02 August 2011

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Toniliciousz @ The Buzz :)

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Ultimate Multimedia Princess and the Soon-To-Be :p

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GAME PLAN: Are you IN or OUT?

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Life is like a contest, a game. The moment you have decided to take a step, assuredly, there’s no turning back. You cannot keep everything, not all time you win and take the grand prize. Its either you win something or lose something. You have to choose and weight things respectively. Each of us must be smart in choosing right decisions and strategies. As much as possible, there is no room for mistakes. No one will be exempted for playing the game, even the politicians. Just like every people, politicians should have their own game plan.

Now, let’s look at the game plan of a man behind the success of Corazon “Cory” Aquino and his contribution to the Rise of People Power.

Can he manage to stay at the top or fall as the runner up?

Is he IN or OUT?

The man that I am referring to is none other than Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr.

Aquilino Pimentel Jr. or better known as Nene Pimentel is born into a political family in Cagayan de Oro as the son of Aquilino E. Pimentel a lawyer and Petra Quilinging a public school teacher.

The man from Mindanao was move to the national arena as an elected delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1971, representing Misamis Oriental. The complexity of what had promised to be an inspiring political exercise changed when then President Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law on September 21, 1972.

Being a young and principled lawyer, Pimentel and a few-like minded delegates feared the CONCON would produce a Marcos-scripted Constitution and were vocal in their opposition.

FIRST QUARTER..


Because of the fear that martial law will bring, Pimentel protested certain provisions as being contrary to the people’s interest. Not surprisingly, in a roundup of those who opposed Marcos, he was arrested in early 1973 and jailed for three months at Camp Crame . At the same year he was released from prison in time for the signing of the Constitution. Pimentel refused to sign along with a few other delegates. In the climate of fear of the Martial Law era, this was a bold move and it widened his repute as an oppositionist. He then became the lawyer for the National Secretariat for Social Action of the Catholic Bishops Conference to help the poor peasants and the urban poor who were particularly oppressed during the Martial Law era.

Pimentel as a fearless man did not stop the fight and instead he ran for a post in the Interim Batasan elections as an official candidate of the Lakas ng Bayan (Laban) party of Metro Manila along with Ninoy Aquino in April 1978. Sadly, members of Marcos’ Kilusan ng Bagong Lipunan (KBL) party swept the seats.

Pimentel and other opposition leaders like Senator Lorenzo Tañada, Teofisto Guingona, and Chino Roces loudly protested the defeat of all opposition candidates and denounced the massive cheating that had taken place. Pimentel was one of those arrested for leading a demonstration against what he termed farcical elections. He had spoken out against Marcos’ bid to produce a rubber stamp legislature to win legitimacy for his iron-fisted regime which was increasingly being criticized here and abroad. Pimentel was jailed for two months in Camp Bicutan , Metro Manila.

Pimentel’s second stint in prison did not silence him. In fact, it strengthened his resolve to fight for freedom and to oppose electoral fraud. He brought the battle from the streets to the polls in January 1980 when Marcos allowed local elections.

SECOND QUARTER..


Nothing and No one can stop Pimentel and his advocacies. They launched his mayoralty bin in Cagayan with a mere 2,000 in his war chest, all the money the couple could gather. As a result of his fortitude, Cagayanons who believed in him contributed to his campaign and penned his name on their ballot. Pimentel won by a 3-1 margin over his KBL rival, who was fielded by Marcos. Pimentel ran under the coalition banner of the National Union for Democracy and Freedom and the Mindanao Alliance which busted KBL dominance in Misamis Oriental. He and his entire slate of candidates for vice mayor and seven city councilors swept the elections in Cagayan de Oro. His candidates for governor and vice governor also won.


THIRD QUARTER..


