LMP-P’sinan Prexy Lauds Speaker Joe at 90

  RECALLS TOO HIS LEGACIES TO PH, WORLD

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

MANAOAG, Pangasinan – The two-term mayor of this pilgrims’ town hailed five-time former House Speaker Jose “Joe” de Venecia, Jr. as he celebrates today his 90 years of age.

“Salamat sa walang kapantay ninyong pagmamahal sa aming pinagpalang Bayan ng Manaoag mula noon hanggang ngayon at sa legasiyang patuloy na nagbibigay-inspirasyon sa marami. Pagpalain po kayo lagi. Mahal po namin kayo, 5-time House Speaker Jose “Joe’ De Venecia, Jr.!” wrote at his Facebook Page by this first class landlocked mayor Jeremy Agerico Rosario.

Rosario, a surgeon, said that his constituents could not forget how the visionary congressman of the Fourth District of Pangasinan molded the political and economic milieus of the country and the world.

 The legacies of De Venecia –affectionately called by his followers as “JDV” -- have been defined by his transformative roles in Philippine politics, economics, and global diplomacy, marked by forming the "Rainbow Coalition" when majority members of the Congress still favored former Speaker Ramon Mitra, Jr. who was defeated by former Defense Secretary Fidel V. Ramos in the 1992 presidential election.

Because of the chutzpah of De Venecia many of the 86 congressmen of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) headed by Mitra joined his and Ramos fold where the duo's Lakas –NUCD had 41 loyal lawmakers only. The resulting "Rainbow Coalition" included also those congressmen in the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), the Liberal Party, and the Nacionalista Party.

The broad coalition resulted for De Venecia to be elected for the first time as  Speaker under Ramos who is his provincemate in Pangasinan.

  Other legislative gems hammered by the rabble rousing Speaker was the inclusive governance, championing the Dollar Remittance Program for the Overseas Foreign Workers (OFWs), co-founded the renamed Lakas-CMD Party, and pioneered the interfaith and intercultural dialogue for world peace, earning tributes for inspiring future leaders in public service, environmentalism, and nation-building. 

“As the five –time Speaker of the House don’t take that easy. That is first time in the history of Asia and the world I served as Speaker five times then my wife retired but she served twice and the she retired our congressman son took over. Now he is on his second term. All these happened because of the affection of the people of the Second District of Pangasinan and the Fourth District of Pangasinan. I’ve been the only in the Philippines who represented two congressional districts,” Jose de Venecia, known also as JDV, told foreign and local dignitaries and guests who attended his 83^rd birthday in December 30, 2019 held at his swanky coastal abode in Barangay Bonuan Binloc, Dagupan City.

“Maligayang 90th Birthday po, Manong Joe! Salamat po sa inyong pagmamahal sa Pinagpalang Bayan ng Manaoag at sa inyong hindi matatawarang legacy na patuloy na humuhubog sa bansa maging sa panahon ngayon!”  Rosario, the President of the 44 towns members of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) - Pangasinan Chapter, wrote.