Eduardo Año: The Unclassified Truth
Having served as Commanding General of the Philippine Army, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, former DILG Secretary under then President Rodrigo Duterte, veteran combatant with a great track record and vast experience in the intelligence field, the newly-appointed National Security Adviser under the administration of President Bongbong Marcos, Secretary Eduardo “Ed” Año is a welcome appointment.
Año is known as a silent worker, one who does not seek publicity and is dedicated to giving only the best in whatever situation or position he is in.
Año has been happily married to the former Jean Dioso, whom he met when she was in her freshman year and he in his junior year. Although they did not talk to each other in high school, both admit that they only had eyes for each other. “It was only when Ed entered the PMA that we started writing friendly letters, which eventually turned into love letters. Our first face-to-face conversation only happened three years later, when I was in my senior year,” shares Jean. Ed and Jean will be married for 40 years this May.
Jean was head of the Internal Audit Department of AFP RSBS when she decided to retire at 40 to devote her time to her family. They have been blessed with four children: Edwin Jr. (36), Edward (31), Janelle Marie (30), Jasmine Claire (24). They have three grandchildren: Evan Zander (8), Carina (6), Zejan (3).
They got married twice — secret civil marriage on May 16, 1983, and a church marriage on Dec. 17, 1988. They renewed their vows in Cana, Israel in November 2016. Jean happily tells us “We always crack jokes like, ‘I am happy, and he is married’ or ‘He is married, and I am happy.’ But the truth is we are both very content. We look forward to renewing our vows again.”
Jean shares with us 10 things the public does not know about our new NSA chief.
1. He has an entrepreneurial spirit. Coming from a humble family, Ed wanted to help ease the burden on his parents. He started his first business when he was seven — he would buy comics then rent them out to his classmates. In high school, he washed passenger jeepneys after class. When he was a lieutenant, he earned extra income by selling dried fish and RTW clothing.
2. He has a great sense of humor. He may look stern and serious on TV, but he is loved by friends and family for his warmth, wit, and humor. Ed has an endless repository of puns, jokes, and funny anecdotes. He diffuses tense moments with humor.
3. He starts each day with a puzzle. The first thing he checks in the newspaper (after the front page) are the puzzles. His day isn’t complete without solving a Sudoku puzzle. Sometimes he even brings the newspaper to the mall!
4. He believes in reincarnation. According to Ed, “What you are today is your karma, the product of all you have done in your past lives.” That is why he always reminds his children and grandchildren to be kind and respectful to everyone no matter their rank or status.
5. He is a diligent student. He consistently ranked first in all his career courses, both here and abroad. He achieved a perfect 100 percent rating during Intelligence Military Schooling in Fort Huachucha — he was the first and so far has been the only student to achieve this.
6. He is a bookworm. A voracious reader of history books, he looks forward to having more time to read and perhaps write a book in retirement.
7. He is an animal lover. A certified dog whisperer, Ed loves taking the family dogs out on walks. He even adopted an ‘Aspin’ who kept coming to our house, only to later find out that the dog was actually someone else’s pet! During his field assignments, he would name and befriend the monkeys he encountered.
8. He almost became a priest. Ed contemplated entering the seminary. He ended up choosing the PMA so his parents wouldn’t have to worry about his tuition, a twist of fate he is very grateful for.
9. He remains humble and down-to-earth. Although we no longer have to worry about our budget (or borrow money for baby formula and groceries), Ed still chooses to live simply. He prefers basic clothing over designer brands, and lutong bahay over fancy restaurant fare. When people approach him in the mall for photos, he is polite and accommodating.
10. He is a gentle father and a loving husband. Many people assume that Ed must be a strict parent because of his military background, however the opposite is true. A believer in positive reinforcement, he doesn’t criticize our children when they misbehave. Instead, he lets them know that he believes they will not repeat their mistake because they are good children. It works!
When he was in the PMA, he would write me heartfelt letters. To this day, he still surprises me with flowers on special occasions, and sends me sweet messages throughout the day. A perfect gentleman, he always helps me get in and out of the car.
(We welcome your suggestions and comments. Please e-mail me at [email protected]. Follow me on Instagram @monsromulo.)
- Latest