Pimentel was not to govern his city unhindered. In 1981, while he was on a five-week training course in the United States , the Comelec ousted him for “political turncoatism,” installing the KBL candidate as mayor. The Comelec cited Pimentel for switching from Laban in April 1978 to the National Union for Democracy and Freedom in December 1979 and then running as candidate of the Mindanao Alliance in January 1980. Pimentel partisans immediately staged peaceful demonstrations to express their displeasure. About 30 of his supporters also started fasting in protest. Six days later, 10,000 of his supporters marched around the city in a nonviolent show of support for Pimentel who was then on an official trip to the US . Thousands more lined the streets to cheer them on. This first-ever demonstration of “People Power” came at a time when Marcos did not lightly tolerate different opinions.

Meanwhile in Manila, Pimentel’s lawyer, headed by opposition leaders former Senators Lorenzo Tañada and Soc Rodrigo, along with Abraham Sarmiento, Raul Gonzales and Joker Arroyo, claimed that the Comelec had acted without jurisdiction and contented that the electorate’s will should be respected. The Comelec, however, reaffirmed its decision to oust Pimentel.

The conflict made national headlines and demonstrations causing Marcos to alter the decision of COMELEC.

But that doesn’t stop there, in1983 while he was in Cebu City , Pimentel was arrested on charges of rebellion and was detained. He had allegedly given P100 to new People’s Army commander. At that time even his family did not know where he was. They traced him to Camp Sergio Osmeña and later to Camp Cabahug in the City of Cebu . Even as he was held in the military detention centers, his followers from Cagayan De Oro and other parts of the country visited him by the hundreds to boost his moral and keep his spirits high. Nene Pimentel disputed the charges and was later released. Returning home, he was mobbed by thousand of his supporters upon his arrival at the pier of Cagayan De Oro. Later, he was again arrested for allegedly engaging in ambuscades. His supporters contributed centavos and pesos in small denomination to bail him out. Subsequently, Pimentel was placed under house arrest which lasted for almost seven months.

From the confines of his home, Pimentel continued to keep abreast of national news. He helped rally the opposition, ran the city and launched his bid as assemblyman for the Batasang Pambansa. He was, if anything, not quite. He protested relentlessly and fearlessly against injustice, fraud, corruption and Marcos’ dictatorial rule.

FOURTH QUARTER..

Then, in the aftermath of the assassination of Marcos’s chief rival, Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino in 1983, Pimentel won a seat in the Batasan Pambansa elections of 1984. But the Marcos government ousted him on the allegation that he had cheated in the elections. The Supreme Court itself recounted the ballots in an electoral contest.

Pimentel, a relentless critic of the Marcos regime, was often seen with Ninoy’s widow, Cory, as they rallied the opposition. These alliances then became and form a party, the merger of two political parties being the opposition group for Marcos’ government. The party formed is now PDP Laban, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino and Lakas ng Bayan.

Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) was founded in 1982 by Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. and a group of protesters of the Marcos government. These protesters include the leaders of Davao Cityand Cagayan de Oro City. By 1983, PDP had formed a coalition with the Lakas ng Bayanparty, founded earlier by former Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. in 1978.

In 1986, the two groups merged to form the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan or PDP LABAN. At that period, PDP LABAN became the single biggest opposition group to run against the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos in the 1986 Snap Presidential elections. Corazón Aquino, wife of Lakas ng Bayan founder Benigno Aquino, Jr. was the party’s nominee forPresident that year.

However, another opposition group led by Senator Salvador Laurel of Batangas was also participating in the election, with Laurel as the presidential bet. Before the election, Aquino approached Laurel and offered to give up her allegiance to the PDP-LABAN party, and run as president under Laurel ‘s United Nationalist Democratic Organization (UNIDO) party. Laurel became the nominee for Vice President. He also approached Aquino, offering her the Vice Presidential nomination of UNIDO or Unity. In the end, Laurel became the Vice Presidential running-mate of Aquino, after being convinced to do so by the Archbishop of Manila, Jaime Cardinal Sin. When Cardinal Jaime Sin brokered a political marriage between Cory and Salvador “Doy” Laurel, Jr., Pimentel graciously stepped aside and let history run its course.


FAST FORWARD…..

Cory Aquino won the election for President and finally the stand for democracy rises.


OVERTIME!


Where is Nene Pimentel? Is he out of the game?

