What drives Jun Abaya?

(Transportation and Communications Sec. Jun Abaya with his wife, Dr. Ria Abesamis-Abaya.)

IT probably isn’t easy to be named after a revolutionary hero like Emilio Aguinaldo, but Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo Abaya, the new transportation secretary, seems to carry it quite well.

In fact, Abaya, or Jun to his friends, seems every bit the overachiever as his great grandfather, the first president of the Philippine republic. Second in a family of six boys of former Congressman Plaridel Abaya and Consuelo Aguinaldo, he is currently acting president of the Liberal Party where word has it that he is being groomed as a future presidential standard bearer. (He insists President Aquino was just joking when the latter said, “Baka ikaw na rin ang susunod na magiging pangulo” at a recent LP sortie.)

Until recently, he was chairman of the powerful House Committee on Appropriations which successfully passed the 2013 budget. He also managed the House of Representatives prosecution panel during the historic impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Even in his youth, Abaya seemed quite in the thick of things. He was some sort of math genius and a consistent honor student at Philippine Science High School, the elite secondary school for the country’s...uhm...nerds.

While studying to be an electrical engineer at the University of the Philippines, Abaya took and topped the entrance exams at the Philippine Military Academy. (His dad was a former PMAer as well.) This qualified him to join the US Naval Academy where he was able to get a BS Math degree in 1988. Unsurprisingly, Abaya was a consistent dean’s lister at the Annapolis institution.

From there, Abaya studied for his Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering at Cornell University in New York. Upon his return to the Philippines, he served as aide-de-camp to President Corazon Aquino while enlisted in the Philippine Navy. With his father on his third term as congressman, Abaya went to the Ateneo Law School to prepare himself for a legislator’s life. He became a member of the Bar in 2007. He eventually retired from active military service after 20 years, with the rank of lieutenant commander.

(In similar fashion, at age 17, Emilio Aguinaldo was already a barangay official in the town of Binakayan, in what is known as the present-day Kawit, Cavite, according to Wikipedia. By 26, he was already Kawit’s first municipal captain. As member of the Magdalo faction of the Katipunan, Emilio successfully held off and defeated the Spaniards in various battles in Cavite. At age 29, Aguinaldo was elected first president of the Philippine republic. He died in 1964 at the age of 94, just two years before Abaya was born. Abaya’s mother, Consuelo, is the daughter of Emilio Jr.)

(Abaya is acting president of the ruling Liberal Party...and perhaps, if President Aquino had his way, future President of the Philippines as well.)

Abaya says the stories that stick out the most about his Lolo was that “he had an anting-anting, and had a friendly kapre that sat in a huge tree [at his home in Kawit], that’s why he never lost any battles. Mom would say Lolo is a quiet type of person. He never spoke English, maybe because of his anger [toward the Americans]. When he lost to Manuel Quezon [in the presidential elections of 1935 under the Commonwealth government], Lolo dedicated his life to helping the veterans [who fought for independence from the Americans]. He just quietly faded away in Kawit. I don’t think he even drank nor smoked.”

The eventual question is, of course: Does Abaya ever dream of becoming president of the Philippines someday? “No. President ng Magtatahong at Magtatalaba ng Kawit, pwede pa!” he answers in jest, then lets out a hearty laugh. Seriously now, even President Aquino says so! “He always likes to make jokes. You don’t plan for those things,” Abaya insists.

With his boyish charm and endearing smile, Abaya can actually be mistaken for just another college student, especially when he dons his favorite ensemble of sports shirts, jeans and sneakers (or sometimes sandals). “Ria [his wife] knows if I can get away with wearing this everywhere, I would!” the DOTC chief says sheepishly.

Though exposed to the American life and culture while a student at Annapolis, Abaya’s taste in music is strictly Pinoy. He is a fan of Noel Cabangon, Joey Ayala and...wait for it...Yoyoy Villame.

As DOTC chief, Abaya says his most pressing concerns are: getting the country’s aviation safety status upgraded to Category 1, implementing a P10-increase in Metro Rail Transit fares in 2013, rebidding of the information technology infrastructure project under the Land Transportation Office, “getting Naia-3 fully commissioned and online and addressing the structural deficiencies of Naia-1,” hiring more aviation experts for the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and air traffic controllers, to name a few.

(A young Abaya upon his graduation from the prestigious U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis in 1988.)

