Vicente Paterno
Vicente Paterno | |
---|---|
Senator of the Philippines | |
In office June 30, 1987 – June 30, 1992 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Vicente Tirona Paterno 18 November 1925 Quiapo, Manila, Philippine Islands |
Died | 21 November 2014 | (aged 89)
Nationality | Filipino |
Spouse | Socorro Paz Trinidad Pardo |
Children | Judy Paterno Mailin Paterno Maite Paterno Victor Paterno Tina Paterno |
Alma mater | University of the Philippines, Harvard Business School |
Occupation | Businessman and politician |
Vicente Tirona Paterno (18 November 1925 – 21 November 2014) was a Filipino businessman and politician. He served as Minister of Industry (1974–1979) and of Public Highways (1979–1980) during the Ferdinand Marcos' government. He later served as member of the Senate of the Philippines from 1987 to 1992.[1]
Early life
Vicente Tirona Paterno was born in Quiapo, Manila on November 18, 1925 to Jose P. Paterno and Jacoba Encarnacion Tirona.[2]
Educational life
He is graduate of De La Salle high school class 41 and later on earned his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree at the University of the Philippines in 1948 and obtained Master of Business Administration at Harvard University in 1953.
Paterno was a lecturer in graduate school of U.P., La Salle and Ateneo de Manila from 1954 to 1962.
Personal life
He is survived by his wife Baby, his children Judy, Mailin, Maite, Victor and Tina, and his eight grandchildren.
Career
In October 1982 he founded Philippine Seven Corp. He is known for becoming the first general manager of Phinma and the first Filipino treasurer of Manila Electric Company (Meralco).
Paterno started Philippine Seven Corporation in 1982. Popularly known as 7-Eleven, the convenience store has over 1,200 branches in the country.
He served as independent director for different companies such as City Resources Phil Corp., Benpres Holdings Corp., Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., Cityland Development Corp. and of First Philippine Holdings. He eventually resigned as his health failed.
Paterno won several awards – the Order of the Sacred Treasure from the Emperor of Japan, the 1982 MAP Management Man of the Year, and the 2013 Ramon V. del Rosario Award.[3]
Political life
He was elected as a representative to the Batasang Pambansa following his resignation from the late stronghold former President Ferdinand Marcos’ Kilusang Bagong Lipunan. At the time, he criticized the administration's response to the assassination of opposition Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.
He then became chairman of the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) in Metro Manila during the 1986 presidential elections.
Afterwards, Paterno, a graduate of the Harvard Business School, was appointed Deputy Executive Secretary for Energy from April 1986 to February 1987, and Chairman of the Philippine National Oil Company from March 1986 to February 1987.
Then President Corazon Aquino convinced him to run for senator. He succeeded and served from 1987 to 1992.
Death and legacy
Former Senator Vicente Paterno died at 8:40 in the morning of 21 November 2014. He was 89 years old.
A report by radio dzBB said the remains of the late senator will be brought to Sanctuario de San Antonio after the cremation at Heritage Park. The wake will start Friday night.
Malacañang mourned the death of the former senator, saying the nation has lost a distinguished public servant and exponent of principled governance.
“We extend our deepest sympathy to his widow and children; his passing is a loss to the country but his enduring example will remain a constant source of pride for his loved ones and the Filipino people whom he served so well,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a press statement.
She said that as chairman of the BOI and Minister of Public Highways in the Marcos administration, Paterno refused to surrender his independence or integrity and contributed to the rebuilding of the nation after the EDSA Revolution as president of the PNOC.
“A respected businessman, he served on the boards of numerous corporations in addition to his family’s own enterprises. Throughout his public life, whether in the halls of government or the boardrooms of the private sector, he was an exponent of honesty, efficiency, faith and love of country," she added.
Valte said also notable was Paterno's advocacy of good governance as one of the prime movers in the formation of the advocacy group, Former Senior Government Officials.
References
- ^ "Vicente T. Paterno". senate.gov.ph. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
- ^ "Let us now praise (humble) men". BusinessWorld. 10 November 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
- ^ "Former Senator Paterno dies". GMA News. 21 November 2014. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
External links
- 1925 births
- 2014 deaths
- People from Quiapo, Manila
- Filipino businesspeople
- Senators of the 8th Congress of the Philippines
- Secretaries of Trade and Industry of the Philippines
- Secretaries of Public Works and Highways of the Philippines
- University of the Philippines alumni
- Marcos Administration cabinet members
- Members of the Batasang Pambansa
- Harvard Business School alumni
- Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Merit (Philippines)