PEACE-MAKER

Our heart is filled with deepest gratitude to the Philippine Senate, led by Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero, for honoring us with a resolution acknowledging our years in public service and modest contributions to our beloved country.

It is a great privilege to be recognized by such a venerable institution, and we are profoundly humbled by this gesture. 

Our family and we express our heartfelt appreciation to Senate President Escudero, Senators Loren Legarda, Joel Villanueva, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Sherwin Gatchalian, Ramon “Bong Revilla Jr., Jinggoy Estrada, Pia Cayetano, and Risa Hontiveros for their heart-warming words and for co-authoring the resolution, together with Senators Cynthia Villar, Francis Tolentino, Bong Go, Robinhood Padilla, and Ronald dela Rosa. We also extend our thanks to the rest of members of the Senate. It was truly an extraordinary tribute. 

We wish to point out, however, that the honor is not just a personal accolade but a testament to the collective efforts of the many individuals who have walked alongside us in our public service journey, from a young journalist in the mid-1950s, to the war-torn Vietnam in 1966 as a diplomat, the Middle East and North Africa as an entrepreneur, the halls of Congress, to the corridors of political party- and parliamentary diplomacy, and our unwavering pursuit of peace in our country and the international community. 

We owe this tribute to the countless colleagues and supporters who have stood by us over the years, especially during our difficult and challenging moments. Their contributions are inextricably linked to the success we may have attained. Indeed, no personal achievement is ever accomplished in isolation.

The recognition also serves as a reminder of the trust and responsibility that comes with serving our nation. Public service is often challenging, requiring difficult decisions and the audacity to stand by them. 

In the corridors of power, where decisions are made that chart the destiny of millions of our countrymen, it is easy to forget that those entrusted with leadership are also fallible, prone to mistakes, and vulnerable to the temptations of pride and power. And even those of us with the best of intentions will at times fail to right the wrongs before us.

Yet, it is our humanity, our capacity to err, that also gives us the potential to rise above our shortcomings and the capability to do great things for our country. 

In politics, business, and in life, we personally have known both victory and defeat. We have experienced winning and losing to realize that neither the glow of victory nor the heartache of failure ever lasts. 

For some time now we feel our “batteries” slowing down, but we are not complaining. Overall, we feel good about being 87 years old.  
Looking back, we are immensely grateful to God and the Filipino people, especially our constituents in the fourth district of Pangasinan, for the opportunity to have taken part in some epoch-making events in our country’s history; for having known up close and worked with individuals who have shaped for the better our nation’s political, economic, and social landscape.

Truly, we all live on borrowed time. We cannot know for certain how long we have in this world. Let us strive to make our fleeting presence have a meaningful and lasting impact on the lives of our countrymen. Let us contribute our modest share in building a better world.

Once again, thank you to each senator who deemed our modest contributions worthy of such recognition. You filled our heart with joy and we are forever grateful.