Considering the amount of work that has to be accomplished in a little less than four years until the Aquino administration steps down, this devoted soccer dad’s greatest fear about being DOTC secretary is spending less time with the family. “First of all, my response to the congratulations [on my appointment to DOTC] was, ‘Thank you. But kindly pray for us, but most especially for Ria and the kids. They’re the most affected sector in society with this decision.’”

For now, he still manages to bring the three kids to school in the morning, though the weekends are getting to be a challenge. (After our interview, which was held on a Sunday, he was off to Malacañang for the announcement of the Bangsamoro draft framework agreement. A pediatrician by profession, Abaya’s spouse, the former Ria Abesamis, tells me that she is realistic enough to expect that their regular family vacations may not include Jun in the meantime that he is serving in the government.)

But Abaya says he is determined to follow the example of the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, who always made it a point to be home with his family in Naga during the weekends. “The second [greatest fear], is not meeting the President’s expectations and the people’s expectations. Sabi ko nga, if the President figures out I’m a disservice to the people, I could easily go,” Abaya stresses.

“I think the amount of work…eventually I’ll catch up with it,” he adds. “I’m not intimidated by the technical stuff. The politics, the media…that is something I’m not used to. I don’t want to be the center of attention. But it’s part of the job, I will have to do it.”

By most accounts, Abaya passed his first formal press conference with the DOTC beat reporters with flying colors - our female and gay colleagues in media can't help but swoon over the the new secretary whom they think is a total dreamboat! (Oh, but wait ’til the consumer groups start protesting the MRT fare hike! Ouch!)

Sounds like the beginning of a thrilling ride for the good secretary.

(Something Like Life is published every Friday in the Life section of the BusinessMirror. This profile of DOTC Sec. Jun Abaya was published on Oct. 16, 2012. This is the unabridged version. Photos courtesy the Abaya family.)

Naia 3, tourism assets’ sale eyed

(Photo of NAIA 3 from Urban Monologues.)
THE Aquino administration is considering to privatize the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (Naia 3) and other tourism establishments, many of which were built under the term of the late strongman President Marcos.

In a lecture before students and faculty of the University of the Philippines’ Asian Institute of Tourism on Tuesday, Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim said government wants to fully operate the Naia 3, built by the Philippine International Air Terminals Co. (Piatco), by June 2012.

“By June next year we are going to open it fully. Actually, it’s being partially operated. There is no more question of ownership; the government is owning it and will fix it, and then will privatize it….”

Cebu Pacific and Air Philippines Express currently operate out of the Naia 3. The dispute over its ownership has deterred many foreign carriers from transferring their flights there. Piatco is coowned by Philippine firm PairCargo and Germany’s Fraport AG, but the Philippine government took over the Naia 3 in 2003, on grounds that there were illegal revisions in the government’s contract with the consortium.

In an interview with the BusinessMirror, Lim explained that fixing the terminal will likely involve the original contractor, Takenaka Corp. Details have yet to be worked out whether the Japanese firm will undertake the repairs solely “so government will not spend,” or if the government will spend for the repairs, then bid out the management of the terminal, he said.

He said Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corp. (AEDC) now owned by tycoon Lucio Tan is welcome to bid again for the Naia 3 management.

When the Ramos administration raised the idea of building Naia 3 in 1996, five of the country’s tycoons formed AEDC and submitted a build-operate-transfer proposal for the project. Being an unsolicited proposal, the project was subjected to a Swiss challenge which Piatco won. Since then, AEDC has been trying to claim ownership of Naia 3.

Meanwhile, other tourism establishments owned by the government through the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (formerly the Philippine Tourism Authority) set for possible privatization are the Banawe Hotel and Youth Hostel in Ifugao, Balicasag Island Dive Resort in Bohol, Gardens of Malasag Ecotourism Village in Cagayan de Oro, MacArthur Park Beach Resort in Leyte, Club Intramuros Golf Course in Manila and the Zamboanga Golf Course.

“What I’d like to do is to privatize, not compete, with the private sector in running tourism resorts. Before, President Marcos set up the Philippine Tourism Authority, which set up the AIT, in order to get its job started, built resorts in Banawe, in Bohol.

“But the government is not good at running a business. So I think, we can get enough visitors. If we don’t market it properly or aggressively or readily, this is not financially viable, or the government keeps subsidizing [their operations]….That’s why we have to privatize some of the assets that we have. The government should play an enabling role, not competing with the private sector,” Lim stressed.

(Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim addresses faculty and students of the UP-Asian Institute of Tourism. Photo by AIT.)

