Benedicto S. Wong
Encyclopedia
Benedicto Wong was a Filipino politician.
), the fifth child to a Chinese immigrant from Macau
and naturalized Filipino, Benito Wong (Wong Wu Pak, dec. 2001) who made a living as a baker and cook, and a local woman from Navotas, Manila, Virginia Suacoco (dec. 2011). Benedicto, also known as "Pamboy" or "Boy", pursued and achieved local political leadership, in the course of political renewal after the ouster of Ferdinand Marcos
in the Philippine People Power Revolution of 1986, as Barangay
chairperson of Barangay Sampaguita Village, San Pedro, Laguna
, the Philippines, where he moved his young family in 1974, for a six-year term in 1988-1994.
Benedicto Wong graduated from the Far Eastern University
of the Philippines with a degree in finance
. He worked at General Bank & Trust Company which was later acquired by tycoon Lucio Tan
and renamed Allied Bank
ing Corporation. He was chosen as one of a few to undergo the first Executive Development Program of Allied Bank, and before he resigned from the bank, he was the bank manager of the bank's Paco, Manila branch. He married an accountant he met at General Bank & Trust Company, Luce Ascaño (who was later to join the Central Bank of the Philippines, or Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
), with whom he had three children, Benedict, Stephen and Willa Mae. Benedicto worked for a number of years at stock brokerage firm Securities Specialists Inc. in Makati City, ultimately as executive assistant to the firm's president, Francisco Villaroman, before returning fully to entrepreneurial life in the early 1980s. At various times of his life he was occupied with homesteading and clearing land for vegetables, collecting drift wood and growing orchids, herding sheep and goats and chickens for sale, at sole proprietorships in merchandising and trade, as a plumber and contractor for drilling water wells in the Laguna Bay aquifers, and the horticulture
of the sampaguita flower crop.
region of the early 1990s. In the Association of Barangay Chairmen of San Pedro, Laguna, he was among the pioneering users of citizen's band radio for the purpose of co-ordinating incident response with local police and in the improved communications and collaboration
with fellow elected officials within the radio area.
During his tenure as elected executive of the Barangay council empowered by the Republic of the Philippines Department of the Interior and Local Government, he signed into effect council resolutions, kept security and safety issues paramount, including taking responsibility for alternative dispute resolution
, witnessing of lawful agreements, record-keeping of police blotters for mischief and misdemeanor, beefing up the Barangay Tanod volunteer security force, tackling youth drug addiction and juvenile crime, as well as building a permanent home or hall for the Barangay council. He also spear-headed an alternative and competing transport association in order to improve local transit jeepney
service to the Barangay, and secured funding for significant road improvements of the main roadway. He worked to give funding to the local primary and secondary school for a drum and bugle band, and he also collaborated with families that were delinquent in sending their school-age children to school. Locals had always been able to reach "Kap" (a term for "Kapitan", or head of the Barangay) any time of day or night to respond to urgent needs and developing issues of importance. His informal as well as official engagements with the constituency had been in their homes, or at the sala
of his residence and in the garden underneath three palm or coconut trees.
He was affiliated with the national LDP, the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino
. He was a political contemporary of the town of San Pedro, Laguna mayor Calixto R. Catáquiz
, Philippine congressman Nereo Joaquin, and Philippine presidents Corazon Aquino
and Fidel Ramos (with whom he is said to have borne some resemblance). In 1992, he was a member-delegate of the mayor's trade mission
to Hong Kong
and Shenzhen
, China.
in October 1994, after his single term of office had ended. He died at age 49 on New Year's Eve
, December 31, 1994, in Muntinlupa City
, Manila
, the Philippines
. He is buried at Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City
, Manila
, the Philippines
.
Early life and career
Wong was born at the beginning of the Battle for Manila (the liberation of the city of Manila by Allied forces and guerillas from the Japanese occupation of the PhilippinesJapanese occupation of the Philippines
The Japanese occupation of the Philippines was the period in the history of the Philippines between 1942 and 1945, when the Empire of Japan occupied the previously American-controlled Philippines during World War II....
), the fifth child to a Chinese immigrant from Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
and naturalized Filipino, Benito Wong (Wong Wu Pak, dec. 2001) who made a living as a baker and cook, and a local woman from Navotas, Manila, Virginia Suacoco (dec. 2011). Benedicto, also known as "Pamboy" or "Boy", pursued and achieved local political leadership, in the course of political renewal after the ouster of Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
in the Philippine People Power Revolution of 1986, as Barangay
Barangay
A barangay is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or ward...
chairperson of Barangay Sampaguita Village, San Pedro, Laguna
San Pedro, Laguna
The City of San Pedro is a first class Municipality in the province of Laguna, Philippines. It is named after its patron saint, Saint Peter. San Pedro is Laguna's gateway to Metro Manila since it lies on the boundary with Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila's southernmost city...
, the Philippines, where he moved his young family in 1974, for a six-year term in 1988-1994.
Benedicto Wong graduated from the Far Eastern University
Far Eastern University
Far Eastern University in the University Belt area, West Sampaloc, City of Manila, is a nonsectarian, private university in the Philippines. Created by the merger of Far Eastern College and the Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance, FEU became a university in 1934 under the guidance of...
of the Philippines with a degree in finance
Finance
"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
. He worked at General Bank & Trust Company which was later acquired by tycoon Lucio Tan
Lucio Tan
Lucio Tan is a prominent Chinese Filipino business magnate and is one of the most prominent business magnates in the Philippines...
and renamed Allied Bank
Allied Bank
Allied Bank, formally known as Allied Banking Corporation, is one of the largest banks in the Philippines, ranking tenth in terms of assets...
ing Corporation. He was chosen as one of a few to undergo the first Executive Development Program of Allied Bank, and before he resigned from the bank, he was the bank manager of the bank's Paco, Manila branch. He married an accountant he met at General Bank & Trust Company, Luce Ascaño (who was later to join the Central Bank of the Philippines, or Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and commonly abbreviated as BSP is the central bank of the Philippines. It was rechartered on July 3, 1993, pursuant to the provision of the 1987 Philippine Constitution and the New Central Bank Act of 1993...
