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Friday, March 29, 2024

The highest honor

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I missed paying tribute to fathers last week, but it is never too late nor too seldom to honor your father or, perhaps, those who you look up to like a father. 

In my last column  (“Amigos Para Siempre”, June 12, 2017), I mentioned  that Senators Edgardo J. Angara and Franklin M. Drilon were conferred with the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun by Emperor Akihito of Japan – Senator Angara in 2013 and Senator Drilon in 2016. 

With Senators Franklin Drilon and Edgardo Angara

The Grand Cordon is the highest class of the Order of the Rising Sun, a form of Japanese Honor System patterned after the Europeans. A quick search on the Internet revealed that the Order of the Rising Sun was established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji. It was the first national award conferred by the Japanese government. The order is awarded to those who have made distinguished achievements in the fields of international relations or in advancements in the awardees’ field of expertise.  

Senator Angara was the third Filipino to be conferred with such an honor and Senator Drilon, the fourth, after former Foreign Affairs Secretary and Statesman Carlos P. Romulo and former Ambassador Alfonso T. Yuchengco. Other known personalities who received the award in the past were Singapore founding father and former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and former British Prime Minister John Major. 

H.E. Amb. Kazuhide Ishikawa

The Angara Abello Concepcion Regala and Cruz Law Offices or ACCRALAW recently hosted a reception in honor of the Grand Cordon recipients, Senators Angara and Drilon. 

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Atty. Victor P. Lazatin, ACCRALAW Of Counsel and “Boy Laz” to his friends, introduced the honorees in a unique way: simultaneously, because of the many parallelisms between the two. Just to cite a few: both excelled academically in law school; both were partners in ACCRALAW, Senator Angara being one of the founding partners; both served as Executive Secretaries under different Presidents; both served as Secretaries of different Departments; and both served as Senators and Senate Presidents. 

(Ret.) Chief Justice Artemio V. Panganiban, ACCRALAW Founding Partner and Former Senate President Edgardo J. Angara, SEC Chairperson Teresita J. Herbosa, ACCRALAW of-Counsel, Atty. Eusebio V. Tan

While listening to Boy Laz introduce the honorees, I could not help but wax sentimental in the thought that I had so many touch points with both iconic leaders in my personal and professional life .  

I cut my teeth as a lawyer in ACCRALAW. When I joined the firm, Senator Drilon was the Managing Partner and Senator Raul Roco was the hiring partner. It was in ACCRALAW that I learned the rudiments of the practice of law. I also had the pleasure of serving with both Senators Angara and Drilon in the Aquino (Cory), Ramos and Estrada administrations. My training in legislative work was enhanced and exposure to politics broadened when I worked as a member of Senator Angara’s staff in the Senate. He chaired the committees of education and health and was a member of the committees on energy and finance. Elections made me dive into the realm of political campaigns. Both Senators won their seats in very convincing fashion and thereafter made their mark in the passage of several landmark legislation.  

With ACCRALAW Managing Partner Emerico  De Guzman, Amb. Kazuhide Ishikawa, Atty. Alfonso R. Reyno, Jr., ACCRALAW Of-Counsel Victor P. Lazatin, BDO Unibank Chair and  SM Investments Corp. Vice Chair Tessie Sy-Coson, ACCRALAW Founding Partner Avelino V. Cruz

Senator Angara was a founder of the ASEAN Law Association (ALA) and served as its first President, a position now held by the indefatigable Atty. Avelino Cruz, another founding partner of ACCRALAW. Sen Drilon is an active member. I continue to work with ALA in several capacities. Now, we are busy preparing for the ALA Ministerial meetings to be hosted by the Philippines in October. 

Aside from the ALA, we are also members of the Philippine Bar Association or PBA, the oldest lawyers’ organization in the country. And, as if that was not enough, we also serve in the University of the Philippines College of Law Alumni Foundation or UPLAF as members of the Board of Trustees.  

With Sen. Franklin Drilon, First Pacific Company Ltd. Chair Manny Pangilinan, Amb. Kazuhide Ishikawa

It has always been my privilege to serve and work with both Senators Angara and Drilon.  

Indeed, being pillars in Philippine politics and society, they both have been influential in how I built up my own legal and professional career. Both were like fathers and mentors. This is my humble way of giving honor to them. 

With Amb. Kasuhide Ishikawa and Amb. Manolo Lopez

To both, I can only say Domo Arigatou Gozaimasu!

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