Paying tribute to an ideal public servant

The Mercado family of Santa Maria, Bulacan, is commemorating the 100th birth anniversary on Saturday, Nov. 5, of the late Rogaciano Mercado. Roning, as he was called, was, and remains today, as one of the town’s icons.

An assemblyman, he dared criticize strongman Ferdinand Marcos when it was dangerous to do so, and he reached out to farmers through his nightly radio program, so that they knew the important issues of the day. An important feather on his cap was his not becoming rich when he was Secretary of Public Works.

Roning was born on Nov. 5, 1916, to school principal Angel Mercado and Apolonia Mercado, who prided herself in being a good mother to three children. Roning finished the law course at the University of the Philippines in 1940; in school he was a gold medalist in oratorical contests.

For years he practiced law in his town, not the campanilla type, as he was mostly paid by clients with a tray of eggs, chickens, and other agricultural products. He passionately advocated the rural folk through his broadcast, “Ako’y Tagabukid” (I’m from the barrio), over DZBU, tackling such subjects as racketeers in labor, membership in unions, and vote buying. A well-respected law practitioner, his peers voted him president of the Bulacan Bar Association from 1954 to 1962.

His first foray into politics was in 1953, when he easily won the post of congressman representing the 2nd district of Bulacan; altogether he would be elected for four consecutive four-year terms.

He is well remembered as the “father” of the legislation for the Angat dam project which was enacted in 1960 owing to his deep commitment and hard work in and out of Congress.

His long, legislative record includes his authoring of laws on the nationalization of the retail trade, and of the rice and corn industry.

He was called “father” of the Philippine poultry school, through a law focused on the youth and modern learning in the poultry industry. He authored the establishment of a regional agricultural school for San Ildefonso, Bulacan, so students can have accessible alternative to the more distant institutions in Munoz, Nueva Ecija or UP Los Baños.

Aside from his sponsoring laws for the benefit of farmers, he authored the bill proclaiming Tagalog as the national language, the barrio autonomy law, placing the ultimate authority in the Supreme Court over all the courts in the entire national judicial system, and granting of free hospital benefits covering members of the Association of the Veterans of the Revolution and their immediate family.

After his fourth term ended, he went back into law practice, but got into “trouble” when he translated into Tagalog a book of former President Diosdado Macapagal that criticized the Marcos administration. On Aug. 11, 1979, he and the publisher of the book (but not Macapagal) were arrested on the strength of an ASSO (Arrest, Search and Seizure Order); Mercado was then returned home and placed under house arrest.

Mercado ran and won in the Batasan ng Pambansa election of 1984 as a member of the Opposition coalition, UNIDO (United Nationalist Democratic Organization). On Jan. 15, 1985, he delivered a stinging speech reacting to President Marcos’ charge that the Batasan fell “short of what the people expect(ed)… during critical times.” Marcos blamed the Assembly for “long winded speeches and delaying tactics” which hampered legislative work. The speech was expunged from the record on motion of Assemblyman Leonardo Perez, KBL, Nueva Vizcaya. “To opposition protests of gagging, majority leaders retorted by trotting out the all but forgotten rule on question of personal and collective privilege.”

Mercado charged that Marcos’ criticism of the Batasan stemmed from the Opposition’s “not responding to his dictates as the majority members do. Hence, following his logic, the Opposition would be a bunch of good and productive legislators if they simply support(ed) his legislative measures.” Marcos’ real complaint, he said, “does not much pertain to the actual performance of the Batasan as the refusal of the Opposition to submit to his dictates.”

On Feb. 25, 1986, EDSA People Power drove dictator Marcos and his family out of the country. President Corazon Aquino appointed Mercado to her Cabinet as Secretary of Public Works, a job he held for a year, as he ran for and won in the first congressional election in 1987. He is said to not to have enriched himself though he could have in one year. Two years later, on Nov. 13, 1989, he passed away.

Shyly, his eldest son, Roberto (the eldest of five children) a business consultant, describes his father’s service record as “marked by excellence, leadership, statesmanship, honorable service and deep commitment to civic duty, and would ever rank high among Bulacan’s Best.”

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Today, as we visit our dear beloveds’ resting places, we slip into moments of reflection, remembering our relationships with the loved ones, realizing once again the ephemeral nature of our existence.

Today, we reflect on a story sent us by former Supreme Court Justice Flery Remero.

Billy Graham is now 98-years-old with Parkinson’s disease. In January 2000, leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina, invited their favorite son, Billy Graham, to a luncheon in ?his honor. Billy initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he ?struggles with Parkinson’s disease. But the Charlotte ?leaders said, ‘We don’t expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you.’ So he agreed. After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham ?stepped to the rostrum, looked at the crowd, and said, “I’m reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist who this month has been honored by Time magazine as the Man of the Century. Einstein was once traveling from ?Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the ?aisle, punching the tickets of every passenger. When he ?came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He ?couldn’t find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets. ?It wasn’t there. He looked in his briefcase but couldn’t find it. Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn’t find it. “The conductor said, ‘Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I’m sure you bought a ticket. Don’t worry about it.’ “Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued ?down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to ?move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great ?physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his ?seat for his ticket. “The conductor rushed back and said, ‘Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don’t worry, I know who you are; no problem. You don’t need a ticket. I’m sure you bought one.’ Einstein looked at him and said, ‘Young man, I too, know who I am.

What I don’t know is where I’m going.’’

Having said that Billy Graham continued, ?“See the suit I’m wearing? It’s a brand new suit.

My children, and my grandchildren?are telling me I’ve gotten a little slovenly in my old age.

I used to be a bit more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion.

You know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which I’ll be buried.

But when you hear I’m dead, I don’t want you to immediately remember the suit I’m wearing. I want you to remember this: I not only know who I am. I also know where I’m going.”

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