BY NOW every Juan may have known from where my experience and influence must have come from. Most of my life in public service was basically in an august body.
In the 90's, I ventured out from the academe to pursue a dream for serving the public. Specifically the city where I was born, Baguio City.
It was also this very same city that has welcomed with open arms the Bautista Family.
I say this as today, the University of Baguio is celebrating 70 years of academic service and excellence to its citizenry.
It is definitely something I am very proud to have been a part of. Not because I share the same name with that of the Founder Dr. Fernando and Rosa Bautista, but because I have also served as a member of its prestigious faculty of 17 years.
Lolo Tatay was honored to have served in the Constitution Convention.
Having served alongside Presidents, Senators, Assemblymen, Congressmen, Governors and Mayors of the Philippines. He too headed and presided over the Committee of Education. Most of the provisions in our Constitution on Cultural Minorities was also authored and put in place by Lolo Tatay.
It was at that same time when I was born in 1969 that Baguio Tech became University of Baguio. And in its historical roster until today, the university shall proudly say that it still continues to serve the community.
Senator Jaworski once went to school in UB.
Many Senators like my Godfather Bert Romulo who has served in all Governments and Presidents after Marcos is a proud UBian. There are many others.
Congressmen, Governors and Mayors and those in legislation as Vice Governors or Vice Mayors and also Board Members and Council Members a plenty.
Coincidentally it was only I and Mayor Morris Domogan who represented UB in that August Body that is today. Yes. We both served and started as City Councilors, eventually becoming the Vice Mayor and Presiding Officer of the Sanggunian.
We are also the only ones who then became Mayor of Baguio City all in one continuous run. I would think UB played a role in all this.
Even in the Province of Benguet where Lolo Tatay is an adopted son, Governor Nestor Fongwan and Mayor Romeo Salda both UB alumni started out in the Barangay of the Municipality of La Trinidad, soon becoming Members of the Sanggunian then Vice Mayor and eventually Mayor also in one continuous run.
I am very proud and happy for them.
Other than my Lolo Tatay, Uncle Des also served in the City Council. He too chaired the Committee on Education. He is the Father of Pines City National High School. Yes again. He was a member of the August Body for the duration of Martial Law in Baguio City.
Today I am equally proud to mention that in the August Body of the Philippine Constitution Commission another Uncle, Gil Bautista was appointed by the President. Again, he is proud to represent and form part for the draft provisions on the separation of the Cordilleras as a Federal State. I am proud of course.
I continue to be part of various august bodies, that of Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, Associaton of Boxing Affiliates of the Philippines, the Boy Scout of the Philippines, Philippine National Police Advisory Council, Philippine Military Academy Maringal Class of 88, Philippine Jaycees Senate and the Jaime V. Ongpin Foundation.
It was in August 8, 1948 when a hole in the wall “school” of 2 classrooms was founded.
Indeed I am proud and honored to have witnessed what the University of Baguio and Fernando and Rosa Bautista started. On its 70th Triple 8 Foundation we all join in the August celebrations, and may there be many more years to come.