Upon her ascent to power President Aquino appointed Pimentel as Minister of Local Government. He had the unenviable task of dismantling the structure of dictatorship and corruption left behind by the Marcos regime. Pimentel wielded the axe deliberately, gaining a breathing space for the new administration. His critics alleged he had sold positions in the new government, but none could make the charge stick. Pimentel incurred the ire of some but also the respect of those who saw that he did it without fear or favor or taint of corruption. Pimentel’s next assignment in the Aquino administration was as presidential adviser and chief negotiator with the Muslim rebels. He resigned from that post to run for the Senate in the 1987 elections.

Ups and Downs came but still he managed to stay at the top.


SCORES..

His achievements speak for him.

  • Elected Delegate, Constitutional Convention, 1971;
  • Elected Mayor of Cagayan de Oro City, 1980-84;
  • Elected Member of Parliament (Batasan Pambansa), 1984-86;
  • Appointed Minister of Local Government by President Corazon C. Aquino, 1986;
  • Appointed Presidential Adviser and Chief Negotiator with the Muslim rebels by President Aquino, 1987;
  • Elected Senator of the Republic, 1987-1992;
  • Cheated of victory by means of dagdag/bawas in the 1995 senatorial elections; whereupon he sued the cheaters before the criminal courts where the cases are still being tried. He, has, however, established by incontrovertible evidence in the Senate Electoral Tribunal the existence of massive dagdag/bawas fraudulent count in the said senatorial elections.
  • Elected Senator of the Republic, 1998-2004. As a senator, he continues the crusade to curb graft and corruption in government; the fight for electoral reforms and the prosecution of the criminal cases against the cheats in the 1995 & 1998 elections.
  • Elected as the 19th Senate President of the Republic, November 13, 2000.
  • Elected as the Senate Minority Leader in the opening of the 12th Congress, July 23, 2001.
  • Elected Senator of the Republic, 2004-2010.
  • Elected as the Senate Minority Leader, July 26, 2004 – present.
  • Elected Senator 2004-2010

Some of Senator Pimentel’s notable achievements in legislation include: Republic Act No. 7160, The Local Government Code which liberates provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays from over-dependence upon the central government; Republic Act No. 6938, The Cooperative Code which provides government encouragement and support for the establishment of all kind of people’s cooperatives; Republic Act No. 6678, The Generic Drugs Act which encourages the use of generic drugs as a way of reducing the costs of medicine; and Republic Act No. 6734, An Act Creating the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao which seeks to dissipate the causes of unrest and recession in the Muslim provinces of Mindanao.

Because of his achievements and dedication he established himself as a man with honor, dignity and love for his nation.



So, is he IN or OUT?

In life, we don’t know how it would end but we know how to make it better. Like an excited yet breath-taking games, we ought to know when to end so as not to lose everything. It is not bad to make some gambles in life because it is inevitable. We just have to play our strategies well and accept what the result may be.

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An Exemption to the Rule

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In the Philippines, politics is often a family affair. For generations, a few famous and wealthy families have dominated politics in the country as there are no board exams for politicians; all it takes is a surname to qualify. You see, POLITICAL DYNASTIES bind and continue to bind politics in the country. Let’s face it, they will always be with us. And it’s not just us… Every country must have their own share of political dynasties. But taking a closer look at the picture, we’d see that the problem is not political dynasties per se but the long list of incompetent officials elected to public positions. As far as I’m concerned, the problem is competency and not political dynasty in itself. If all the elected family members in a particular clan are all competent in the position they vied for, then that should no longer be a bone of contention. Sad thing is, most of these political dynasties have used their positions to protect family interests and perpetuate themselves in power. But these political dynasties don’t always have it their way. Dynasties are not unbeatable. Dynasties also suffer defeat. As to every rule, there are always exceptions.

