GONE TOO SOON. The late DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo was regarded by his colleagues and relatives as a very good example of a public official. Photo from marocharim.com

THE DEATH of former Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo was marked by a nationwide mourning for the loss of a widely respected public official who was admired for his contributions to good governance and public policy.

The late Secretary Robredo was on his way to Naga after an appointment with the Philippine National Police in Cebu when one of engines of the plane he was riding in failed 20 minutes after takeoff. The private Seneca plance crashed on August 18 and was found three days later 800 meters off the coast of Masbate.

Authorities confirmed his death along with pilots Captain Jessup Bahinting and Nepalese flight student Kshitiz Chand after three days of extensive search and rescue operations.

A national commemoration

Aside from the influx of people during his wake both in Naga and in Malacañang, local government units from different parts of the country and abroad sent condolences and celebrated the legacy he left.

Locales that paid tribute include Caloocan, Sarangani, Albay and Sydney in Australia to name a few.

“The kind of emotional investment of the people shows a lot about his leadership,” Kenneth Abante (BS ME ’12), a Nagueño, said in an interview with The GUIDON.

Abante noted the relevance of people’s reaction to the kind of life the former DILG secretary led.

“Iyong ganong klaseng response ng mga tao, napakagandang signal na itong taong ito talagang nabago niya kami hindi lamang sa pamamahala niya ngunit sa pagkatao niya. (This type of response from the people—it’s a great signal that this person has really changed us not only through his governance but also through his very humanity.)”

Unique response to his death

Senior psychology major Andrea Bernarte, also a Nagueño, saw the people’s exceptional reception of Robredo’s death as a reflection of the fact that “Sec. Jesse touched people’s lives in a way that someone who genuinely cares about you would, and not just because he had to do his job.”

Political Science Department Chair Alma Salvador commented that his death goes beyond the departure of a person.

“It wasn’t just like a death of a public figure; it was a death of something, just like the passing away of a value in government.”

Legacy of good governance

A former Naga City mayor for six terms, Robredo implemented reforms and transformed the locale into a progressive economic powerhouse in Bicol through transparency, participatory governance and effective leadership.

“I think it’s all about the culture of transparency, because I believe he was able to transform Naga, and I’ve seen how the city has progressed through his leadership. He was able to establish the Naga City People’s Council,” Abante said.

Salvador commended the said council and said that this was how “he and his administration literally planted the seeds of participatory government.”

Abante further explained that Robredo’s “culture of inclusion” broke the barrier between government leaders and the people, and that his leadership was coming from a mantra of “I will include you. It is only in your making us accountable will you see a better government.”

Humility, family values

Award-giving bodies have also recognized the efforts of the late secretary. Among his merits are the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award, considered the Asian equivalent of the Nobel Prize, and the Dangal ng Bayan award, the highest government laurel for outstanding public service.

Despite all these, the interior secretary remained humble. Abante recalled how Robredo would talk to anyone in public, including vendors in the market, and participate in the annual procession of the Peñafrancia wearing his famous tsinelas (slippers).

“He felt more like a father or a brother than a ruling politician,” Bernarte remarked.

In a public interview with the secretary’s spouse, lawter Maria Leonor Gerona-Robredo mentioned how her husband always made sure that he had time for his family.

Bernarte, a good friend of Robredo’s daughter Aika, confirmed this and said, “I also remember him coming to our school for Family Day and other school events just so he can be with his daughters.”

Hopes for new DILG chief

Salvador said that “[Robredo’s] passing is like the end of a phase in Philippine history,” but she has hopes that his legacy will be continued by other officials, especially the ones Robredo had mentored.

Mar Roxas, a close colleague of Robredo, had accepted the post of new DILG chief, facing high expectations that his predecessor’s legacy would be honored.