Petropolitik, Sapian and China 10

Petropolitik, Sapian and China - Tenth in a Continuing Series

FVR’s trip to visit a farmers’ cooperative in Silay, Negros was actually a side trip to a visit to Victorias Milling Company (VMC). VMC is a family enterprise started in 1951 by the super rich Luzuriaga clan in Victorias, Negros Occidental. Its over-diversification and the decreasing demand for cane sugar in the world market left it in financial trouble. So, FVR bailed out the sinking company with a PNB loan package. While there, he inaugurated additional canneries for VMC Spanish sardines and Spanish-style bangus that we enjoy today. Victorias deserve help. It is probably the most compassionate company that I will ever know. Don Claudio de Luzuriaga was said to be strict and arrogant haciendero. Of course, since the 50s, he had the first and only sugar refinery (white granulated sugar) in the Philippines until Benedicto built the Calinog-Lambunao refinery in the late 70s. But one night he had a dream of God castigating him. The next day, he built a Church of the Angry God as he remembered it in his dream. We visited the circular Catholic Church painted halfway around with a mural of a very angry Jesus Christ, pointing fingers, mouth cursing, eyes blazing with fire, on the background were lightning bolts and a trembling earth. The depiction of Christ would have been a sacrilege had he not own a refinery. More than that, he also built homes for all his workers, from accountants to tractor drivers; houses with middle-class amenities, marble floors, hardwood panels, running water; he established a hospital, and sent the kids to better schools in Bacolod, from prep to College. Some children and thrid generation descendants of drivers and servants are now doctors and engineers. And many of them continue to work for VMC.

Since it was a PNB bail-out, PNB Chairman of the Board, and Presidential Adviser Bitay Lacson (former Negros Occidental Governor) helped us coordinate the event. We see Governor Lacson every Tuesday in FVR’s Cabinet. Bitay is the elder cousin of Jules Ledesma III (Asunta), sugar baron of San Carlos City and owner of Negros Navigation (NN). He is also the boss of Iloilo’s Hechanovas - Ramon is the Chairman of Regional Development Council (RDC) and Tony is former NN president before he was appointed as DENR Undersecretary. We will talk about the Hechanovas in another post, particularly, on with regard to our improved road that was officially called, Panay Arterial Highway/Kalibo Highway Phase II: Crossing Lanot-Banga Road.

At the end of the program, and FVR has gone to golf with the Luzuriagas, we staff waited in the VMC Club House with West Visayas PNP and AFP commanders ready to load our VIPs back to Manila. Suddenly, I saw retired Colonel Romeo S.  Fernandez. I approached him and he remembered me. He said he was the Warden of prison in Iloilo. Colonel Fernandez was the Provincial Commander of Capiz for many years. I remembered that when we were in Grade VI-Rizal, under the late Auntie Pining (Mrs. Josefina) Baguio, we had flag raisings and retreats in front of municipal hall and Chief Jose “Peping” Honrado was the Chief of Police. He was still the Capiz PNP Commander until after I graduated in High School. When we were in first year high school, the late Mayor Ishmael B. Orillos organized an very important Purok Organization event held in Basketball Court. Nong Tiboy even had a lechon baka near the slide. I waited for slices of roast calf and watched the program. Colonel Fernandez was the guest of honor, and Chief Peping was introducing him, “Colonel Fernandez, I am happy to report to you that the Municipality of Sapian is the most peaceful town in the whole Province of Capiz!” Then there was a very loud BOOOoomMm! followed by a long silence. Toto Alfred Oleo, Ramon Montina and the late Peter Vista Bueno were in Toto Alfred’s house just on the next block from the program and they lighted a large firecracker. Chief Peping ordered his policemen to get the perpetrator, but before they could, Alfred’s Dad knew who it was and they really got into a big trouble that night.

Mr. Eddie Olmo deputized Nening Alex Olano to train our CAT Corps officers. The day before COCC started, Nang Marilou Oro received a message from Provincial Command for a youth training. I, together with the late Sammy Oro, was asked to go Loctogan to attend a Barangay Rural Improvement Corps (BRIC) seminar on livelihood project. Colonel Fernandez presided over the training. I asked him to give a short tape-recorded inspirational message to SNHS CAT Corps. He obliged and remembered me from thereon. The tape was played on our COCC. Many years later and long before our last meeting in Negros, we would see in few major events in Malacanang and once in Camp Crame. I reminded him of the interview in his jeep. In one instance, I delivered his letter to FVR, and in another I helped follow-up his retirement with General Ernesto Gidaya of Veterans Affairs