Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. (born June 5, 1938) is a political figure and senator of the Philippines.
Senator Ramon Magsaysay, Jr., inherited his great sense of compassion for the common tao from his revered parents, the late President Ramon del Fierro Magsaysay of Zambales and Mrs. Luz Magsaysay (nee Banzon) of Bataan.
But more than being the son of the country’s most loved president, Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. is a self-made man. With President Magsaysay’s sudden death on March 17, 1957, 18-year-old Jun inherited greater responsibilities that enabled him to recognize the value of perseverance and hard work.
“…Those who have less in life should have more in law,” the said grassroots slogan was the hallmark of the Magsaysay administration in the ’50s. That same statement Jun Magsaysay put to heart as he believes that to implement genuine public service, it has to be oriented towards bravely fighting for people’s rights to achieve a humane and moral leadership. He has shown interest in pursuing issues that manifest his sense of concern for the greatest number of people and strong belief for moral principles.
Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. has pushed the Magsaysay crusade for an honest, efficient, responsive and open (HERO) government.
1. IMPACT ON PUBLIC WELFARE AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
A.SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND/OR CULTURAL IMPACT
When Senator Ramon B. Magsaysay, Jr. dissented in the enactment of the Retail Trade Liberalization Act in 1998, many were in the opinion that while Magsaysay advocates globalization, the preparedness and readiness of the small businessmen are primordial for them to survive international competition. Believing that full government assistance, identification of safety nets, and a five-year transition period to prepare SMEs with the advent of liberal economy and open trading are significant to enjoy the benefits of GATT-WTO.
B.GEOGRAPHIC IMPACT
When Senator Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. expressed his belief that there was collusion between the military and the Abu Sayyaf expressed through a Senate Committee Report after conducting investigations on the Basilan siege, many agreed that the solon wanted national reform and would not countenance wrongdoing. While he believed that the Filipino soldiers should be accorded the highest recognition by anchoring laws which would further professionalize their ranks by increasing militia’s base pay, providing them and their families scholarships and housing assistance, and upgrading the table of the AFP organization, he also would not tolerate abuses and violations of the basic rights of the civilians.
C. YEARS OF DEDICATED WORK AND SERVICE
His entry into politics came in 1966, when he was elected as Congressman in the lone district of Zambales, until 1969. He went back to the private sector soon after. Gifted with a keen business sense and learned in the ways of mechanics, he pioneered the cable TV industry in the country in the early ’70s when antennas for cable television were things unheard of. Today, with roughly 900 cable operators nationwide, the cable television business has turned into a multi-billion peso a year industry. And in recognition of setting the blueprint for the sector, Magsaysay is known as “The Father of Cable Television.”
For the last nine years since his election in 1995 and his subsequent reelection in 2001, Senator Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. strives to work for legislation that will help improve the living conditions of the majority of the Filipino people. His programs and policies for the development of cooperatives and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are geared toward encouraging ordinary Filipinos to make use of their individual capabilities as they strive to attain their socio-economic goals and uplift their standard of living to a more decent and humane condition.
Likewise, he is the proponent of programs that empower the ordinary Filipino and help in the economic transformation of our society through Information Technology (IT), E-commerce, SME start-ups, professionalization of varied sectors and improving the cooperatives’ viability.
At present, he chairs two major committees : agriculture and food, and science and technology.
2. PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT, PROFESSIONAL, SOCIO-CIVIC, RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
2000-present Honorary Member, Rotary Club of Parañaque
1969-present Reserve Officer, Commander, Philippine Navy Trustee, Alay sa Kawal & Ramon Magsaysay Society
1988-90 Business Columnist, Philippine Daily Inquirer
1974-88 Member, Board of Consultants, National Supply Services Boy Scouts of the Philippines
1972-75 Vice President and Director, South Rizal Chamber of Industries
1973-74 Member, De La Salle College Alumni Board
1963-64 Assistant to the Commissioner, Philippine Participation to the New York World’s Fair
1962 Chairman, National Youth Committee for UNICEF Group Leader, Way-US Peace Corps Welfareville Project
1961-62 Vice Chairman, Work-A-Year with the People Volunteer Doctors Program under Sen. Raul Manglapus and Manuel Quezon
3.AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Doctor of Public Administration, Honoris Causa, Polytechnic Univ. of the Philippines (2003)
Golden Jubilee Awardee, Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers (2002)
Most Outstanding Mechanical Engineer, Professional Regulation Commission (2000)
First Internet Man of the Year (2000), Web Magazine
Doctor of Humanities, Honoris Causa (1999), Central Luzon State Univ.
Most Outstanding De La Salle Alumnus, The Philippine Star
Father of Cable Television in the Philippines
Most Outstanding Senator, Graphic Magazine
4. IMPACT ON FIELD OF ENDEAVOR OR PROFESSIONAL FIELD
Senator Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. voted with 10 of his colleagues in the Philippine Senate during the impeachment trial of President Estrada to open the envelope that changed the landscape of contemporary Philippine politics. Many agreed that he respects moral leadership and honest public service. In his mind, to open the envelope was the prudent venue in seeking the truth.
The Anti-Money Laundering Law of 2001 and its amendment in 2003, is considered as one of the most controversial and widely-debated policy measures in recent legislative history. In the course of its lengthy deliberations, many agreed that he was striking at the very core of public service. The said two laws were unpopular with politicians with the perception that many in the government would be affected by its implementation, but Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. fought tooth and nail for its passage. In fact, in one of the debates, he showed his disappointment and as reported, he banged the podium when the bill was being watered down.
5.LEGISLATIVE AGENDA (13th Congress)
Personal Equity Retirement Account (PERA)
Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF)
Young Farmers’ Program (YFP)
Good Samaritan Bill
Special Education Fund (Amending Art 272 of the Local Government Code)
Student Loan Program
Computer Literacy as subjects in elementary and high school curricula
Cybercrime Act
Coffee Research and Development Bill
Terrorism Finance Act
Rationalization of Tax Administration Bill
Pre-Need Bill
Corporate Recovery Act
Doctors for the Barrios Bill
Scholarship Program for Government Employees Act
Botika sa Barangay Bill
