Defensor first senatorial bet to make foray in Bohol trail

The first senatorial candidate to make a foray in Bohol 's campaign hustings is Mike ‘Tol Defensor.. The presidential chief of staff was here Friday as guest speaker and inducting officer during the oath-taking of the officers and members of the newly-organized Bohol Media Workers (BMW) Club in a luncheon gathering at MetroCentre Hotel. Defensor made a courtesy call at the Governor's Office right before the event started.

Earlier Friday, Governor Erico Aumentado made to the public, his endorsement of Defensor's candidacy during his weekly radio program, “The Governor's Report” and even gave a fraction of the airlanes to the senatorial aspirant. Other personalities who attended the media gathering were former provincial police chief Sancho Bernales who is contemplating of running either for mayor of Mabini or for a seat in the Provincial Board for third district, Alfonso “Ae” Damalerio II who is also eyeing a slot in the Provincial Board for first district, and Sikatuna Kagawad Rose Manlangit who is running for mayor.

National Youth Commissioner Benjie Oliva, who earned his rank from the support of Defensor, arranged the event for the BMW Club. Other supporters who showed up at the gathering were Isabelito Tongco, the chief of staff of the office of First District Representative Edgar Chatto, retired NBI-12 regional director Ben Sinchez and Captain Manlangit. Defensor, who is running under the Unity Ticket, vowed to bring to the Senate, the voice of the Bohol media workers to uplift their standard of living.

Defensor, whose slogan projects him as “Utol” material or brother to the less-privileged, explained that his popularity among the media people was based on his availability anytime for interview with newswriters, news reporters, opinion-makers and other workers in the media industry. “You know, the work of a journalist is very hard. The work of a media person is very hard. That's why…I make myself available to the media and that is probably why I'm also one of the highest ranking, modesty aside, the highest ranking in terms of popularity among the members of the cabinet, because I have always been open for [inquiries],” Defensor explained.

In return, Defensor promised to follow up the eyed housing project for the local media practitioners. “If I make it to the Senate this May elections, I assure you that you have a brother and a friend in the Senate. There was a housing project proposed three to four years ago. Once a public land is available, the President (President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) can easily proclaim it,” he said. He added that in his talk with Governor Erico Aumentado in the past, he was assured there are still public lands available for a housing project for the media people and other employees of local media outfits.

Defensor explained that media workers deserve a better standard of living since they have been instrumental, as purveyors of truth, in nation-building, yet even withstanding dangerous lives. That's why, he said, he tries his best to be available whenever the media needs information on any issue that he can expound. Defensor started out as the youngest councilor of Quezon City in 1992, who even got a reelection for the next term.

Defensor became congressman of the third district in Quezon City in 1995, which won him the tag as the youngest member of the House of Representatives then. He was reelected in 1998. He was among the top 10 Legislators, New Millennium's Most Outstanding Solons and chosen Most Consistent Outstanding Congressman for three consecutive years by the Gladiators Magazine and Congress Watch Magazine. In his reelected stint in 1998, Defensor became assistant minority floor leader of the Eleventh Congress.

As legislator, he was able to pass RA 8313- -An Act upgrading the Quirino Memorial Medical Center , and RA 8976- -An Act Requiring the Fortification of Processed Foods with Essential Micro-nutrients. He had also co-authored priority bills including the one creating the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1998, the Act Amending the Magna Carta of the Disabled Persons, and the Act Mandating the Nationwide Rabies Vaccination Program.

Under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Defensor was appointed presidential adviser on housing and chair of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC). As cabinet member, he earned the Most Outstanding Cabinet Secretary award from the Gawad Paglilingkod Metro Manila Radio Reporters Organization in 2002 in recognition of his performance as chairman of HUDCC. In 1999, Asiaweek cited him as one of Asia 's Political Leaders of the New Millennium. Defensor is a product of the University of the Philippines , with the degree in Bachelor of Arts in History, and Masters in Public Administration.

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