The unsung pioneer

It was some 18 years ago, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, when I first met Jose ‘Joe’ de Venecia. I was then with colleague Willie Ng, during the state visit of then President Marcos to the Middle East country, when Joe dropped by our hotel room.

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Joe de Venecia, at that time, was as dreamy-eyed and as creative as he is now and has always been. He told Willie and me of his meetings with kings and potentates, with members of Middle East royalty, as he tried to make inroads for the Philippines in the various business enterprises of royal families. And Joe, the miracle worker and probably one of the most persuasive guys ever born in the Philippines, succeeded in doing what seemed impossible.

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Now it can be told. It was Joe de Venecia who pioneered in the Pinoys’ conquest of the world as Overseas Filipino Workers. In the Middle East and North Africa, through his vast connections far and wide, Joe was able to forge viable and profitable contracts that sent Filipino engineers, technicians, road workers, and other Pinoys in quest of jobs to foreign lands. There, thousands of miles away from home, Pinoys gained recognition as excellent workers, dedicated and competent professionals, who would, scores of years later, open the floodgates of a deluge of OFWs to overseas markets.

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If only for the pioneering trail he set in opening windows of opportunity for OFWs, Joe de Venecia deserves accolades and plaudits from the Filipino people. And considering that the OFWs have now become major sources of foreign exchange earnings for our country, the role of Speaker Joe in nation-building becomes even more heroic and lofty.

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J.T. Llacuna Jr. noted the "sob stories" I wrote about, to dramatize how the economy has deteriorated and how life and living have become to many Filipinos. According to reader Llacuna, there are other indicators of how bad the economy is, and he would like to share them with STAR readers:

• Many middle-class parents were forced to transfer their children from exclusive schools to less expensive private educational institutions and government schools. His own son graduated with honors at the Ateneo Grade School, and it really pained him to have his son transferred to the Quezon City Science High School. "Under the present circumstances, I could not afford to send him to Ateneo de Manila University for his secondary education," Llacuna said.

• Many Sunday Family Day activities have been cancelled. As a father, he is a firm believer of spending quality time with his wife and kids at least once a week. In the past, they used to spend Sundays on out-of-town trips or a trek to the malls after Holy Mass. Nowadays, they opt to spend Sundays at home, viewing television. "I know my four boys were quite disappointed with this new lifestyle, but I have to make them understand the realities of life," Llacuna explained.

• Jobhunting is as hard as hunting game in the middle of the Sahara desert. Llacuna is a civil engineer by profession, with varied experiences in the field of horizontal and vertical construction, IT management, rural development, and sales and marketing. Yet, he finds it hard to get employed in the current setting. "I used to receive offers from multinational corporations and foreign corporations, but many have stopped operations in the Philippines," he said.

• Professionals have started to invade the domain of blackmarket and underground business operators. Llacuna was lucky to purchase a van during the growth years of our economy. He is now using the same van in the car rental business. Although it deprived his family the luxury of having it for family use, he has no option but to use it as an income-generating equipment.

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Llacuna said he had never experienced such a deteriorating economy in his four decades of existence. I do not know if he is joking, but he says that as a licensed gun-owner and experienced shooter, he is considering joining the posse that is hunting for the Abu Sayyaf, if only for the P100 million bounty. "I am a devoted father to my family and I will do everything for their survival – come hell or high waters!," he said.

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The Good Samaritan Foundation appropriated certain amounts, for the tuition fees of the following indigent beneficiaries:

• Maybeline de la Paz, who is taking hotel and restaurant management at the College of Quezon City, P7,490

• Japnet Francis Cerdenia, graduating student at UP College of Fine Arts, P1,815

• Ernesto Jazmin, an amputee of both arms and a high school student at the A.G. Villarosa Technological Foundation Institute in Bulan, Sorsogon, P5,542

• John Paul Sotto, a Fine Arts student at UP, P2,500

• Ann Marielle Paraiso, a Grade 4 pupil at St. Joseph College in Caloocan City, P2,110

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In the meantime, let me thank the following thoughtful and generous individuals who lent a helping hand to the Good Samaritan Foundation:

• JD of Cagayan de Oro City, in memory of Jimmy Ongking, P2,000

• Mila Simbran of Novaliches, Quezon City, P2,000 (thru BPI)

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During these hard and trying times, the following inspirational text messages, sent to me by friends and strangers, can help ease our troubled minds:

When fear and worry test your faith,
and anxious thoughts assail,
remember God is in control,
and He will never fail.
Gud AM!

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Friends are angels
who lift us to our feet
when our wings have trouble
remembering how to fly.

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I’m glad God has no answering machine that says:
"Sorry, all circuits are busy now…
Please try your call later" because
I’m always calling Him 2 watch over you.

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As we live each day,
may we do our part
2 make 1 difference,
2 touch 1 heart,
and through each day,
may it be our goal
2 encourage 1 mind
& inspire 1 soul!
Gd nyt.

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Have a heart that never hardens,
a temper that never rises,
a touch that never hurts,
a love that never dies.
God has all of these 4 U!

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The sun promises a beautiful day,
yet sometimes it fails…
God promises a bountiful life,
and He never fails!
God bless!

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The more silently love is expressed,
the more it is deeply bound to impress.
No wonder God loves us in silence
& gives us the miracle of good friends.
Gud AM!

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My e-mail addresses: <[email protected]> and <[email protected]>