Yes, you read it right!
My congressman is saying No to PORK. Simply because he is a vegetarian. He's been a Vegan for 10 years now as part of his healthy lifestsyle.
On a more serious tone, I am blogging to announce that as of this writing I am working part-time also as one of his 3 consultants ( alongside with 2 other lawyers, his son Atty Harlin Abayon Jr and Atty. Neil Pelito) for the special project and development in the 1st District if Northern Samar.
More than being one of his consultants, I am proud to say that he helped me get through my college education being a recipient of Congressional Scholarship that he sponsored.
With my great pride to present the father of Northern Samar;
ATTY. HARLIN
CASTILLO ABAYON
Harlin Castillo Abayon is
a representative of the First District of Northern Samar to the House of
Representatives, He also served this same post from 1998-2007 and Governor of
Northern Samar, 1988-1998. His 30 years
in government service is a record of a colorful political career, given
substance through sheer perseverance and hard work.
His political acumen is something which can only be described as
admirable and exemplary. His success was never handed to him on a golden
platter. In 1980, he was elected mayor
of San Antonio,
Northern Samar, an island-town. However, it was only on April 22, 1982 that he was able to
assume office after a two-year court battle which he himself fought and was finally
decided by the Supreme Court.
His distinct brand of political
strategies did not go unnoticed when during the 1986 election campaign, he was
designated Provincial Coordinator for the Province of Northern
Samar of the Cory Aquino for President Movement and Deputy Desk
Officer for Region 8. On March 1, 1986 he was
appointed as Special Assistant to the Administrator of the National Food
Authority, and shortly after on March
16, 1986, he climbed up to the Deputy Administrator level, a
position he held until his appointment as OIC Vice Governor on November 1, 1986.
In 1988, he proved the
pundits wrong when he ran for governor.
Armed with the fire and energy of youth, he fought his way inch by inch
until on March 1,
1988, he assumed as governor of the Province of Northern Samar,
winning the election by a mere 37–vote margin.
He was but 37 years old then.
From then on, victory was
no longer elusive. Re-elected in the May
1992 synchronized elections, he won a landslide convincing victory, breaking
the political record as the first governor to win by such margin. The people of Northern
Samar again gave him an overwhelming margin during the May 1995
elections, breaking his own record.
After successfully completing three consecutive terms as governor, he
ran for a seat in the House of Representatives during the May 11, 1998 elections. The people of the first district of Northern
Samar showed their confidence and respect for their former governor by giving
him another landslide victory. Again, he
was reelected by another landslide victory on the May 14, 2001 and May 10, 2004 elections.
What are the legacies which the people of Northern
Samar are thankful of Congressman Abayon? When he was governor,
his vision mirrored his deep concern for the less fortunate constituents and
his strong belief that the Nortehanons themselves are the most precious
resource of the province. His programs
centered on improving people’s access to social services, particularly health,
nutrition and education. He launched the
Social Amelioration Program as the centerpiece agenda of his administration,
providing medical and burial assistance to people living below the poverty
threshold.
He is the father of TAMBULIG, an inter-agency medical, dental and social
action program that reaches out and serves Nortehanons in far-flung
barangays. Since August 1994, TAMBULIG
has served more than 200,000 Nortehanons.
In 1995, the Provincial
Government, with the support of the Diocese of Catarman, the Philippine
Independent Church and civic organizations, successfully implemented a mass
wedding program in order to further strengthen the family as the basic and the
most important social unit.
He is very proud of the
Home for Children and Adolescents, a drop-in center for abandoned and abused
women and children, which he considers as the place where dreams are dreamt and
realized. He is equally proud of the Skills Training
Center for Women, which
is being assisted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency or JICA. Through this, he hopes that the full
potential of women will be realized as they become active partners in the
development of the province.
In 1988 when he assumed
office as governor, peace and security in Northern Samar
was, to some, a vague goal. He worked
tirelessly in restoring the people’s confidence in the government, people’s trust
in the democratic processes, and people’s faith in democracy. His remarkable
commitment and unwavering perseverance in his quest for peace earned him an
Award during the 99th anniversary celebration of the Philippine Army
in Fort Bonifacio, Manila,
coming from no less than President Fidel V. Ramos. But according to him, this award is not his
alone. Rather, the award belongs to the
people of Northern Samar for their individual
and collective efforts in securing peace in the province. He conceptualized the
help for Catubig Agricultural Advocate Project ( HCAAP ) which is funded in the
amount of Two Billion Five Hundred Million
Pesos (P2.5 B).
eHe
During his first term in the House of Representatives, he has earned the
trust and confidence of his colleagues as manifested by his election as the
Vice Chairman of the Committees on Civil Service and Professional Regulation,
Health, and Government Enterprises and Privatization. On the other hand, he was
Member of the Committees on Appropriations, Accounts, Ways and Means, Games and
Amusement, Foreign Affairs, National Defense, Justice, and Public Order and
Security.
