Ducky Paredes

“Jun Ebdane has, comparatively, more sterling performance and achievements in maintaining peace and order, having served in various capacities in the area of national security.”

by Ducky Paredes

Of course you have seen the full-page advertisements from mainly unknown agricultural, religious, political and business personalities that urge Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr. to run for President. They see in him an alternative candidate – a virtual dark horse – ranged against politicians – young and old – who want it for themselves.

Hermogenes Edejer Ebdane, Jr. for President?

“Mas okey pa nga yung di naglalaway sa puwesto, kesa yung nagkakandarapa makapuwesto sa Palasyo.’’

What does Jun have going for him? In the four years that he has been DPWH Secretary, Ebdane has cleared the infra backlog at the agency by finishing most of the infrastructure projects that were not completed or started because of legal, technical or bureaucratic problems.

Since 2005, under Jun Ebdane (a civil engineer), DPWH built and improved 51,936 kilometers of road, 238,851 lineal meters of bridges, 49,826 kilometers of flood control projects and constructed 97,166 school buildings.  In fact, if the Arroyo administration has a strong suit, it is the engineer’s work that Ebdane has done for her, that provides to spark the growth of investments, agri-business and tourism in the countryside.

“This is Ebdane’s biggest asset. While others just talk and make cute infomercials about themselves, Ebdane is the silent worker who did his job to connect the islands. He sees to it that he visits most of these projects no matter how far and dangerous these project sites are. This has endeared him to the people in the provinces.’’

Backers claim that Ebdane has the needed nationwide network to wage a no-nonsense political campaign.

But, a cabinet member running against his President’s personal choice? This is unprecedented, and even – to some – disloyal and disruptive.

To his anonymous backers, Jun Ebdane has, comparatively, more sterling performance and greater achievements in maintaining peace and order than his president’s handpicked candidate.

Actually, Ebdane earlier also served as Secretary of National Defense, National Security Adviser, Director General of the National Security Council, Vice-Chairman of the Anti-Terrorism Task Force and National Anti-Terrorism Coordinator, and was the 13th Chief of the Philippine National Police. He is a veteran, of 34-years, in law enforcement, intelligence operations and public safety administration. 

Besides his Civil Engineering degree, Jun Ebdane also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in the Philippine Military Academy. He earned a master’s degree in Criminology, and a doctorate in Peace and Security Administration. 

He was born on December 30, 1948 in Candelaria, Zambales. He is happily married to former Alma Cabanayan with whom he was blessed with three children.

In one of his full-page advertisements, a Muslim mayor credits Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. for stopping the unnecessary deaths of mothers and babies in a poor isolated town in Zamboanga del Norte.

Mayor Norbi Edding of Sibuco, credits Ebdane for building a multi-billion road network linking his town to a nearby city so that his constituents and their children need not die at sea following birth complications that the local clinic cannot handle.

              The mayor says: “Before Secretary Ebdane completed the road, we have mothers and their babies dying monthly because they cannot make it to the modern hospitals in Zamboanga City. Although we are only 74 kilometers away from Zamboanga City, big mountains separate us and we have to take the sea to reach it in four hours.”

Edding credits the president and Ebdane for exercising political will to see through the completion of the P1.3 billion, 74-kilometer Limpapa-Lintangan-Sibuco road, thus linking Sibuco to Zamboanga City by land. Trips from Sibuco to Zamboanga now take about two hours.

“The reason why my constituents and I support Ebdane is because we can actually see his efforts and dedication to bring progress in the countryside especially to isolated and far-flung places like ours,” Edding said.  

According to Edding, the road network has also brought progress to the municipality, which he said would eradicate the problem of rebellion.

 “Progress will now help us address the problem of rebellion and terrorism. As you know, poverty, lack of public service from the national government, discontent; and general isolation has caused this town to have a sizeable presence of rebels from the Morro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and Morro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF),” he said.

Sibuco is a municipality in the southernmost part of Zamboanga del Norte. It has a 50, 000 population, 65% of whom are Muslims.

How many Mayor Eddings are there who can appreciate the work of Jun Ebdane? Public works at various levels are often claimed by councilors (even barangay chairmen) mayors, governors, congressmen, senators and even presidents. Sure Jun Ebdane did it but everyone else claims the credit for the road, the bridge and the lights that Jun Ebdane built.

I have no idea how far Jun Ebdane will get in his campaign to capture a post at which he and his supporters know he can do better than the present contenders — a son to two heroes, a bar topnotcher and favored nephew, a deposed president and a land developer; but, hey, it’s a free country.

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I have a letter from an unexpected source: “We would like to express our appreciation for the piece you did on Dodsworth dated September 9, 2009 (Turistang Ingrato) .  We totally agree with all that you have said.  And we are sorry that the honest citizens of the Philippines have been subject to this harassment.  We are the parents of a daughter who married Dodsworth in December 2002.  She subsequently separated from him in September 2006 and after several legal proceedings obtained a divorce from him in August 2008.

“Your description of his dealings with the hotel employees draws a very accurate picture of his lying, nasty behavior.  He used similar tactics during the protracted divorce proceedings.  It was very difficult to get anyone to see him for what he is.  It was, therefore, refreshing to see him described in print as the person he really is.” — Edward W & Joyce W Bergtholdt. 16291 Palomino Drive, Springville, CA 93265

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Readers who missed a column can access www.duckyparedes.com/blogs. This is updated daily. Your reactions are welcome at duckyparedes@yahoo.com

 

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hvp 09.29.09

 

 

Readers who missed a column can access www.duckyparedes.com/blogs. This is updated daily. Your reactions are welcome at duckyparedes@yahoo.com