AJ columnist Rogelio Medina with a piece of artwork by the late Pres. Cory Aquino. Photos compiled by Rogelio Medina
I AM fortunate to have had personal encounters with presidents of the Philippines – from Cory, FVR, Erap, GMA, Noynoy, Digong, to Bongbong.
Let me reminisce briefly the seven presidents.
I got to know closely the late Pres. Cory Aquino when she was already citizen Cory, who spent her leisure time doing painting: her works of art are outstanding and they soothe my artistic eyes.
I interviewed citizen Cory for the Philippine Daily Inquirer in the Cojuangco residence in Dasmariñas Village, Makati City and another one for the Japan’s Philippines Today in her office in a Cojuangco building in Makati City.
With regard to the late Pres. Fidel V. Ramos, I got the opportunity to ride in the plane with him when he went to Zamboanga City. I was often with him in going to the provinces, even when he was still defense secretary and later president. I remember when I just arrived from the United States, I went straight to Malacañang Palace wearing a pair of short pants. Malacañang’s senior media accreditation and relations officer Ernesto David (who is now living in the U.S.) smiled at me for thinking I was still in America. As I left the Kalayaan Hall and passed through old breezy trees, I was walking with FVR’s daughters.
It was during FVR’s time that I wrote for the Japan Times in Tokyo, Gulf News and Emirates In-flight Magazine in UAE, Far Eastern Economic Review in Hong Kong, and Filipinas Magazine (now Positively Filipino) in the U.S.
When I went to the U.S., I featured future Pres. Joseph Ejercito Estrada in Lefthanders Magazine in Topeka, Kansas.
I knew Erap since I was in grade school at Aquinas School in San Juan. He went to our classroom and we both found out later that we were left-handed. I often watched his shooting scenes in the nearby church.
I was invited to cover his presidential inauguration inside the historic Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan as I met so many VIPs, including American ambassador Thomas Hubbard, Doña Mary Ejercito (Erap’s mom) and actor Fernando Poe Jr.
I first met future Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Manila Peninsula hotel in Makati City on August 2, 1990 (the start of the Gulf War) when the late Philippine Star boss Max Soliven introduced me to her. She was taking her breakfast in the said hotel. That was the day on the wedding anniversary of future First Gentleman Atty. Mike Arroyo and Gloria.
When Gloria became president, I was able to tour alone the entire Presidential Security Group compound in Manila. In later years, I was surprised to learn that my cousin Revi Marc Lontok de Mesa was her chief protocol officer.
Noynoy, before he entered the presidency, gave his personal mobile number to me as we were both standing just outside Makati City’s Don Bosco Church during a mass for Sen. Ninoy Aquino’s death anniversary. When his mom, former President Cory, was in the hospital he often texted me and we exchanged chats till the time she passed away.
Before he decided to enter the presidency, he texted me and asked, “Nasaan ka na ba?” That was the time he went into a retreat whether to run for the presidency.
On December 25, 1998, Christmas Day, my cousin Ramon G. Orlina, a famous Filipino glass sculptor, invited me to come with him in Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa City to go to the house of Sonny Dominguez, where I met future president Rodrigo Roa Duterte, fondly called Digong (at that time he was a congressman). Digong and I had a lengthy conversation on federalism. I found him determined, passionate and down-to-earth.
When he became president, I was able to enter Malacañang Palace’s Heroes Hall for the Philippine Quality Award ceremony. The PQA is the country’s highest national recognition for exemplary organizational performance for the public and private sectors. I was working then with Pampanga’s Holy Angel University (HAU), a PQA awardee, under Dr. Luis Calingo (HAU’s president). Luckily, I was the only one allowed by the Presidential Security Group to take photos but as a self-discipline, I deposited my camera before the president arrived.
The first time I interviewed Bongbong Marcos for the Philippine Daily Inquirer was during the Sports Summit in Baguio City. He was cordial and courteous. He just came back to the Philippines after years of absence. The second time I met him was in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur. I was then working with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) under chair Honeygirl De Leon, Chavit Singson’s sister. This time, Bongbong (now the current Philippine president) was with his wife Liza Araneta-Marcos (now the Philippines’ first lady). I often saw the couple in several occasions there.
I was fortunate that I was one of the media persons to be invited to the Bahay ng Pangulo as I entered First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos’ private office room. I saw her during the CITEM-sponsored event in World Trade Center in Pasay City, with Deputy Social Secretary Dina Arroyo-Tantoco and Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph Marcos Manotoc, son of Sen. Imee Marcos.
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President Donald J. Trump has established the U.S. Investment Accelerator to encourage large investments and unleash economic prosperity. Thanks to his leadership, the United States has already secured more than US$3 trillion in private investments.
According to the executive order, the Investment Accelerator shall “facilitate and accelerate investments above $1 billion in the United States by assisting investors as they navigate United States Government regulatory processes efficiently, reduce regulatory burdens where consistent with applicable law, increase access to and use of our national resources where appropriate and consistent with applicable law, facilitate research collaborations with our national labs, and work with State governments in all 50 States to reduce regulatory barriers to, and increase, domestic and foreign investment in the United States.”
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Green Valley in Fairfield, Solano County in California, United States is a popular photograph point flaunting natural beauty. The hills around this region are lined by rapturous deodar and pine trees.
This census-designated place (CDP) sits in the northeast corner of the San Francisco Bay Area and is located about 45 miles (72 km) from Sacramento, about 38 miles (61 km) from San Francisco, about 32 miles (51 km) from Oakland, less than 15 miles (24 km) from Napa Valley, and less than 15 miles (24 km) from both the Carquinez Bridge and the Benicia Bridge.
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The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
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