JESSE ROBREDO

 

Jesse Manalastas Robredo (May 27, 1958 – August 18, 2012) was a 2000 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for Government Service, a Filipino statesman who served as Secretary of the Interior and Local Government in the administration of President Benigno Aquino III from 2010 to until his death in 2012.

 

Beginning in 1988, Robredo served six terms as Mayor of Naga City in Camarines Sur. In recognition of his achievements as Naga City mayor, Robredo was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service in 2000, the first Filipino mayor so honored. He was appointed to the Cabinet of President Aquino in July 2010. Robredo was a member of the Liberal Party.

 

On August 18, 2012, the Piper PA-34-200 Seneca I aircraft carrying Secretary Robredo crashed off the shore of Masbate Island. He was scheduled to go home and watch his daughter's swimming competition in Naga City. The Philippine Department of Interior and Local Government said that the pilot sent a distress call to the Masbate airport requesting an emergency landing. The airplane never made it to the airport and crashed in the sea. Robredo's body was retrieved three days later, August 21, 800 meters from the shore and 180 feet below sea level.

 

Early life

 

Jesse and family. Thanks to sankieblogger.

Jesse Manalastas-Robredo was born on May 27, 1958 in Naga City to Jose Chan-Robredo, Sr. (1923–) and Marcelina Manalastas-Robredo (1927–). He was the third of siblings: he had a brother, Jose "Butch" Robredo Jr., a businessman; and three sisters: Dr. Jocelyn Robredo-Austria, who lives in the USA; Jenny Robredo-Tang; and Penny Robredo-Bundoc.

 

Personal life

 

He was married to lawyer Maria Leonor Gerona Robredo with three daughters; Jessica Marie (Aika), Janine Patricia (Tricia), and Jillian Therese (Jill).

 

Education

 

He studied at Naga Parochial School, a private Catholic school where he began to hone his talent and love for chess. The school was known and had established a record for winning Bicol's annual provincewide chess tournament and Robredo's brother had been among its champions. However, when it was Robredo's turn to represent his school, he only garnered second place.

Robredo entered high school at Ateneo de Naga University in 1970 and was in junior year when

President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in September 1972. The university administration immediately called an assembly and warned its students against getting involved in anti-government activities – which could result in the school being closed down.

Robredo obtained his undergraduate degrees in Industrial Management Engineering and Mechanical Engineering at De La Salle University. He was later accepted as an Edward Mason Fellow and graduated with a Masters of Public Administration degree from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1999. In 1985, Robredo finished his Master’s in Business Administration at the University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, as a scholar and was named the Graduate School and Faculty Organization awardee for scholarly excellence.

The Far Eastern University bestowed Robredo with a doctorate in Humanities, honoris causa, during its 80th commencement exercise held at the plenary hall of the Philippine International Convention Center on April 4, 2008, recognizing his efforts to develop Naga City.

 

Career

 

Early career

 

In 1980, Robredo worked for the San Miguel Corporation in Mandaluyong City, in the Physical

Distribution Technical Services of the General Services Division, and within six months, Robredo had hurdled two of the three levels in the division and was then sent to the finance division for another six months. When Robredo's immediate superior transferred to Magnolia Ice Cream, San Miguel Corporation's ice cream division, he was invited to come along. He was assigned to logistics planning and concurrently functioned as staff assistant to the physical distribution director.

In 1986, Robredo returned to Naga City, where he became Program Director of the Bicol River Basin Development Program, an agency tasked to undertake integrated area development planning in the three provinces of the Bicol region.

 

Mayor of Naga City

 

In 1988, Robredo was elected mayor of Naga City at age 29, the youngest mayor in Philippine

history. His three terms as mayor ended on June 30, 1998. He was again elected as City Mayor in 2001 and finished his second three terms on June 30, 2010.

He served for a total of nineteen (19) years as Naga City Mayor before being appointed on July 9, 2010 as Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). Robredo was able to transform Naga City from being dull and lethargic to being one of the "Most Improved Cities in Asia," as cited by Asiaweek Magazine in 1999.

During his time in city hall, Robredo was credited for "dramatically improved stakeholdership and people participation in governance, in the process restoring Naga to its preeminent position as the premier city of Bicol Region."

In 1995, in recognition of his skills and competence as a leader and development manager, Robredo was elected President of the League of Cities of the Philippines, the national association of city mayors. Robredo also chairs the Metro Naga Development Council." He served as chairman of the Regional Development Council, the regional planning and coordinative body

of Bicol's six provinces and seven cities, from 1992 to 1998.

 

Secretary of Interior and Local Government

 

Benigno Aquino III was Secretary of Interior and Local Government, until Aquino named Robredo to succeed him. At least two politicians from Bicol, Luis Ortega and Luis Villafuerte, Sr. expressed opposition to Robredo's confirmation by the Commission on Appointments of which Villafuerte himself was a member.

In March 2012, the Commission on Appointments bypassed Robredo's nomination.

His nomination was bypassed again in June 2012. Another confirmation hearing had reportedly been set on August 29, 2012, eleven days after Robredo's sudden death.

 

Death

 



Marker at Robredo crash site. Thanks to Bicol Mail.

On August 18, 2012, he boarded a Piper PA-34 Seneca in Cebu City to fly to Naga City, however the airplane's pilots decided to make an emergency landing at the Moises R. Espinosa Airport in Masbate City due to engine failure. The aircraft carrying Secretary Robredo along with his aide, Police Chief Inspector June Paolo Abrazado crashed off the shore of Masbate Island. His aide survived the crash. Search and recovery operations were conducted by Philippine Coast Guard/ Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary, Philippine Navy, Philippine Air Force and the local government of Masbate, with assistance from a number of foreign technical divers.

Robredo's body was found at 8:15 am, Tuesday, August 21, 2012 (PHT). The news was confirmed by DOTC Secretary Mar Roxas. He said the body was found 800 meters (2,600 feet) off Masbate at 54 metres (177 feet) deep.
 

 

State Funeral

 

His funeral was held at the Archbishop's Palace in Naga City before it was transferred to Malacañang Palace for an official wake on August 24, 2012. His remains were later brought back to his hometown of Naga in the early hours of August 26. He was cremated on Tuesday, August 28, 2012.

Philippine President Aquino conferred the Philippine Legion of Honor with the rank of Chief

Commander upon Robredo on August 28, 2012 just before the state funeral.

 

Honours and awards

◾ Dangal ng Bayan Award by the Civil Service Commission (Philippines), 1990

◾ Ramon Magsaysay Award, 2000

◾ Philippine Legion of Honor, Chief Commander (posthumous), 2012

◾ Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award (posthumous) by the Civil Service Commission (Philippines),

2012

◾ Quezon Service Cross (posthumous), 2012

 

References

 

 

1. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Robredo