He said the Department of Tourism (DOT) would be speaking to the Department of Finance regarding the procedures to privatize the government-owned hotels and resorts.

“My goal is to sell these assets by 2016, and raise funds for the government,” Lim said.

He added the DOT will also conduct a “highest invest-use study” for these assets “to get maximum returns for the government,” before they are sold.

There has yet to be an assessment how much these DOT assets are worth, which is needed so a floor price can be set before these are privatized.

In his lecture, the Tourism secretary also outlined the strategic directions to enable the country to reach the Aquino administration’s targeted 6-million tourist arrivals by 2016:

• Prioritizing tourism infrastructure, and connecting destinations by an improved road network as well as airports;

• Diversifying tourism products by and “go beyond the sun and the sea,” e.g., nature, culture, adventure, sports, health and wellness, retirement, and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferencing, exhibitions);

• Encouraging investments in accommodation facilities, tourism enterprises zones;

• Upgrading standards for accommodations and services on a par with international standards;

• Implementing a focused and sustained international and domestic promotion program in existing and emerging markets via travel fairs, road shows and missions; traditional media, and new media (Internet, social networking, etc.); and

• Engaging various sectors (e.g., national government, local government, private sector, nongovernment organizations, academe and local community) in tourism development.

“We are a country with many young people who don’t have jobs. So instead of exporting our young people abroad, why don’t we bring the old people of different countries here, and we can give them care?” Lim asked, in suggesting that the Philippines offers itself as a retirement haven.

While MICE is an old product, he added that the Philippines has lost its “competitive edge” in this category vis-à-vis its other neighbors, such as Malaysia and Singapore.

“We used to be No.1 in MICE. In the 1970s, we were No. 1 in conventions. We built the PICC [Philippine International Convention Center], and continue to pay the interest and loans, we became good at hosting meetings. So we were able to pay off the interest…. I want to go back to MICE [because] this is one of the high-value areas of the market. The MICE visitors pay a lot of money, stay longer, go into convention tours, stay in five-star hotels and do a lot of shopping.”

(Originally published in the front page of the BusinessMirror, Feb. 25, 2011.)

But hus gona clean da toilet?!?!

IN the tradition of the now dead Chikkatime (sniff!), I leave you a couple of cute tidbits to tide you over the long weekend.

DA hu is this Senator who had an all-access pass to the Beijing Olympics, and who couldn't help but brandish his VIP ID to anyone who cared to talk to him or listen to him? Talk is this Senator – whose escapes from trouble are legendary – was able to secure the VIP pass from a colleague – an NPA (nonperforming asset) – who was originally assigned the ID but for some reason, didn't want to watch the Games. (Kasi siguro wala si Pac-man sa boxing team...sad.) Anyway, Mr. Senator Olympics seems to have no moral issues swiping the VIP ID from his colleague, even if he too is known as an NPA in the august body.

DA wat is this airline that is so cheap these days, it just uses only soap and water to clean its toilet bowls in its remaining planes that are flying (at the last count, it was just two), than the usual hygenic toilet duck-like chemical used by most airlines? Why only two planes? My little squirrels tell me that the rest of the fleet has been grounded, the planes cannibalized for spare parts, as the airline cuts down on its maintenance budget. Also, two of its jets have been pulled out by the lessors because airline management refuses to pay its debts owed to the leasing company. Speaking of maintenance, I also hear that the airline no longer has an experienced crew in the shop, disgusted with the way the management has been cutting corners. Most have left for Singapore for better-paying jobs. Also, its veteran pilots have flown the coop for more professionally-run airlines here and abroad. As a fellow journalist likes to remark: "But hus gona clean da toilet?!"


(Inside the NAIA-3. Photo from www.skyscrapercity.com)

DA hu is this Cabinet Secretary who was supposed to have said of his little colleague in the presidentita's family, reportedly also trying to cash in on the NAIA-3 terminal opening: "Ang tagal ko nang drinibble ito, ang lagay sya ang makikinabang?" Veterans of government contracts say that a lot of money is sure to be made from the approval of permits to concessionaires (stores, shops, boutiques, food stalls, etc.) who plan to set up in the terminal. Eased out of the NAIA-3 squeeze play, little colleague was not to be outdone. He instead got a very lucrative contract recently signed during the presidentita's recent trip to China. Aba, iba na pag paborit ni Ma'am noh?

Have a great weekend y'all!