MANILA, Philippines – Limang House Speaker ng House of Representatives sa pangunguna ni House Speaker Faustino Dy ang nagbigay ng pagkilala sa yumaong si Jose de Venecia, ang pinakamahabang nagsilbi bilang House Speaker.
“We gather as one House to honor the life of Speaker De Venecia that shaped this institution and influenced the course of our democracy,” pahayag ni Speaker Dy.
Kabilang sa lumahok sina dating Speakers Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Manuel “Manny” Villar Jr., Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte Jr at Martin Romualdez na isa isang nagbigay ng kanilang eulogy.
Sa kanyang tribute sinabi ni Dy na si De Venecia ang nagpakita kung paano ang maging maging na lider , ang ginawa nito sa Kamara ay mahirap na pantayan.
“Tito Joe, set the standard of dignity in conduct, discipline in stewardship and fidelity to the nation above all else,” ani Dy.
Tinawag naman ni Arroyo, na Presidente noon nang maging House Speaker si De Venecia, na isang statesman.
“A statesman, a colleague and a man whose imprint on Philippine political life will endure for generations. I would remember him most in his “unwavering belief in the power of dialogue over division,” ani Arroyo.
Sinabi naman ni Villar, na naging House Speaker noong 11th Congress na si De Venecia ang syang tanging may kakayahan na gawing maayos ang bawat hindi pagkakaunawaan o pagkakaiba ng opinyon.
“He has this rare ability to turn disagreements into dialogue and dialogue into action. He built bridges across the aisle and across continents because he understood that the Filipino dream was larger than any quarrel or ambition,” paliwanag ni Villar.
Kinilala naman ni Belmonte ang international legacy na iniwan ni de Venecia.
“A statesman and diplomat par excellence who believed that Asia’s future depends on its economic and political integration,” ani Belmonte kung saan si De Venecia umano ang nagpalakas ng cross-border political dialogue.
Inilala naman ni Romualdez si De Venecia bilang “founder, builder and unifier”, sinabi nito na ang liderato ni de Venecia sa Kamara ang nagpalakas ng institusyon.
“He did not silence dissent; he harmonized it. He did not diminish differences; he reconciled them. De Venecia proved “unity is not weakness. It is strength disciplined by wisdom.” Giit ni Romualdez.
Si de Venecia ay pumanaw sa edad na 89,nagsilbi ito bilang House Speaker noong 9th, 10th, 12th, 13th at 14th Congress. Gail Mendoza
