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| from left :Lady Gaga,Justin Bieber, Barack Obama and Charice Pempengco |
When the light strikes the shinny clothes of Lady Gaga,people just can’t stop watching her. When the smoke machine begins to cover the stage as sudden air blow it away, there we see Justin Bieber in the middle of the stage flipping his blonde hair and moving like no other. When we hear a very powerful voice in Oprah’s show and as the cameraman focuses to the singer, we see that this voice comes from a small but talented Filipina named Charice Pempengco. The crowd goes wild when they hear it. The votes are counted and tallied; the people are waiting for the announcement to be made and there it goes as the very first black American President, Barack Obama, was hailed and recognized by the world.
When we open our television, we usually idolize people whom we often see doing the “in” things or sometimes those who makes a big (and we mean BIG ) difference for the world to recognize it. However, sometimes we forget that diamonds has the highest value compared to any other stone no matter how big it is. Once, Albert Einstein said,“Small is the number of people who see with their eyes and think with their minds”.
So we begun to search small details about a person and sooner realize: he’s just silent but never been
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| Left picture: President Aquino with DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo during the oath-taking ceremony |
For several weeks, anxious Nagueños waited for the appointment of their former multi-awarded city mayor as the new secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). Finally, nine days after the inauguration of Noynoy Aquino as new Philippine President, Naga City begun to be filled with different kinds of ‘congratulations’ to Jesse Manalastas Robredo.
His Family Background
Because Philippines is close to Taiwan and the mainland of China, it has for centuries attracted both Chinese traders and semi-permanent residents. Most early Chinese migrants were male; one of this is great grand patriarch Lim Pay Co whom arrived at the end of 19th century together with his son Lim Teng (Robredo’s grandfather) from his first wife.
Later on they were baptized as Christians and named Lim Payco as Serafin and his son Lim Teng as Juan, and they were given the surname Robredo.
At 21,Juan married Luisa Chan , a Philippine-born Chinese, and from their union were born six children— Serafin, Adelina, Juanito, Josefina, Jose (Robredo’s father), and Juanita.
Later on they were baptized as Christians and named Lim Payco as Serafin and his son Lim Teng as Juan, and they were given the surname Robredo.
At 21,Juan married Luisa Chan , a Philippine-born Chinese, and from their union were born six children— Serafin, Adelina, Juanito, Josefina, Jose (Robredo’s father), and Juanita.
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| Jose Chan Robredo, Sr. and Marcelina Manalastas with their five children |
Jose Chan Robredo, Sr. married Marcelina Manalastas and soon have five children, two sons and three daughters. Jesse Manalastas Robredo who is already a second generation Chinese Filipino, was born in Naga City on the 27th day of March in the year 1958.
His Educational Background
“The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives”, from this saying of Robert M. Hutchins we can deduce that it is education that makes a window for a person to have a better tomorrow. And by this, Jesse Manalastas Robredo has been more than prepared for it and the results are clearly seen.
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He began his study in Naga Parochial School, a private Catholic school where his interest in chess was hone. In 1970, Jesse entered high school, Ateneo de Naga University, a catholic school for boys that time and is run by the Society of Jesus and therefore highly regarded for its emphasis on personal discipline and academic excellence.
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| At John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University |
Jesse obtained his undergraduate degrees in Industrial Management Engineering and Mechanical Engineering at De La Salle University. He is also a graduate of Masters in Public Administration at John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University and an Edward Mason Fellow as well but his interest in learning does not stop there for he also took up Master in Business Administration in University of the Philippines were he is a Scholar and was named Graduate School and Faculty Organization awardee for scholarly excellence.
His Occupational Background
In 1980, foregoing into a public servant, Jesse got his first job assignment at San Miguel Corp. in the Physical Distribution Technical Services Department of the General Services Division. Within six months he had hurdled two of three levels in the division and sent to the finance division for another six months. Along with his immediate superior he was also assigned to logistics planning and concurrently functioned as staff assistant to the physical distribution director.
Upon coming home to Naga City in 1986, he was acclaimed as the Program Director of the Bicol River Basin Development Program. It is an agency tasked to undertake integrated area development planning in the region’s three provinces.
EXCELLENCE surely wouldn't stop there for we know former Naga City Mayor and current DILG Secretary Jesse Manalastas Robredo would continue his best of the best works!
Upon coming home to Naga City in 1986, he was acclaimed as the Program Director of the Bicol River Basin Development Program. It is an agency tasked to undertake integrated area development planning in the region’s three provinces.
EXCELLENCE surely wouldn't stop there for we know former Naga City Mayor and current DILG Secretary Jesse Manalastas Robredo would continue his best of the best works!
