It was a night of fun and good cheer at the Presidential Suite of The Manila Hotel last Tuesday, March 14. Wine and food flowed freely as VIPs from the government, the diplomatic community, and the private sector gathered at the spacious suite to celebrate the formal launch of two new “Night Owl” books by Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Undersecretary Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo. Former president Rodrigo Duterte shakes hands with Manila Bulletin President Dr. Emilio Yap III
Notably, two former presidents attended the event—Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, and Deputy House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Also present were Senators Mark A. Villar, Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, Francis Tolentino, and Cynthia Villar; former Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade; former Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana; former National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon; Land Transportation Office Chief Jay Art Tugade; and Manila Bulletin President Dr. Emilio Yap III. Former President Rodrigo Duterte at the book launch of "Night Owl"
The book launch highlights the second edition release of “Night Owl,” which includes a new chapter on the current administration’s Build Better More program – a continuation of the Build, Build, Build program of the Duterte Administration. Also launched was the translated “Night Owl: Edisyong Filipino,” which is written in Tagalog. Anna Mae was the life of the party, as she personally welcomed guests from the public and private sector. Her laugh and ear to ear smile gave an infectious cheer to the entire celebration. Former president and current Deputy House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
In her speech, Anna Mae shared snippets of her experience as part of the Build, Build, Build team—the challenges they had to overcome and the reforms that had to be instituted. “I am honored to have been among men and women who exemplify true leadership and public service. I am immensely proud to have worked with 6.5 million Filipinos whose skills, work, and sacrifices turned vision into reality. It is fulfilling to be part of something bigger than yourself. Night Owl is the story of our nation; a narrative on how, through our collective action, we were able to chart the course for a better nation,” she said. “Night Owl: A Nationbuilder’s Manual” narrates the nation’s journey to improved lives and abounding opportunities brought about by President Rodrigo Duterte’s massive infrastructure program. It is also a report on the accomplishments of Build, Build, Build, particularly: 29,264 kilometers of roads, 5,950 bridges, 11,340 flood mitigation structures, 222 evacuation centers, 150,149 classrooms, 214 airport projects, and 451 seaport projects built during the Duterte Administration. As former chair of the Build, Build, Build committee under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Anna Mae also narrates in the book how the DPWH, under the leadership of then Secretary Mark A. Villar, was able to find solutions to lingering problems on right-of-way, ghost projects, and unmet deadlines. “Through Night Owl, we want the years of the Duterte Administration to be remembered as a collective movement of the Filipino people who wanted change and acted on it. We may have set our sights too high, but our country and the men who stood behind it deserve nothing less,” said Anna Mae. “Night Owl: Second Edition” contains a new chapter, which talks about the new digital infrastructure program of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., which is under the Build Better More Trust. While “Night Owl: Edisyong Filipino” is the Filipino translated version of Anna Mae’s first book. Night Owl author Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo
*Night Owl was authored by Anna Mae Lamentillo, edited by Manila Bulletin’s AA Patawaran and Richard de Leon, and published by the Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation.* *Photos by Noel B\. Pabalate \| Manila Bulletin*