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Tuesday, December 16, 2003
Ople wants his programs to go on: DFA spokesperson
* Angara wants Ople named national artist
DID the late Foreign Sec. Blas Ople have an inkling of his demise days before he passed away?
According to Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Julie Heidemann, Ople told the DFA staff several days ago to "please continue my programs and projects for the department."
Ople suffered a heart attack while on a flight to Bahrain last Saturday night and died in a Taiwan hospital Sunday morning.
"That would have been the wish of the secretary to continue his project and serve the people kahit wala na siya (even if he is gone)," the spokesperson said.
Heidemann said the DFA is mourning the demise of Ople, who she described as "a true leader and statesman."
She said the DFA and the family of Ople is already preparing for four necrological services, one each in the Senate, the DFA, the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) and National Press Club (NPC).
Ople, who is a journalist, once served as labor secretary.
"He is well-loved by the men he worked with. As you can see, all of these are requesting to bring him to them and be with him on his last days," Heidemann added.
According to Heidemann, Ople is a good administrator and a mentor, which are the reasons why he was well-loved by the people in the office.
She said Ople understood the problems of the department and the people behind him, and through principles and intelligence, he tries to resolve them.
"He is a genius, highly-principled and loves history," Heidemann said when asked what he remembered most with Ople.
In the Senate, Ople's former colleagues are saddened by his death.
Sen. Edgardo Angara would recommend Ople as a national artist.
Senate Majority Leader Loren Legarda said she would lead the necrological service for Ople, who she described as a close friend of her forefathers. JPM
(December 16, 2003 issue)
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