Take for instance the Remulla Clan of the Partido Magdalo in Cavite. Cavite has undergone a rapid economic transformation over the years. Credits to Johnny Remulla who served as the catalyst for Cavite’s Second Revolution. Johnny Remulla’s sons, Crispin and Gilbert, are quite competent as legislators in Congress. They have created and continue to create good laws – a skill they have acquired through years and decades of being in office. Their many years in office have served as a training ground which have honed their skills in leadership and lawmaking. Whether we admit it or not, those politicians who belong to political dynasties have a whole lot of experience. And experience, I can say, is worth as much as power. Everyone is free to run for a public position if he wishes to do so. Yet not everyone is educationally capable to handle the intricacies of nation-building, bill-writing, dealing with international leaders, etc. As sad as it is, the members of political dynasties are armed with the knowledge to face national problems head on. (I’m not saying that those who’s not knowledgeable in the nitty-gritty of politics cannot run. Of course they can. All I’m saying is, being knowledgeable gives a candidate an edge, an advantage that is to say.) Moreover, the Remulla clan had broken with the old ways of running their areas and had shown a capacity to govern responsibly. The implementation of projects under the terms of the Remulla dynasty is continuous hence it is given full attention. Let’s put it this way, families take care of a certain area. Political families “invest their time in handling” the local affairs of their home province, aimed in “protecting” their turf. They say political dynasties are those families who belong to the country’s economic elite, some of them acting as rule makers or patrons of politicians who conspire together to amass greater economic power. But the Remulla clan are not the elites to beat in Cavite. Matter of fact, their political foes are those who belong to the economic elite in their locality. Golds were promised by their rivals just to trounce the Remullas, particularly Gilbert who was vocal against the past administration during the House investigation on the “Hello Garci” controversy. The Remullas are already tested public servants. Career runs in the blood. Although competency does not, they make it seem like it does. Some may deem it wrong to quench the urge to protect one’s genes, make siblings survive and achieve power. But on the upside, it can encourage them to serve better and protect their names and lineage.

Having a popular last name therefore, does not necessarily mean doom for the Filipino people. No matter how many members of the family run, if people will be SMART enough to vote. Then we have hope.

I wrote this article not to justify political dynasties but to give the other side of the coin. Not all political dynasties are bad. If it is unethical to benefit from public office by virtue of blood ties, it’s equally unethical to deprive someone of its benefits on the mere basis of relationship and blood ties. Personally, I do not despise ‘Political dynasties’. As long as good leaders come out, why not? And besides, they are still bound by ‘democratic’ constitution. Coming from the words of Aristotle, as long as aristocracy means ‘the rule of the best’ then let it be.

At the end of the day, it is still us voters who will make the choice. Responsible voting is still the best antidote. We are in a democratic country and the people decide whether political dynasties remain or not. We’re lucky if the heir is good. And the Caviteños must be very lucky to have the Remulla Clan as one of the very few exceptions to the cruel rule of political dynasties.

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The Laurels

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Have you ever wondered about the Laurels? [San Juan1] Seriously have you ever thought about them?[San Juan2] I know, I have, it’s been hunting me for the past few months; but unlike other politicians, the Laurels are very adapt in hiding their personal life; so pardon me if my knowledge is not enough to suffice you.

Originally the Laurels are from Tanauan, Batangas [San Juan3] and until now the Laurels are very influential around the town; and like the famous families in the Philippines the Zabels and Conjuanco’s the Laurels also came from a royal ancestry.

The Story of first Laurel in the Philippines

“Three years of genealogical research have enabled the Laurel family to trace their ancestry to a scion of the Sultanate of Brunei in the 15th century before the coming of the Spaniards to thePhilippines.

The Sultan’s eldest and heir had refused the throne because he loved to explore, travel, and seeking adventures. His name is Gat Masungit, a prince, an appellation that bespeaks a touchy temper.

And instead of accepting his father’s throne he had decamped from Brunei with his partisans and they had sailed off the islands that would later be known as the Philippines. The sultan was disappointed because Gat Masungit had all qualities to make a great leader.

First they landed in Panay where Gat Masungit founded the town of Batan. (The people of Batan today still celebrate that foundation with a ritual frolic and dance known as Ati-Atihan.)

Then he crossed over to Luzon, where they settled in the southern realm they called Batang-an, and which we know today as Batangas.

