Unsung hero persecuted

There are many unsung heroes of our times.

One of them is Engr. Jose Demontano, who is singlehandedly steering the country’s fledgling pili nut industry to new heights.

After saving an entire battalion from total annihilation when the Japanese imperial forces penetrated the guerilla headquarters in General Luna, Barotac Viejo in Iloilo, this war veteran is fighting a new war, this time against poverty.

After being miraculously cured of a heart ailment and being given a new lease on life, this septuagenarian decided to devote his life to helping the less fortunate, spending his own money in the process for various charity works

His efforts did not go unnoticed. As early as in 1990, he was recognized for his invaluable contribution in the implementation of the comprehensive agrarian reform program by no less than then President Aquino.

In fact, he even decided to give up his land to CARP but the Department of Agrarian Reform at that time decided that it was suitable to agriculture as certified by the Department and Agriculture, and therefore not covered by the program.

But fate would not smile on him. A top official of DAR offered to buy this particular land from Demontano but he refused since he was already devoting the land to projects for the poor (i.e. a training center for the youth to produce export-quality furniture and handicraft products). In fact, because of the DA certification, the property was included by the city government of General Santos in its proposed land use plan for commercial/industrial purposes.

Following the rejection, this official filed a case accusing Demontano of circumventing CARP by donating the land to his Demontano Foundation. In fact, the DAR officer even went to the extent of contesting the DA certification that the land was not suitable for agricultural production.

And now, the DAR is harassing Demontano by insisting that the land be covered by CARP.

CARP was the centerpiece program of the Aquino government to promote social justice. This man is spending millions of pesos of his own money to help the poor. What good would it serve to take back the land, assuming for the sake of argument that the DA was wrong, when it is already being devoted to projects for the poor.

Telebap golf

Indeed, despite the problems plaguing the telecommunications industry, its members still manage to find time to forget their differences in the spirit of camaraderie.

On Friday, March 7, the Telecommunication and Broadcast Attorneys of the Philippines (Telebap) will be holding the second Telebap Invitational Golf Tournament at the Camp Aguinaldo Golf Club. Among those invited are Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza and National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) chief Armi Jane Borje. Reps. Joseph Santiago of Catanduanes and Aurelio Umali of Nueva Ecija, are expected to lead the participants which also include Paptelco president Eric delos Reyes and Belltel president Edgardo Puyat Reyes.

Telebap is an organization of lawyers engaged in the practice of telecommunication and broadcast law. This the first project for the year of its newly elected president, Globe Telecom’s Froilan Castelo. Major sponsors for the event are Sharp Phils., PLDT, Globe, and Digitel.

To all members of Telebap, FORE!