The Honorable
Jesse Robredo
QSC CCLH
林炳智
23rd Secretary of the Interior and Local Government
In office
July 9, 2010 – August 18, 2012
PresidentBenigno S. Aquino III
Preceded byBenigno S. Aquino III (Acting in Concurrent Capacity)
Succeeded byPaquito Ochoa (Acting)
Mayor of Naga
In office
June 30, 2001 – June 30, 2010
Vice MayorEsteban Abonal (2001–2004)
Gabriel Bordado (2004–2010)
Preceded bySulpicio Roco
Succeeded byJohn Bongat
In office
February 2, 1988 – June 30, 1998
Vice MayorLourdes Asence (1988–1992)
Preceded byCarlos Del Castillo
Succeeded bySulpicio Roco
Personal details
Born
Jesus Manalastas Robredo

(1958-05-27)May 27, 1958
Naga, Camarines Sur, Philippines
DiedAugust 18, 2012(2012-08-18) (aged 54)
Masbate Island, Philippines
Cause of deathAirplane crash
Resting placeEternal Gardens Memorial Park, Naga, Camarines Sur
Political partyLiberal (2001-2012)
Other political
affiliations		Aksyon (1998-2001)
Lakas-NUCD (1991-1998)
LDP (1988-1991)
Spouse
​
(m. 1987)​
Children3
RelativesButch Robredo (brother)
EducationDe La Salle University (BS)
Harvard University (MPA)
University of the Philippines, Diliman (MBA)

Jesse Manalastas Robredo QSC CCLH (born Jesus Manalastas Robredo; Chinese: 林炳智; pinyin: Lín Bǐngzhì; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lîm Péng-tì; May 27, 1958 – August 18, 2012)[1][2] was a Filipino politician who served as 23rd Secretary of the Interior and Local Government in the administration of President Benigno Aquino III from 2010 until his death in 2012.[3] Robredo was a member of the Liberal Party.

Beginning in 1988, Robredo served six terms as Mayor of Naga in Camarines Sur.[4] In recognition of his achievements as Naga mayor, Robredo was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service in 2000, the first Filipino mayor so honored. He was appointed to the Cabinet of President Aquino in July 2010.[3]

Robredo died on August 18, 2012, when the light aircraft he was traveling in crashed off the shore of Masbate Island, after suffering an engine failure.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11]

Early life and education

Jesse Manalastas Robredo was born on May 27, 1958, in Naga to José Chan Robredo Sr. and Marcelina Manalastas-Robredo. Jesse is of Chinese descent through his paternal grandfather, Lim Pay Co, who immigrated to the Philippines from Fujian province at the beginning of the 20th century and adopted the surname of the priest who baptized him, thus becoming Juan Lim Robredo.[12] Jesse's Hokkien Chinese name is Lim Pieng Ti.[13] He has one brother and three sisters.

Robredo finished elementary at the Naga Parochial School and entered high school at the Ateneo de Naga University in 1970. Robredo obtained his undergraduate degrees in industrial management engineering and mechanical engineering at De La Salle University. He was later accepted as an Edward Mason Fellow and graduated with a Master of Public Administration degree from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1999. In 1985, Robredo finished his Masters in Business Administration at the University of the Philippines Diliman as a scholar and was named the Graduate School and Faculty Organization awardee for scholarly excellence.[14] The Far Eastern University bestowed Robredo with a doctorate in Humanities, honoris causa, during its 80th commencement exercise on April 4, 2008, in recognition of his efforts to develop Naga.[15]

Political career

A plaque awarded by Robredo in 2011 as Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government

In 1986, Robredo returned to Naga, where he became program director of the Bicol River Basin Development Program (BRBDP), an agency tasked to undertake integrated area development planning in the three provinces of the Bicol region. While working at the BRBDP, he met fellow Nagueño Leni Gerona, whom he would marry the following year.[16][17]

In 1988, Robredo was elected mayor of Naga at age 29.[18] In 1995, Robredo was elected president of the League of Cities of the Philippines and chaired the Metro Naga Development Council."[14] His three terms as mayor ended on June 30, 1998, and was succeeded by Robredo's endorsed candidate Sulpicio S. Roco, Jr.[19][20] In 1999, Asiaweek Magazine credited Robredo with transforming Naga into one of the "Most Improved" cities in Asia.[21]