He has been a principal
author and co–author of several bills of national and local significance.
He was awarded by the League of Press Associations of the Philippines as
one of the twenty (20) Most Outstanding Congressmen of 1999 based on the
quality of bills authored and co–authored, active participation in committee
hearings and debates, responsiveness on projects, and immediate assistance towards
constituents.
It was also a remarkable
year for the realization of his biggest and most cherished dream – the
improvement of roads, bridges and other structures such that of Catarman–Calbayog
via Lope de Vega road amounting to PhP482, 000, 000.00 Yen Loan Package by the
Japan Bank for International Cooperation Agency.
On his second term in the
House of Representatives, he was the Chairman of the Committee on Higher and Technical
Education; Vice Chairman of the Committees on Civil Service and Professional
Regulation, Transportation and Communications, and Health; and Member of the
Committees on Appropriations, Accounts, Legislative Franchises, Local
Government, Ways and Means, Games and Amusements, Agriculture, Food and
Fisheries, Public Order and Security, Revision of Laws National Defense,
Energy, and Justice.
Representative Abayon, as Chairman on the Committee on Higher and
Technical Education, believes that education helps reduce crime, binds society,
and instills progressive attitudes and values in people bettering their
responsiveness to change. In recognition to his commitment to Education, he
received three Honoris Causa from well known colleges and universities – Doctor
of Education by Western
Mindanao State
University, Doctor of
Humanities by Cebu
Normal University
and Doctor of Humanities by Laguna
State Polytechnic
University.
His concern for the underprivileged and those who cannot afford the
costly fees in pursuing higher education is manifested in all the projects and
educational assistance he rendered to his constituents. Being the principal author
and co-author of various house bills that converted many state colleges into state
universities from different parts of the country, he eased the burden of the
less fortunate students who are willing to continue their education. He authored
the PRC Modernization Act of 2000 which is now Republic Act 8981. It recognizes
the important role of professionals in nation building. He also authored the
National Service Training Program (NSTP) Act of 2001 which is now Republic Act
9163 which gave tertiary students the privilege to render personal, military or
civil service, thus, promoting civic consciousness among the youth whom he
considers the most valuable resource of our nation. He effectively pursued the
implementation of many Infrastructure Development Projects like farm-to-market
roads vital to the development of the province of Northern Samar.
On his third term in the House of Representatives, he was a member of
Commission on Appointments, Deputy Majority Leader; Senior Vice Chairman for
Committees on Higher and Technical Education, Civil Service and Professional
Regulation; Vice Chairman of the Committees on Appropriations, and Information
and Communications Technology; and Member of the Committees on Accounts,
Agriculture, Banks and Financial Intermediaries, Energy, Export Promotions, Games
and Amusements, Health, Justice, Legislative Franchises, Local Government,
National Defense, Oversight, Public Works and Highways, Revision of Laws, and
Transportation.
He co-authored R.A. 9335 that provides for the optimum performance in
Revenue Collection through special incentives, rewards and lateral attrition;
R.A. 9340 that resets the Barangay election, and extends the term of office of
Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Officials; and R.A. 9339 that further amends
the franchise of Visayan Electric Company and renews its term of franchise to
another twenty-five years. Furthermore, he co-authored R.A. 9262 that defines
violence against women and their children, providing protective measures for the
victims.
As a member of the House of Representatives and from the time he assumed
office as Governor of the province, his aspiration to render genuine public
service to the Nortehanons is a pledge of his endless commitment.
He was a Legal Consultant of the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources from 2007-2009 and a Senior Partner in the Abayon Silva Salanatin and
Associates Law Firm. He is the incumbent President of Philippine Forest
Corporation, having assumed as such on March 20, 2009.
He is a lawyer by profession. He
is married to Daryl Grace Jagdon-Abayon and their family was blessed with three
sons and a daughter.
(my very first narrative article about my congressman)