In Batangas, Gat Masungit begot his first son, Gat Leynes. Of course this clan folk were Muslimuntil the coming of the Spaniards when the eldest son of Gat Leynes was baptized with a Christianname of Miguel Dela Cruz. Miguel grew up to be a fierce foe of the Spanish invaders. People looked up to him as a leader, the champion of their rights against the greed of their oppressors. He became a notorious outlaw and an enemy of the Spaniards. Old age came upon him and a desire to retire from war and strife. But how could he retire when his people still clung to his leadership?

Miguel pondered for ways to escape his violent life. His wife suggested that he should ask the priest for help. “What?” roared the descendant of Gat Masungit. “How can a man in skirt help me?” he repeated. His wife calmly urged Miguel.

One moonless night Miguel went to seek the priest of Taal to expound his problem. Here he was willing to lay down his arms. He poured out his violent ways against injustice of the Spanishconquerors. No matter where he went people would seek Miguel to champion their cause and theSpaniards search for his disposal. The priest gently put his hand on Miguel’s shoulder and said “Why not change your name”. Miguel had a puzzling look in his face and said “Which name should I take padre?” The priest paused for a few seconds and answered “Why not take the name Laurel[San Juan4] … it means honor live the life of honor Miguel Laurel.” Henceforth the first Laurel had come to be.”

I’m sure you had fun with the story however we need to go back to business. The Laurels; The Laurels comes from the lineage of politician; but even though they come from a family of politicians they were only recognize around the country when Jose P Laurel became the president of the Philippines.

Jose P Laurel is a prominent name in the Philippine history but before he reaches his fame he first took a law degree in the University of the Philippines where he studied under Dean George A. Malcolm, whom he later succeeded on the Supreme Court and later studied at University of Sto. Tomas where he obtains his masters in Law; then he attended Yale law School where he acquired his Doctorate of Law.

But before he attains all of his Diplomas in prestigious universities, he had an unforgettable experience in love. While a teen he was indicted for attempted murder when he almost killed a rival suitor of his girlfriend[San Juan5] .

Jose P. Laurel indeed live a very colorful life on august 15, 1945; laurel was arrested for collaboration with the Japanese. In 1946 he was charged with 132 counts of treason, but was never brought to trial due to the general amnesty granted by President Manuel Roxas in 1948. And in 1949 laurel ran for presidency against Elpidio Quirino however he lost in the election, but this election was considered as the dirtiest election in Philippine Electrol history.

But in 1951 Laurel ran for senatorial and won; he considered this as a vindication of his reputation and any offer for re-election was decline by Laurel because at that time he decided to concentrate his time to his family [San Juan6]

“During his retirement, Laurel stayed in a 3-story, 7-bedroom mansion dubbed as “Villa Pacencia”, erected in 1957 at Mandaluyong and named after Laurel’s wife. The home was one of three residences constructed by the Laurel family, the other two being located in Tanauan and in Paco, Manila (called “Villa Peñafrancia). In 2008, the Laurel family sold “Villa Pacencia” to Senate President Manny Villar and his wife Cynthia.

On November 6, 1959, Laurel died at the Lourdes Hospital, in Manila, from a massive heart attackand a stroke. (www.wikipedia.com )”

However, this is not the end for the Laurels another Laurel also rise to fame in the field of politics his named is “Salvador H. Laurel” the son of Jose P. Laurel and his wife Paciencia Hidalgo. Akin to his father Doy also took the same steps as his father but broader. [San Juan7]

Doy, as he was more popularly known, distinguished himself in his legal career. He authored and edited several publications on the subject of law, among which were the seven-volumeProceedings of the Philippine Constitutional Convention, 1934-35, published in 1970. As a professor of labor law and jurisprudence at the Lyceum of the Philippines, a school founded by his family, he published several articles in the school’s Law Review on penal and labor policies.

As a lawyer committed to helping indigents who found themselves litigants in court cases, Laurel organized the Citizens Legal Aid Society of the Philippines (CLASP), which inspired the creation of similar such organizations there and elsewhere. For the creation of CLASP, he was cited as Most Outstanding Legal Aid Lawyer of the World in 1976 by the International Bar Association. He also received the Lawyer of the Year award from the Justice and Court Reporters Association of the Philippines in 1977.