), with whom he had three children, Benedict, Stephen and Willa Mae. Benedicto worked for a number of years at stock brokerage firm Securities Specialists Inc. in Makati City, ultimately as executive assistant to the firm's president, Francisco Villaroman, before returning fully to entrepreneurial life in the early 1980s. At various times of his life he was occupied with homesteading and clearing land for vegetables, collecting drift wood and growing orchids, herding sheep and goats and chickens for sale, at sole proprietorships in merchandising and trade, as a plumber and contractor for drilling water wells in the Laguna Bay aquifers, and the horticulture
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
of the sampaguita flower crop.
Political career
In 1988, at age 43, he pursued political life as a neophyte, failed to secure a seat on town council, then won by a few hundred votes over his main rival Lucien Canlas for the chairmanship of Barangay Sampaguita Village in the subsequent local government barangay elections. As an elected official, he projected an image of a Gandhi by carrying a walking stick and meandering about among the constituency, especially the disadvantaged and squatters in the outskirts of the barangay. One of his main contributions was to engage these disadvantaged groups in the democratic process. He also served as conduit for job-seekers in the rapidly industrializing CalabarzonCALABARZON
CALABARZON is one of the regions of the Philippines. It is also designated as Region IV-A and its regional center is Calamba City in Laguna...
region of the early 1990s. In the Association of Barangay Chairmen of San Pedro, Laguna, he was among the pioneering users of citizen's band radio for the purpose of co-ordinating incident response with local police and in the improved communications and collaboration
Collaboration
Collaboration is working together to achieve a goal. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals, — for example, an intriguing endeavor that is creative in nature—by sharing...
with fellow elected officials within the radio area.
During his tenure as elected executive of the Barangay council empowered by the Republic of the Philippines Department of the Interior and Local Government, he signed into effect council resolutions, kept security and safety issues paramount, including taking responsibility for alternative dispute resolution
Alternative dispute resolution
Alternative Dispute Resolution includes dispute resolution processes and techniques that act as a means for disagreeing parties to come to an agreement short of litigation. ADR basically is an alternative to a formal court hearing or litigation...
, witnessing of lawful agreements, record-keeping of police blotters for mischief and misdemeanor, beefing up the Barangay Tanod volunteer security force, tackling youth drug addiction and juvenile crime, as well as building a permanent home or hall for the Barangay council. He also spear-headed an alternative and competing transport association in order to improve local transit jeepney
Jeepney
Jeepneys are the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. They were originally made from US military jeeps left over from World War II and are known for their flamboyant decoration and crowded seating...
service to the Barangay, and secured funding for significant road improvements of the main roadway. He worked to give funding to the local primary and secondary school for a drum and bugle band, and he also collaborated with families that were delinquent in sending their school-age children to school. Locals had always been able to reach "Kap" (a term for "Kapitan", or head of the Barangay) any time of day or night to respond to urgent needs and developing issues of importance. His informal as well as official engagements with the constituency had been in their homes, or at the sala
Sala (architecture)
A Sala , also known as a sala Thai, is an open pavilion, used as a meeting place and to protect people from sun and rain. Most are open on all four sides. They are found throughout Thailand in Buddhist temple areas, or Wats, although they can also be located in other places. A person who builds a...
of his residence and in the garden underneath three palm or coconut trees.
He was affiliated with the national LDP, the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino
Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino
The Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino is a political party in the Philippines founded in 1988.There are no results available of the last elections for the House of Representatives, but according to the website of the House, the party holds 7 out of 235 seats . The party is divided into two factions...
. He was a political contemporary of the town of San Pedro, Laguna mayor Calixto R. Catáquiz
Calixto R. Catáquiz
Calixto R. Catáquiz is the incumbent mayor of San Pedro, Laguna, Philippines. He is also a businessman and banker, and once managed the Laguna Lake Development Authority from 2001 to 2003.-Early life and education:...
, Philippine congressman Nereo Joaquin, and Philippine presidents Corazon Aquino
Corazon Aquino
Maria Corazon Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino was the 11th President of the Philippines and the first woman to hold that office in Philippine history. She is best remembered for leading the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the Philippines...
and Fidel Ramos (with whom he is said to have borne some resemblance). In 1992, he was a member-delegate of the mayor's trade mission
Trade mission
Trade mission is an international trip by government officials and businesspeople that is organized by agencies of national or provincial governments for purpose of exploring international business opportunities. Business people who attend trade missions are typically introduced both to important...
to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Shenzhen
Shenzhen
Shenzhen is a major city in the south of Southern China's Guangdong Province, situated immediately north of Hong Kong. The area became China's first—and one of the most successful—Special Economic Zones...
, China.
Death
Wong was diagnosed with cancerCancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
in October 1994, after his single term of office had ended. He died at age 49 on New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
, December 31, 1994, in Muntinlupa City
Muntinlupa City
The City of Muntinlupa is the southernmost city in Philippine National Capital Region. It is bordered on the north by Taguig City; to the northwest by Parañaque City; by Las Piñas City to the west; to the southwest by the city of Bacoor, Cavite; by the city of San Pedro, Laguna; and by Laguna de...
, Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. He is buried at Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City
Parañaque City
The City of Parañaque , or simply Parañaque , is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila in the Philippines....
, Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
.