He re-elected as city mayor in 2001 and again served for three consecutive terms until June 30, 2010.[19] He served for a total of 19 years as mayor of Naga before being appointed on July 9, 2010, as secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Robredo's appointment was met with political opposition. Two politicians from Bicol, Luis Agregado Ortega and Luis Villafuerte, expressed opposition to Robredo's confirmation by the Commission on Appointments of which Villafuerte himself was a member.[22] In March 2012, the Commission on Appointments bypassed Robredo's nomination.[23] His nomination was bypassed again in June 2012.[24] Another confirmation hearing had reportedly been set on August 29, 2012, eleven days after Robredo's sudden death.[25]

During his time as the secretary of DILG, Robredo focused on relocating thousands of residents in Manila's slums into housing projects to clear Metro Manila's waterways and make way for flood mitigation projects and other development.[26] As head of an inter-agency body for relocation, Robredo pushed for the building of in-city tenement housing units for thousands of informal settler families living in identified "danger zones" such as estuaries, riverbanks, waterways, railroad tracks, garbage dumps and similar areas.[27][28] These contrasted with earlier government housing efforts, which relocated informal settlers to areas away from the city which deprived residents from their usual livelihoods.[29]

Robredo's opposition to forced evictions were met with resistance from some local government officials, notably Makati mayor Junjun Binay, who argued that such arrangements broke long-standing agreements with private land owners and undermined the city government's authority.[30][29][31]

Death and legacy

Robredo on a 2013 stamp of the Philippines
Museo ni Jesse Robredo, a museum dedicated to Robredo

Robredo died on August 18, 2012, when the Piper PA-34 Seneca light aircraft he was traveling in crashed off the coast of Masbate Island. He was flying to Naga to assist in his daughter's swimming competition. The plane suffered an engine failure en route from Cebu City, and was attempting an emergency landing at Masbate Airport.[5] Robredo's aide, Police Chief Inspector June Paolo Abrazado, was also on board but survived. Robredo's body was found on August 21, 800 meters (2,600 feet) from the shore and 54 meters (177 feet) below sea level.[32]

His funeral was held at the Archbishop's Palace in Naga before it was transferred to Malacañang Palace for an official wake on August 24, 2012. His remains were later brought back to his hometown of Naga and cremated at Naga Imperial Crematory and Columbary. Robredo's ashes are entombed at the Eternal Gardens Memorial Park in Naga.[33][34]

Following Robredo's death, August 18 was declared "Jesse Robredo Day".[35] President Benigno Aquino III conferred the Philippine Legion of Honor with the rank of Chief Commander upon Robredo on August 28, 2012, just before the state funeral.[36][37] In addition, two roads were named in his honor, Sec. Jesse Robredo Avenue in Naga and Jesse M. Robredo Boulevard in Masbate City. The Naga City Coliseum was renamed into the Jesse Robredo Coliseum, and the Naga City Governance Institute to the Jesse M. Robredo Good Governance Center.[38][39] In 2017, the Museo ni Jesse Robredo opened in commemoration of his fifth death anniversary.[40]

His alma mater, De La Salle University, renamed the La Salle Institute of Governance into the Jesse M. Robredo Institute of Governance.[41]

Personal life

Robredo married future vice president Leni Gerona on July 24, 1987.[42] They had three daughters.[43]

