Former Senator RAUL ROCO dies

[randy111979]

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Great Man indeed. May he rest in peace.

[Blongkoy]

It was a nice feel-good Friday. A lot of inspiration seeped in the system that day and every one wanted to threw in a small intimate party.

But Raul chose to walk around the Fuente Osmena rotunda and bought everyone on sight a cone of ice cream from what jokingly called "dirty ice cream", his favorite he said. The he sat on that bench there inside the fountain area and quickly grab a few conversation with some women already there. He said he wanted to be President of the Philippines and asked the women what they would want him to do if elected. Then there was a loud burst of laughter; the women said they were indeed for Raul Roco but they were not sure whether the man before them was indeed Raul Roco.

In constant search for a good story, at that very moment I wished I was writing again.

[dacs]

Whenever Roco was part of the choices in the national election, I had always voted for him - except once. I believe that he would have made a very good president. But when the tides started turning against his way after he announced his sickness, I have to choose between that of voting for him and him dying during his term with the choice between Legarda and de Castro as successor and that of voting for another candidate to keep the sanity of this nation.

Ciao, Raul!

[Bolshoi]

he may rest in peace! god bless roco.

[giver_bert]

the only presidentiable i was willing to cast my vote to...

[darkwing]

the only presidentiable i voted for, during the 2004 and 1998 elections, the best President this country never had a short summary of his accomplishments:

Earning the title "Honorary Woman" by the country’s leading women rights groups, Roco authored the Women in Nation Building Law, the Nursing Act, the Anti-Sexual Harassment Law, the Anti-Rape Law and the Child and Family Courts Act as congressman and senator.

He was also an outstanding youth leader, having been voted the youngest president of the National Union of Students of the Philippines and named among the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines in 1964.

He started his political career as the youngest Bicolano delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention.

Unknown to many, Roco was a poet and a musician who also dabbled into film production. He wrote the lyrics of the San Beda College alma mater song and was executive producer of the multi-awarded movie, "Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang" directed by the late Lino Brocka.

Roco had likewise been tagged as "the Father of the Bangko Sentral" and was a financial reform advocate during his stint in both chambers of Congress. He authored the law that reformed the central banking system and pushed for the enactment of laws that liberalized the banking industry and strengthened the operation of thrift banks.

For championing the cause of public school teachers, Roco was named education secretary of President Arroyo in 2001. It was during his stint that the Department of Education overcame its tag as the fourth most corrupt government agency into the "mot trusted agency" with a 73 percent public approval rating.

During his watch at the Department of Education (DepEd), he instituted several reforms despite protests from militant groups and department employees themselves.

Among the improvements were the automated payroll system, the basic education curriculum, implementation of the Ganzon Law (no other fees during enrollment), and the elimination of the service collection fees from teachers’ salaries.

Roco was born in Naga City on October 26, 1941 to farmer Suplico Azalea Roco and public school teacher Rosario Sagarbarria.

He completed his elementary and high school by age 14 at the Ateneo de Naga and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, magna cum laude, at San Bead College in Manila at age 18.

He took his Master of Comparative Law as a University Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, U.S.A., where he was cross-enrolled at the Wharton School for Multinational Studies.

During his term as congressman of Camarines Sur, he was adjudged by the Ford Foundation and the University of the Philippines Institute of Strategic and Development Studies as first in over-all performance among legislators of the Eighth Congress from 1987 to 1992.

[darkwing]

For championing the cause of public school teachers, Roco was named education secretary of President Arroyo in 2001. It was during his stint that the Department of Education overcame its tag as the fourth most corrupt government agency into the "mot trusted agency" with a 73 percent public approval rating.

During his watch at the Department of Education (DepEd), he instituted several reforms despite protests from militant groups and department employees themselves.

Among the improvements were the automated payroll system, the basic education curriculum, implementation of the Ganzon Law (no other fees during enrollment), and the elimination of the service collection fees from teachers’ salaries.

damn, i feel so sad

[darkwing]

waah this link is so sad

http://news.inq7.net/nation/index.ph...story_id=45968

[s.n.m.p.]

Sayang si Raul Roco. He could be a good President. Pero medyo hot lang pud kuno siya ug temper. Anyway, may his soul rest in peace.

[tootskie]

i think that's the problem with our political system these days....


the truly great one's are being left in the sidelines while those with ulterior motives gets to run the country.....