bong Revilla, was also my colleague in the 9th Congress where he became known as the “Father of Public Works Act.” When he died in 2020, I felt we lost an outstanding Filipino who had lived up to his creed that “it is not enough that the Filipino people are served, but they must be served well.” Miriam was my teacher at the UP College of Law before she became one of the most famous senators our country ever had. She had an awesome record of professional excellence, serving in all three branches of government—judicial, executive, and legislative—with utmost integrity and uncommon fearlessness. Her intellectual brilliance shone bright as she could outtalk other intellectuals while tackling burning issues in the national discourse. When former Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. died in 2019, I was deeply saddened because I felt that losing him was like losing a father. My grief also came from the realization that our country has lost a great statesman who championed freedom, human rights, and the pursuit of excellence in local governance. All these dearly departed I mentioned were indeed great Filipinos in their own right. They’re all gone now but surely not forgotten. Let’s pray for them this Undas season. Email: [email protected]