The emphasis of this column is on human values which the personalities who are the subjects of this episode learned early in life and exhibited wonderfully when they entered government service.
We have in our government today these personalities who have reached the level of presidentiables, who have earned it by going through the process of learning human values in the best educational institutions that their parents could afford at their early formative age, and gaining experience as local chief executives of the province of their father's birth, through competitive elections, reaching the pinnacle of legislative and executive levels of government, where both exhibited sterling qualities that their father possessed and who expected them to learn and practice these with honor and dignity.
Both did not fail their father.
I am referring to President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos Sr. and his elder daughter, Imee, who is now Senator Imee Marcos, and his son, Bongbong, who is now President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.
I have been observing the progress of Imee and Bongbong, together with Irene, since they were kids playing under the acacia tree on the Malacañang grounds, since 1977, 45 years ago, when I was appointed by CoA chairman Francisco Tantuico Jr. as resident auditor of the Budget Commission under Dr. Jaime Laya at Mabini Hall in Malacañang.
Both Imee and Bongbong learned the 10 most important human values of morality, respect, honesty, compassion, hard work, kindness, gratitude, sharing, cooperation and generosity during their most important conscious and formative ages in high school, in the most important and exclusive institutions of learning, Imee at Assumption and Bongbong at Worth School in West Sussex, England.
When both entered government service, that is where their late father, Ferdinand Sr., must have been smiling with satisfaction and hugging them for doing so well at their jobs.
A few months ago, Senator Imee Marcos issued a historic statement that will be long remembered by men and women of today: "I would prefer a true friend, to ten relatives."
This statement shall be said by men and women of this generation, to be repeated by many people in other lands, who would say this was said by one of the greatest women in Asia.
Imee publicly expressed the gratitude of her family to President Rodrigo Duterte for allowing the burial of their late father at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani, and for the help that led to the election of her brother, Bongbong, to the presidency.
Philosophers and wise men of all times have said: "A grateful person is one of the most beautiful creations of God."
Senator Imee Marcos deserves all the accolades and admiration of people from all walks of life, most especially the more than 31 million voters who accorded her brother, Bongbong, and his tandem, Sara, the greatest mandate in the history of the Philippine electoral process.
Imee, Bongbong and Irene showed their appreciation for Sara's help by giving her, and her teachers, a special reception with a cultural show at the Palace.
Not to be outdone by the heroics of his elder sister, Bongbong also showed his worth as a great man deserving of the admiration and a hug from his late father.
During the impeachment trial of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, Bongbong was the only senator who refused to take millions in DAP money as a bribe to convict an innocent man.
The rest of the senators who served as judges, and the congressmen as prosecutors, convicted the former Chief Justice.
DAP money was the disbursement acceleration program fund devised by the notorious secretary of Budget and Management, Florencio Abad, under the instructions signed by former President Benigno C. Aquino III.
The DAP was later declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
(To be continued)