Like father, like son

Speaker Joe de Venecia Jr. swept into the former house of Brunei’s Sultan Bolkia, dapper in a black suit, face freshly powdered, eyes lighting up when girls wearing short skirts paraded past him. “Nice legs,” he said many times, with a nod and a smile. (Wife Gina had left the book-launching party half an hour before the Speaker arrived.) He looked relaxed, with no traces of the woes and tribulations that had run through his kingdom that is the Lower House. Someone had filed an impeachment case against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and the tumult over his son’s expose that had led to the resignation of a government official was far from over.

As we sat side by side, I could not help but ask how he managed to keep his balance, to stay calm at the crest of troubled waters. He was quick to respond. “I pray. I ask the Lord for guidance.” I guess nothing can be more soothing than prayer. And his wife Gina, he said, did a lot of praying, caught as her husband and she was, between a rock and a hard place.

Joe said he had raised Joey (a son by his first wife, Vicky Perez, daughter of the late House Speaker Eugenio Perez), with a firm but loving hand, and instilled in him the virtues of justice and honesty. But he was surprised that the little boy that he had raised had become bold and fearless, and afraid of nothing or no one in his fight against what he thought was wrongdoing. Joe told him he was going to be fighting giants, but there was no stopping him, and Joe gave him his blessing. It was one of the most trying times in Joe’s life.

And Joe keeps his cool when writers tell him to watch his back because there are those who want his job. Joe has always known that. The speakership is like the presidency; everybody wants it but can not always get it.

Joey is divorced from his first wife with whom he has one child. But he is getting married again on December 20. And his fiancé, said Father Joe, is a bright young woman whose call center operations employ about 7,000 people.

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Joe and Gina were two of the bigwigs — from Congress, Secretary Cerge Remonde of the Presidential Management Staff, advertising and public relations people and socialites — attending the launch of TraveLife, the latest world-class travel magazine published by Christine O. Cunanan and a very efficient and ideas-ful staff. The magazine is now being carried in the business class cabins and lunges of most major airlines flying out of Manila. Christine is the daughter of SSS Foundation president Gen. Thelmo Cunanan and newspaper columnist Bel Cunanan.

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The city government of Quezon City is recognized as a model in governance and responsible leadership. This leadership is reflected in the city’s police department, a model for all Philippine National Police branches in many ways. No wonder it has garnered eight out of 10 best practices awards.

What is a first for the city is its establishment of the first All-women Mobile Patrol Unit (WMPU). The unit is steered by policewomen POI Emily Lacson, POI Amelou Cabuso and POI Ma. Teresa Mones. The unit is under the command of Sr. Supt. and Director  Magtanggol Gatdula, Chief of the QC Mobile Division Col. Raul Medina, and Cubao Station Commander Supt. Procopio Lipana.

 At the launching of the WMPU recently, Dr. Ruby Palma, executive director of the Quezon City Gender and Development Resource and Coordinating Office (GADRCO), said more of the city’s leadership. The city, she said, has been looked up to as the pioneer and model is establishing a policewomen and children’s desk in 1993 — 26 years after the establishment of the PNP branch in the city. The first head of this  desk, Sgt. Clarita Equibal, is now a major stationed at Araneta, Cubao.

And what will yet be another first is the establishment of an all-women SWAT team and all-women detective unit. Palma said she and Director Gatdula have the same vision — of a future where police units are not distinguished as male police and female police units. “This will be realized when at present people recognize the importance of having women police units to look after the needs of women in the city.”

Under the leadership of QC Mayor Sonny Belmonte, PNP head Gen. Avelino Razon and the QCPD, the city, according to Palma, was given an award for its incorporation of gender equality and sensitivity training courses in dealing with the issues of sexual harassment, trafficking, and violence against women. Camp Karingal, under Chief Gatdula, said Palma, has been praised for giving briefings to visiting local and international groups on gender-sensitivity programs like the all-women patrol mobile unit.

In her address at the launching of the mobile unit, Palma gave five stars to the city executives and peace-keeping forces for their “responsible and gender-fair administration of peace and justice in our city. Her parting words: “When others sit, you’ll stand; when others stand you’ll stand out; when others stand out, you’ll be outstanding; when others try to be outstanding, you’ll be the standard.”

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