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URING the long holiday,
I had the very pleasant
opportunity to re-connect
L-2 with my former staff in
Congress.
Ron Salo was hired on.the spotby
my then chief of staff. Atty. Patricia
A.O. Bunye. based on an impressive
resum6 and an obvious drive to suc-
ceed. Not to mention, he was at that
time, from Bayanan, Muntinlupa
City. : reach their highest potential.
Ron hadjust graduated Bachelor
of Arts in Psychology, 1998, UP Dili-
man, cum laude.
He was about to enroll at the UP
College of Law, where he later gmdu-
ated, with awards, in 2003.
We briefly losi touch after my con-
gressional stint but we met again in
2006, this time in Malacanang.
I was then press secretary/presi-
dential spokesman during the ad-
ministration of President. Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo.
Ron first joined Malacaflang as
assistant secretary in the office of
the presidential Iegislative officer.
He ended his stint in the palace as
a senior undersecretary at the of-
fice qf Executive Secretary Eduardo
Ermita.
I learned that during the inter-
vening years, Ron finished master cacies include the following:
of laws in international law. ?008, at
the Ubiversitv Collese Londoh. with ment and the private sector; 14th
meriqtra5 g.i1]r5 ah&ening scholar. ' month benefits'to all SSS and GSIS
I am not surprised atall with what retirees; regular salaries for baran-
Ron has achieved, as he has always
supported himself as a working stu-
dent and made the most ofthe oppor-
tunities that have come his way.
At various periods, prior to
Malacanang, he served in the fol-
lowing capacities:
.Consultant, DOH office of the
secretary Food & Drug Administra-
tion, National Nutritibn Council,
Development Academy of the Phil-
ippines.
. Board secretary of specialty
hospitals (Philippine Heart Centetl
National Kidney & Ttanspladt In-
stitute, Lung Center of the Philip-
pines , Philippine Children's Meiliaal
Center). 'i.i:
He is currently a member of.the
House of Representatives as ihe
nominee of the Kabaldan Party-List
(No. 2 Kabayan). In the current Con-
gress, Ron is a senior rhajority floor
leader.
Ron explains:
"Kabayan's primary objective is
to ensure the full reilization of.our
people's economic, iocial, and cul-
tural rights and to empower theil to
-
"So our advocacies are cent€tred
on our people's needs and' the
full development capacity to
chart their own
"Our summed up
in the acronym + 2 (KA-
lusugan, paBAhay, kabuhaYAN +
Edukasyon.& OFW Concerns\"
Not known to mahy, No. 2 Kabayan
wa3 one ofthe original proponents of
the Universal Health Care Bill.
Other bills which No. 2 Ka-bayan
authored (either as primary author
or co-author) include the bills which
eventually became the Department
of Housing Act, Universal Access to
Quality Tertiary Education Act, an
act extending the vatidity of pass-
ports to l0 years, gle HW-AIDS policy
and the Mental Hhalth Aet
No. 2 Kafayah's legislative aalvo-
14th month.-pay in the govern-
gay officials; re.gular honoraria for
barangay heafh workers and ba-
rangav nutril.ioh':scholars; establish-
ment of emergency medical services,
strengthening of..the system for organ
donatign; salary increase of teachers;
3Cs (critical thinking, competency
and character) in basic education;
establishment ofthe Department of
OFWS; on-site, ihrity r€settlement; tfe partyJist system, as
increase in thgi.number of ben- arrused by many as a back
it has been
Ooor into Conl
eficiaries in the following - medical gress, Rofhas shown
assistance progiam, governmedt
that it mav still be
internship program, DOLE TUPADT
'a Pos.itive vehicle
Tesda, CHED scholars. for change.'
, With many of us disheartened with
{'",+ & t ll