Doy carried on the political tradition in the family begun by his father, who was a longtime congressman and speaker of the House of Representatives. He won a seat in the Philippine Senate in 1967 and kept his post until the declaration of martial law in 1972 when Congress was shut down by President Marcos. As a senator, he authored five “Justice for the Poor” laws intended to reduce the legal expenses of those who could not afford it. He was chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice, as well as of three other standing committees. While a senator, he added special reports to his list of publications, the foremost of which was theLaurel Report on Penal Reforms in 1969. For these accomplishments he was consistently cited as one of the outstanding senators of the Philippines.

Laurel also served the Philippine government as representative to the United Nations General Assembly from 1968 to 1970. As a lawyer-businessman, he continued as chairman of the CLASP and as president and director of various business enterprises, including Dorel Corporation and the Philippine Banking Corporation.

When President Marcos called for elections for assemblymen of the Batasang Pambansa, theunicameral legislature under martial law, Doy Laurel ran and won. While there, he delivered several speeches assailing misconduct in the Marcos government.

He subsequently founded the United Nationalist Democratic Organization (UNIDO), which served as effective opposition to the president’s ruling party, the Kilusan ng Bagong Lipunan (KBL). In the Batasan election of 1984 UNIDO was able to get several candidates elected. With other opposition factions, UNIDO served as critic of the Marcos regime in the halls of the weak legislature.

Opposition to the one-man rule of President Marcos grew from 1983 upon the assassination of Senator Benigno Aquino on his return to Manila from self-exile in the United States. In late 1985, Marcos acceded to strong domestic and international pressure to call for snap elections, still confident of his victory. Doy Laurel ran for president under the UNIDO banner. However, on the deadline for the filing of candidacy he forged a unity with Corazon Aquino’s LABAN Party and agreed to run as her vice-president.

The February 1986 elections were marred by violence and fraud. Marcos was declared winner by the Batasan, amidst protests from the National Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL). In the military, a faction led by the defense minister Juan Ponce Enril and the deputy chief of staff Fidel Ramos revolted. People flocked to the streets, surrounding the military camp to prevent reprisals from government troops. The people forestalled an armed battle. Marcos, the long-time dictator, fled to Hawaii. The UNIDO-LABAN team of Corazon Aquino and Salvador Laurel became president and vice-president of the Philippines, respectively. A new constitution was drafted and submitted to the voters for ratification February 2, 1987.

A split soon developed between Corazon Aquino and her vice-president. In February of 1989 Laurel visited Marcos, then in exile in Hawaii, and requested that the ill former president be allowed to return home. This request contradicted the policy of Aquino and the rest of the government, which demanded Marcos pay back the many millions of dollars that he was accused of stealing from the Phillipine people before he could return. In early December, a coup was attempted against President Aquino while Laurel was out of the country, but failed owing to the loyalty of most of the military to the president. Laurel was bitterly attacked by Aquino for refusing to condemn the coup leaders and allegedly saying they had a “right” to their actions. The President accused Laurel of being part of the rebellion, an accusation he denied. In 1992 Laurel ran for president on the Nacionalista Party to succeed Aquino, but finished fourth. He was appointed by the eventual winner, Fidel Ramos, as Chairman of the Philippines Centennial Commission to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Philippines in 1998.

Behind Doy’s accomplishments for our country is the sadness felt of his love ones he left behind due to the outcomes of his sacrifices

“I feel it’s quite ironic,” she says, “that ever since the first anniversary of Edsa I, Doy was never made a part of it, never mentioned or even remembered. Publications about that important part in our history have completely ignored the man who made it possible.”

“What if he did not risk his life during the martial-law years to organize an opposition that would fight the dictator and restore democracy? What if he did not bother to convince and inspire the leaders of various political parties to unite and join the Unido for the cause of democratic freedom? What if he were not courageous enough to lead marches and rallies nationwide against a powerful administration when it was dangerous to do so?”—from the wife of late Salvador Laurel (Celia Diaz-Laurel tells it like it is By Gerry Lirio: Philippine Daily Inquirer)

In Celia Diaz Laurel also mention her late husband’s sacrifice in abandoning his plan in running for presidency in order to give way to the late wife of Senator Aquino; and preventing the opposition for splitting up.

