Song of Kuya Sonny

MANILA, Philippines - The “Sonny” side of his life is recalling every now and then how timid he was as a bachelor attempting to court the girl of his dreams.

“The first time I met Cecille (his wife with four kids), I was devoid of words,” Avelino “Sonny” Razon Jr. recalled. “My inability to express how much I adored and loved her was sort of a disadvantage for me, because Cecille had suitors who were glib-tongued and vocal in expressing their true feelings for her. But I started writing love letters to her, praying I would soon receive a “yes” answer. He describes his wife as sweet and considerate, that through the years she continues to be a loving, understanding and broad-minded wife and mother. He said she has always shown genuine care and concern for those who were with him as well as other people, even strangers who were in need of help.

But Kuya Sonny said like married couples, life has not always been heaven, so that when the kids started growing up, he asked her to quit her nursing job and would rather attend to his needs and the children’s. After retiring from the service as chief, PNP, Kuya Sonny seemed not to have retired at all. People in need sought for assistance. Because of these, one more kind of service beckons as Kuya Sonny sees it.

Kuya Sonny quoted parts of a Greek philosopher’s maxim, saying education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel. Unfortunately, unschooled children reveal how much a vessel has been filled, rather than the extent to which a flame is kindled. For him, education is for all.

Whoever leads the city of Manila soon, if he truly has the passion to serve well will face an entirely new challenges.

Ready to serve, the retired chief PNP said he is the Mamang Pulis who institutionalized the incentive system among his peers and subordinates, pushed health care, scholarship grants, legal assistance, government housing (cash and non-cash) for police personnel.

He strengthened the peacekeeping and the crime-busting capability of the police force and re-integrated the foot and mobile patrol for higher police visibility and faster response time, plus other non-related activities to his duties then as top cop. He is aware of what Manila wants and needs.

“May Razon ang pagbabago. (There are reasons for change). May alternatibong pagbabago para sa Manileño. (There are alternative changes for Manileños). These reasons for change, he said have bearings on sustainable development, opportunities for all sectors’ empowerment, arts, culture and sustainable development. All that had been covered by leaders before Kuya Sonny wishes he would enhance developments if he so makes it in his Manila mayoral plans.