CJ Davide Jr: A living inspiration for us

In these dark times of our history as a nation and as a people, we are dismayed, disappointed, and disillusioned by a seemingly endless array of scoundrels and Rasputins, scalawags, rogues, rascals, and rapscallions. They kill innocent men, women, and children, rob the nation of its wealth and deprive the people of peace, justice, and stability. And yet, in our midst, there are few inspiring icons that we seemed to have forgotten.

Here in Cebu, we have in our midst a living legend who has remained honest, hardworking, humble, and self-effacing. Instead of focusing on "the evil that men do", let us look at the brighter side and be inspired by the life, achievements, and the values that characterize the life, family, and career of a truly great man, Hilario Gelbolingo Davide, Jr., a former chief justice, Comelec chairman, Concon delegate in 1972, Concom commissioner in 1986, a Batasan Pambansa assemblyman, ambassador extraordinary plenipotentiary, and permanent Philippine envoy to the United Nations and a Ramon Magsaysay awardee like his brother.

Noy Dodong Jun, as we love to call him with deep respect and unabashed affection, was a barefoot barrio boy, born December 20, 1935 in the far-flung rural village of Colawin, Argao, which is three villages away from my own native barangay in Langin. He was the sixth of seven siblings and his father was Hilario Panerio Davide, Sr., then Cebu division superintendent and his mother was Josefa Lopez Gelbolingo, also a public school teacher. He had to walk many kilometers across rivers and hills to study in the Argao Central school for primary and elementary education.

He finished his secondary study in Abellana Vocational High School and went to UP where he earned his AA in 1955, his BS in 1958 and his LlB in 1959. He was admitted as a member of the honor fraternities, Order of the Purple Feather, the Phi Kappa Phi and Pi Gamma Mu. He also served as editor of the Philippine Law Journal of UP. He was a professor of Law in Southwestern University. Later, that university conferred on him a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa. Noy Dodong Jun was an academic achiever and an accomplished academician.

He was elected to the 1971 Constitutional Convention and was one of the three delegates who introduced the most number of proposals. In 1978, he was elected as a member of the Batasang Pambansa as one of the oppositionists. He was the first minority floor leader and introduced the most number of bills. He was later appointed as Comelec chairman and later as chairman of the Fact-Finding Commission that investigated the December 1, 1989 coup against the government of President Cory Aquino.

President Aquino appointed him associate justice of the Supreme Court on January 24, 1991. President Erap appointed him chief justice on November 30, 1998. Ironically, he presided over the Erap impeachment trial in 2001. On January 24, 2006, President GMA appointed him as presidential adviser on electoral reforms. He was later appointed by President Noynoy Aquino as ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations. On December 7, 2010, President Noynoy appointed him to the Truth Commission but the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional.

Noy Dodong Jun was a Ramon Magsaysay awardee for Public Service in 2002. His brother Romulo also got a Magsaysay award for agriculture. He was also knighted by Pope Benedict XVI as Knight of the Grand Cross of the Pontifical Order of St. Sylvester. He was also UP's Most Outstanding Alumnus in 2005, Man of the Year Awardee for 2003 of the Philippine Free Press, and the Philippine Daily Inquirer Man Law Award in 2002. He also received the Outstanding Filipino Award in Environmental Law in 2003 and many other Philippine and international awards.

He is married to a wonderful woman with beauty and brains, a very prim and decent lady from Surigao, Virginia Jimenea Perez. Their children are Governor Hilario III; Joseph Bryan Hillary, LlB; Sherry Ann, a doctor; Noreen, an educator; and Delster Emmanuel, an architect. They have 14 grandchildren. Noy Dodong Jun's life is truly inspiring, his journey from Colawin to the United Nations. He loves our country, loves Cebu, loves Argao, and especially Colawin.

Above all CJ Davide Jr. loves his family. His life is one of hard work, academic excellence, integrity in public service, and excellence as a man of his family.