The PH government has lost a good cabinet member in a plane crash after fulfilling his speaking appointment in Cebu City.
 |
| Robredo |
Considered as a good public servant Secretary Robredo met his death when his 5-seater private plane's one engine was in trouble and was forced to crash land somewhere in the Masbate airport but diverted to the nearest Bay to avoid a populated village, according to news report.
He was in a "hurry to go home" after giving his talk in Cebu City in the late afternoon of Saturday.
The rescuers took two days to retrieve his dead body from 180-feet below the crash site in the morning of Tuesday, August 21 while .
His police aide-de-camp, Senior Inspector Jun Abrazado, the 4th passenger of the said ill-fated plane, was the only survivor for he was rescued alive by the fishermen hours after the plane crash.
Robredo died at the age of 54. He is survived by his wife, Leni, his daughter Jill, and his family.
Jesse Robredo, an Exemplar Cabinet Man
Culled from his biography in DILG site, Jesse Robredo is a multi-awarded local chief executive of Naga City.
He served as the mayor of Naga in 1988 for 3 years at the age of 29.
He dramatically transformed Naga into a "premier city of the Bicol Region" and earned him citation from Asiaweek Magazine in 1999.
Prior to his cabinet position, he was elected as president of the League of Cities of the Philippines in 1995.
He was elected chairman of the Regional Development Council, the regional planning and coordinate body of Bicol's six provinces and seven cities in 1992 until 1998. In 1985, he was also the chairman in Metro Naga Development Council.
Robredo received several major individual awards like the 2000 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service, the 1996 Outstanding Young Persons of the World (TOYP) Award, the Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines (TOYM), 1998 Konrad Adenauer Medal of Excellence as Most Outstanding City Mayor of the Philippines and the first ever "Dangal ng Bayan" Award of the Civil Service Commission.
Reflection of His Honesty and Transparency in Governance
The DILG website reveals how Robredo advocates honesty and transparency in his administration:
"This is one of our initiatives not only to ensure transparency in all of the Department’s transactions, but more importantly, to secure feedback from the public on how we can judiciously utilize the funds of the DILG for their benefit."
"To all the visitors of this website, let us work together to become an instrument of change in the local governments, peace and order and public safety sectors of our society. Work with us to make a difference in the lives of our people."
Robredo's legacy on Governance
He said in a television documentary that "the most important ingredient of leadership is character. He added "most of the proficiencies can be learned, but what's inside you is something that's difficult to change."
As what the city of San Fernando Mayor Oscar Rodriguez puts it: Ka Jesse is "beyond compare", "model official of the country", "committed, sincere, honest and one of the few who is humble and simple."
photo: www.dilg.gov.ph
Related link: Jesse, The Man Beyond Compare
Jesse Robredo was a first rate public servant and was able to make an impact in Naga. He didn't enjoy the limelight but still made waves making a difference in the ways he can, by being with the people and helping them.
ReplyDeleteI admired this Man so much. I cried when I heard his sudden death. A big loss to Filipino Nation.
ReplyDeleteHe is indeed a great loss! Such a great and outstanding man! :(
ReplyDeleteHe is truly one of the best we have. Sadly, he was called right away by the almighty God. Maybe, he is much needed up there than here.
ReplyDeletesuch a great loss for a public servant.
ReplyDeleteI honestly do not know Sec. Robredo before he died. With the very little and limited knowledge I have of him, I can say that he might have been a truly kind person and an exemplary public servant, based on what people said after his death.
ReplyDeleteHe's a great loss for a country like ours where honest politicians have become very rare. The next DILG Sec would have to fill in big shoes.
ReplyDeleteI pray that our leaders will follow his footsteps. Like Nehemiah in the Bible, he felt burdened with the situation of Naga and now the country and thus made a step to help in the change.
ReplyDeleteI also pray that the successor will continue what he started.
a great loss indeed... for a country that needs most a few good leaders and honest public servants...
ReplyDeleteHe will be definitely missed by Filipinos. He embodies the characteristics of a public servant that should be emulated.
ReplyDeleteSuch a great loss for the Philippines.
ReplyDeleteSo much has been said about this man after his death. It really is a pity that he has gone too early.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to remember the good. I hope this makes us a stronger nation...somehow.
ReplyDeleteI wish there could be more Secretary Jesse in the government.
ReplyDeletebased from everything we've seen on tv about Jesse Robredo recently, we can really tell how great of a man he was.. everybody loves him and he helped a lot of people. I'm all for Robredo 101 :)
ReplyDeleteWell, I've been hearing a lot about Sec. Robredo even before his early demise. He's a good servant, actually, and one to be praised for his good governance.
ReplyDeleteIt's so sad that we lost one "rare" public servant. Kahit sabihin kong he left a very good legacy, it does not ensure that those who are left alive will follow what he has started.
Sayang.
He would be really missed by every Filipino especially those who have worked with him and set him as an example to live a simple life serving others.
ReplyDelete