Honors

National Honors

Awards

References

  1. ↑ "商總高層領導人前赴總統府 向內政部長林炳智靈前致敬 | FFCCCII 菲華商聯總會 Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc". Archived from the original on January 17, 2022. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  2. ↑ "菲律宾已故华裔内政部长林炳智遗孀参选副总统-中国新闻网".
  3. 1 2 "Jesse Robredo named DILG chief". Manila, Philippines: ABS-CBN Interactive. July 10, 2010. Archived from the original on July 13, 2010. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
  4. ↑ "City Officials: 1945–2004". City Government of Naga. Archived from the original on April 1, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2012.
  5. 1 2 "Robredo's plane crashes off Masbate". ABS-CBN News. August 18, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Robredo's ill-fated plane: Chronology of events". Inquirer News. Manila. August 19, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Rescuers search for Robredo, 2 pilot". Phil Star. Manila. AP. August 19, 2012. Archived from the original on January 4, 2013. Retrieved August 19, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Officials still hanging on hope for DILG chief". Sun Star. Manila. August 19, 2012. Archived from the original on August 21, 2012. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Philippines interior secretary missing in plane crash". CNN. August 18, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Small plane carrying DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo crashes off Masbate". GMA News. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Robredo's body found". Office of the President (Philippines) Newsroom. Archived from the original on August 25, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  12. ↑ "Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation - Awardees". August 23, 2013. Archived from the original on August 23, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  13. ↑ Wilson Lee Flores. "Jesse Robredo and his siblings read newspapers and books to their blind dad". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  14. 1 2 "Jesse Manalastas – Robredo Naga City Government Website". City Government of Naga. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
  15. ↑ Team, i-Governance. "Hon. Jesse M. Robredo « Dagos po sa Maogmang Naga". Archived from the original on February 7, 2022. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Jesse Robredo feared dead after plane crash". Coolbuster. August 18, 2012. Archived from the original on August 31, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
  17. ↑ Alcober, Neil A. and Depasupil, William B. (August 21, 2012) Robredo family hopeful but prepares for worst. Manila Times. Accessed July 31, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Philippine top minister feared dead in crash". Al Jazeera. August 19, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
  19. 1 2 "Tribute to DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo". August 21, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  20. ↑ Admin, Bicolmail Web (May 14, 2021). "Cho Roco, come to think of him? He deserves a closer look". bicolmail. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  21. ↑ "ASIANOW - Asiaweek | Asia's Best Cities 1999 | Most Improved: Naga | 12/17/99". edition.cnn.com. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  22. ↑ "Local Politicians to Give Robredo Tough Time at CA". voxbicol.com. May 31, 2011. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  23. ↑ "5 Cabinet members, envoy to China bypassed by CA". philstar.com. March 22, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  24. ↑ "CA bypasses De Lima, 4 other Cabinet members for nth time". inquirer.net. June 6, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  25. ↑ "Malacañang advised to get official plane for Noy, Cabinet". philstar.com. August 20, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  26. ↑ Burgonio, Marlon Ramos, Tarra Quismundo, TJ (August 15, 2012). "'100,000 slum folk must go'". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved February 7, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  27. ↑ Andrade, Jeannette I. (August 21, 2012). "Urban poor on Robredo death: Why him?". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  28. ↑ "Expanding Jesse Robredo's legacy, Pangilinan pushes for in-city relocation of informal settlers". Senate of the Philippines.
  29. 1 2 Murphy, Denis (August 26, 2012). "Imitating Jesse Robredo". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  30. ↑ Frialde, Mike. "Robredo told: Makati government has right to evict Laperal settlers". Philstar.com.
  31. ↑ "Robredo, Makati mayor clash over demolition". ABS-CBN News.
  32. ↑ Robredo found dead. ABS-CBN News (August 21, 2012), Retrieved on August 21, 2012
  33. ↑ Gutierrez, Natashya (August 24, 2012). "Naga prepares for Robredo burial". RAPPLER. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  34. ↑ Orellana, Faye (November 2, 2018). "LOOK: Leni visits Jesse's tomb in Naga City". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  35. ↑ Hegina, Aries Joseph (August 21, 2015). "Palace declares new holiday: August 18 is Jesse Robredo Day". inquirer.net. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  36. ↑ "Philippines holds state funeral for Jesse Robredo". BBC News. August 28, 2012. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  37. ↑ "Bulletin No. 11 from the Committee on Funeral Arrangements and Burial of the late Secretary Jesse M. Robredo". Official Gazette, Government of the Philippines. August 27, 2012.
  38. ↑ "JMR Coliseum". Naga.gov.ph. Bicol Mail. Archived from the original on October 4, 2015. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
  39. ↑ "Naga City Coliseum is now known as Jesse M. Robredo Coliseum (JMR Coliseum) "THE BIG DOME OF THE SOUTH"". NagaCityDeck.com. Naga City Deck. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
  40. ↑ Mella, Mylce (August 18, 2017). "Museo ni Jesse Robredo opens in Naga". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  41. ↑ "Our Institute - DLSU-JRIG". De La Salle University Jesse M. Robredo Institute of Governance. Retrieved August 30, 2020.
  42. ↑ "VP Leni marks 34th wedding anniversary with Jesse". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  43. ↑ Cepeda, Mara (August 18, 2021). "'He never left:' Leni Robredo, daughters mark 9 years after Jesse's death". RAPPLER. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  44. ↑ "Speech of President Aquino during the conferment of the Quezon Service Cross on Jesse Robredo, November 26, 2012". Official Gazette. Office of the President of the Philippines. November 26, 2012. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
  45. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Hon. Jesse M. Robredo". Naga City. Archived from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  46. ↑ "Top gov't men get awards". Manila Standard. Kagitingan Publications, Inc. PNA. September 24, 1990. p. 17. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
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