She particularly cites her husband’s sacrifice in abandoning his plan to run for president to give way to Corazon Aquino, widow of murdered Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., and prevent the opposition from splitting up, in December 1985.

“What if he did not give way to Cory during the snap elections and insisted on running as the official Unido candidate? After all, he had already been proclaimed official candidate of this powerful organization. Would there have been an Edsa I?” she wonders.

After his funeral, Laurel went through all her husband’s books, letters, speeches, notes and “wove together, like a tapestry, his odyssey, in his own words, in his own inimitable style of writing, the expression of his beliefs, his deepest thought and feelings,” all revealing, she says, what he did best for God and country.

“I don’t understand why they linked Doy at all to the Centennial controversy. Did you know that he was very particular about not getting his hands dirty with government funds? He never even entertained people wanting to see him about the projects through his relatives.”from the wife of late Salvador Laurel (Celia Diaz-Laurel tells it like it is By Gerry Lirio: Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Everything that happened must be really painful for the Laurels[San Juan8] ; that cause them to stay away from the political arena until now, and shift their attentions into business and concentrate living life peacefully.

Not until she arrives in the Philippines and took everyone by her beauty. This Laurel has an exceptional talent in acting and singing that she manages to land up in several projects in both GMA and ABS-CBN.

The people almost forgot the contribution of the Laurels along with their name, but thanks to her charm some of it was restore.

Denise Laurel is the granddaughter of former Vice-President, the late Salvador Laurel and her grandmother Celia Diaz, and the great-granddaughter of former President of the Philippines the late Jose P. Laurel; she is the youngest daughter of David Laurel the son of Doy Laurel.

Since a little girl Denise already had a dream to enter showbiz; she already landed some roles at the age of five and everybody find her charming in her commercials.

But her breakthrough in Philippine Showbiz was through her role in Singapore were she landed a part on MTV’s Asia’s “Rogue” along with Mariel Rodriguez who she also shared a house in Singapore while they were working together, after one season of Rouge in Singapore Denise decided to come back into the Philippines to concentrate more on local showbiz.

She made her first appearance in local television again in GMA’s “Click, Walang Hanghang and Leya.” She also made appearance in GMA’s telefantasya “Mulawin and Encantadia.” From this series the Filipinos recognizes her as a talented and promising young actress.

But after a while of separation Denise went back to her original home, ABS-CBN and was given several shows where she has proven her talent once more. However every time Denise was ask if she is interested to run in politics like her Grandfather and Great Grandfather who contributed a lot in shaping the Philippine government; her answers will be always “it’s not my field.” So would it be the end for the Laurels political clan and participation or a new start for a Laurel in a different arena.

On my own opinion, maybe the Laurels were infatuated already with politics, because of their undeniable long linage of political participation. But no matter what action the Laurels take, whether a new path or a resurrection of the old one, the truth is irrefutable that they are important in the Philippine government maturity and in the Philippines history itself.

Thus the name Laurel should not be forgotten.


[San Juan1]Now you do because I gave you a reason to ponder!

[San Juan2]If you have good for you! It’s nice to know someone know his/her history and for those who don’t SHAME!

[San Juan3]Hapeiii..Another credit for the batangenos

[San Juan4]I’m sure the priest made a mistake it supposed to be GARCIA…joke

[San Juan5](All fair in love and war).

[San Juan6]Sons of president Laurel ang his wife

[San Juan7]Laurel went to the best schools in the Philippines and in the United States.

è In grade school he attended Ateneo de Manila, a Jesuit-run institution;

è for high school he went to De La Salle College, another well-known Catholic school.

è He then proceeded to the University of the Philippines for pre-medicine and pre-law studies and received the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1952.

è He finished his Master of Laws and Doctor of Juridical Science at Yale University.

[San Juan8]The Laurels Today

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