“What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.” — T.S. Elliot
I doff my hat to the Tribune’s editorial board led by Mr. Willie Fernandez for giving me a space to articulate my thoughts on national and international issues that have a bearing on every Filipino.
As a public servant and politician, I have been lauded and crucified by people on opposing sides of the political fence. During my stint as a presidential spokesperson up to my senatorial candidacy in last year’s elections, I experienced the antagonism of the mainstream media. Tribune was among the handful of agencies that consistently allowed me to present the side of the Duterte administration on every controversial issue. The broadsheet also supported my run for the Senate under the UniTeam party.
My relationship with Tribune started with its founder and then editor-in-chief Ninez Cacho-Olivarez in the mid-2000s. I have always defended the Filipinos’ right to free speech and advocated the decriminalization of the country’s libel law.
I stood as legal counsel for the late journalist and her colleagues in their class action against former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo. The case stemmed from Arroyo’s indiscriminate filing of libel charges against more than 40 journalists between 2003 and 2006. The P12-million suit was the first of its kind in the world, and I was proud to have defended the likes of Ms. Olivarez.
Again, my deepest gratitude to Mr. Fernandez and the rest of the team for allowing me to write for the Tribune. May your newspaper continue to be a herald of impartiality, balance, and fearlessness. For now, my Tribune journey ends here.
Career path
Before I became Harry Roque — the lawyer, educator, and politician — I was an entrepreneur.
At a young age, I assisted at my mother’s small bookstore in Makati City. On All Saints’ Day, I sold samalamig (chilled beverages) in Sucat, Parañaque. In high school, I supplied stores in Barangay BF Homes with fruits I purchased from Divisoria during Christmastime. As a University of Michigan student, I worked as a cook in a student cooperative. To support my law studies at the University of the Philippines, I was a part-time House of Representatives worker and a door-to-door encyclopedia salesman.
My early foray into business taught me the value of promoting one’s products, ideas, and skills to a target audience. I realized that salesmanship was crucial to advancing a career or a cause. As an activist, I learned the importance of financial independence to sustain my advocacies of pro-bono legal assistance to the marginalized and the rehabilitation of young urban poor drug dependents.
I communicated these salient points to the Grade 12 students at Rizal High School in Pasig City. I was a career orientation guest speaker. My maternal grandfather, Atty. Hipolito Lopez, and my paternal grand-uncle, Senator Jovito Salonga, were alumni of this public school. My wife graduated with honors from the same institution.
I encouraged the Rizalians to consider the legal or teaching professions. I practice and teach law to train future lawyers to promote the common good through existing laws. Our social institutions would benefit from practitioners that raise legal and human rights awareness. In this age of disinformation, we need professionals that can develop Filipinos to become critical thinkers.
I also presented the Rizalians with a pathway toward entrepreneurship. Citing personal experience, I advised the students to set and accomplish short, medium, and long-term goals. From being a samalamig vendor, I have invested in business ventures which have yielded dividends through the years. Currently, I have partnered with a Japanese company to put up solar farms and LNG (liquified natural gas) plants in the country.
Indeed, ambition matched by perseverance would propel anyone to move forward and upward.