Another obvious model of a Senatoriable is former Senator Richard (Dick) Gordon. He also fulfills all the criteria that I laid out in my speech during the deliberations about a bicameral vs. a unicameral legislative body in a presidential form of government.  His academic preparations are very solid, having studied at two of the best universities in the country.  He took undergraduate studies at the Ateneo de Manila University, major in History and Government.  Then he enrolled at the Law School of the University of the Philippines where he was recognized as a top student leader.   He embarked on his political journey as the youngest elected delegate of the 1971 Constitutional Convention, consistently advocating for the duties and obligations of citizens within the Constitution.  A pivotal moment in his political career was his tenure as Mayor of Olongapo, during which he transformed the city from a “sin city” to a “model city” renowned for its disciplined residents and cleanliness.   Under his leadership, Olongapo generated over 200,000 jobs and attracted some $3 billion in investments. If ever there was a Philippine city resembling the culture of discipline and order of Singapore, it was Olongapo under the leadership of Dick Gordon.

            As Tourism Secretary, Gordon made significant contributions to the hospitality sector with the launch of the WOW Philippines program, which significantly boosted tourism despite the economic crisis of the early 2000s when the Philippines was still derisively called the “Sick Man of Asia.”   During his tenure as a senator, Gordon authored several significant laws, including the Automated Election Law, the Tourism Act, and the legislation creating economic zones.   As Chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee, he spearheaded investigations into major corruption scandals, such as the Fertilizer Fund Scandal  and the ZTE National Broadband Contract.

            Gordon’s role in the Philippine Red Cross has been transformative, elevating the organization into the leading humanitarian organization in the country.  He was elected to the governing board of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.  His accomplishments have earned him numerous awards, including the Lifetime National Volunteer Achievement Award in 2015 and the Japanese Red Cross Gold Humanitarian Award, among others.  He has also been recognized by Asia Week  and Asahi Shimbun as one of the notable Asian leaders.   Outstanding LGU heads today who are following the footsteps of Richard Gordon, who started as Mayor of Olongapo, are Mayor Vito Sotto of Pasig City, Mayor Ben Magalong of Baguio City, Governor Joet Garcia of Bataan and Governor Hermilando Mandanas of Batangas.  These would be most qualified if they decide to run for the Senate sooner or later.

            Another brilliant professional with the education, experience and wisdom of a Senatoriable is Chel Diokno who is well known as an educator, writer and human rights advocate.  His political journey began in the late 1980s when he became a member of the presidential human rights committee under the late President Corazon Aquino and then subsequently under the late President Fidel Ramos.  From 2017 to 2019, he served as the adviser on human rights to the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.  His leadership and advocacy skills are evident in his role as the head of the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) since 2004.  FLAG provides legal aid to activists and victims of human rights violations.

            In the realm of education, Diokno has made significant contributions, serving as the founding dean of the College of Law at De La Salle University and as a law professor since the late 1980s.  He actively conducts legal and paralegal seminars and consultations for marginalized communities and provides training for lawyers in various government agencies.  In his political career, he ran for the Senate in 2019 under the opposition party called Otso Diretso slate.  He later joined the senatorial slate of the labor leader Leody de Guzman and Vice President Leni Robredo, receiving an endorsement from the opposition coalition 1Sambayan.      

            Diokno’s campaign platforms encompass various issues, including judicial system reform, support for ordinary workers and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), strengthening anti-corruption laws, improving public education, and transitioning the transportation sector into a sustainable model.  He is able to support these programs, which require a great deal of research and intellectual work, because of his solid educational formation, having studied at La Salle Green Hills for his secondary education, then at the University of the Philippines where he took a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy course.  He then proceeded to enroll at the Northern Illinois College of Law  where he graduated with a Magna Cum Laude.

            Another seasoned politician who has the qualifications to be elected Senator is Michael Tan Defensor who began his political career as the youngest councilor of Quezon City, where he was tasked with creating a desirable public image of the President of the masses.  Known for his consistent track record of forward-looking initiatives across multiple Administrations, Defensor has made significant contributions to Philippine politics.  After being re-elected as a representative of Quezon City in 1998, Defensor led a group of young, highly educated   legislators known as the “Spice Boys” because of their elegant demeanor, who played a pivotal role in the impeachment of President Joseph Estrada. 

            During the Arroyo Administration, Defensor became the youngest member of President Arroyo’s cabinet.   In his role, he held three main assignments:  Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Council in 2001, President’s Campaign Manager in 2004 and Environment Secretary in the same year. As regards academic accomplishments, he attended high school in Niles McKinly Ohio and completed college at the University of the Philippines with a degree in History.  Later, he took a Master’s program in Public Administration in the same university.

            Finally, there is Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez who represents Cagayan de Oro’s 2^nd district and is the current President of the Centrist Democratic Party.  Since grade school, he consistently demonstrated academic excellence, having been Valedictorian at Xavier University in both grade school and high school.  He was recognized as the Most Outstanding High School Student by the CDO Jaycees and No. 1 High School Student of Northern Mindanao by the YMCA Misamis Oriental Chapter.  He graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in AB Economics from De La Salle University and was an Entrance Scholar at the UP School of Law.  He has authored books on the Law of Transportation and two handbooks, one on local government and the other on credit transactions.  He graduated from the Law School ranking 7^th in his class.  In 1981, he passed the Bar exam placing 17^th with an average of 86 %

            He did not stop upskilling himself in other disciplines.  He earned an MA in Economics with the highest distinction from Xavier University in 1984 and a Master of Laws from Columbia in New York, graduating Magna cum Laude in 1995.  His awards include the Harlan Fiske Stone Award and a Certificate of Achievement with Honors from the Parker Program on International and Foreign Law.  His political and career experiences span numerous positions, including Vice-Governor of Misamis Oriental (1980), Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration (1998 to 2001),  Chief of Staff of Senator Loi Estrada, and appointed Ambassador to Germany in 2001. Should he run for the Senate, he would be eminently qualified. For comments, my email address is bernardo.villegas@uap.asia.