Richard Gordon (politician)
Encyclopedia
Richard "Dick" Juico Gordon (born August 5, 1945 in Castillejos, Zambales
) is a Filipino
politician
and broadcaster
who currently serves as the chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross
.
As a politician, Gordon gained national prominence as the Chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority
during the administration of President Fidel Ramos, and as Secretary of Tourism under the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. In 2004, he was elected as Senator
under the senatorial ticket of President Arroyo. He ran for President in the 2010 Philippine elections
as the standard-bearer Bagumbayan - Volunteers for a New Philippines, but was unsuccessful in his bid.
Apart from his current position in the Red Cross, he also works as a broadcaster for News5. He presently hosts the radio show Aksyon Solusyon with Amelyn Veloso on Radyo5 92.3 News FM and the television show Duelo: Barilan ng Opinyon on AksyonTV
.
In an interview with The Manila Times that was published on July 21, 2011, Gordon declared his intention to run in the 2013 Philippine election
either for a position in the Senate or in the local government.
, the second municipal mayor of Olongapo
and first mayor of Olongapo when it was converted into a city, and Amelia Juico Gordon, Olongapo mayor from June 1967 to June 30, 1972.
In 1954, he completed his elementary education at Lourdes Catholic School
(now Lourdes School of Quezon City
) in Quezon City
and Colegio de San Juan de Letran
in Manila
. He then finished his secondary education in 1962 at the Ateneo de Manila University
. He stayed in Ateneo and completed his tertiary education, earning a degree of Bachelor of Arts, major in History and Government in 1966. After serving as a delegate for the 1971 Constitutional Convention, he successfully pursued a degree of Bachelor of Laws
at the University of the Philippines
College of Law
in the year 1975.
Between 1966 to 1967 he served as a Brand Manager for Procter and Gamble Philippines
. As the 1960s came to a close, he aided his mother Amelia in running the government of Olongapo after the assassination of his father James. In 1975, he became an Associate for the prestigious ACCRA Law Offices.
, which drafted the 1973 Constitution of the Philippines. He was the youngest delegate in the said convention.
. During his term as mayor, Olongapo soon became a highly urbanized city by the year 1983. Under his leadership, Olongapo City was converted from being a "sin city" into a “model city” by raising police accountability through I.D. systems, proper health and sanitation, waste management and the strict observance of color coding in public transport.
In 1986, Gordon and then San Juan mayor Joseph Estrada
became two of the local executives who refused to vacate their positions after the government reorganization by President
Corazon Aquino
. Gordon gave way for the Aquino appointed Officer-In-Charge after a formal written directive from the Executive Secretary representing Aquino was issued. In the same year, he joined Philippine Vice President Salvador Laurel
in reorganizing the Nacionalista Party
around the country. They campaigned for a "No" vote on the 1987 Constitution framed by the Aquino appointed constitutional convention. In 1988, he was elected as mayor with the help of the Nationalist People's Coalition
, a breakaway of the Nacionalista Party under Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco.
On September 1991, Gordon led a nationwide rally for the retention of the U.S. Bases in the Philippines. The U.S. naval base in Subic Bay
was a major income generating client of Olongapo City. In the same year, Olongapo experienced the greatest volcanic cataclysm of the century when Mt. Pinatubo erupted and dumped 14 inches of wet ash on the City. However, on September 16, 1991, the Philippine Senate voted 12-11 to reject the extension of a bases treaty.
In the 1992 local elections
, Gordon was reelected as mayor of Olongapo City by a landslide victory. In 1993, a citizen questioned Gordon's dual duty as mayor of Olongapo City and as chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority
. The Supreme Court
decided that Gordon must hold one position. Gordon decided to vacate his position as Mayor and assumed the position of SBMA chairman in full capacity.
To address the problems beforehand, Gordon led the citizens of Olongapo to mobilize and lobby for the inclusion of a free port concept into the national legislation for the conversion of the U.S. bases. The effort was successful, with the inclusion of the establishment of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone
(also known as the Subic Special Economic Zone) in Section 12 of Republic Act No. 7227, otherwise known as the Bases Conversion and Development Act, which was approved on March 13, 1992. Section 13 of the same legislation also provided for the establishment of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority
(SBMA), which was tasked to administer the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
On April 3, 1992, Gordon was appointed as the chairman of the SBMA by President Corazon Aquino
. By November 24, 1992, the U.S. Navy completed its withdrawal from the facility and its conversion for civilian and commercial use began. Volunteerism and the high civic spirit of the host community marked the pioneering efforts at conversion.
In the 1992 local elections
, Gordon was reelected as mayor of Olongapo City by a landslide victory. In 1993, a citizen questioned Gordon's dual duty as mayor of Olongapo City and as chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority
. The Supreme Court
decided that Gordon must hold one position. Gordon decided to vacate his position as Mayor and assumed the position of SBMA chairman in full capacity. In the 1995 local elections
, his wife Katherine, a three term Congresswoman, was elected mayor of Olongapo. In the 1996 APEC Summit, 18 world leaders were impressed with the facility and Subic became a new investment hub in Southeast Asia. Bluechip companies like FedEx Express, Enron
, Coastal Petroleum now El Paso Corporation, Taiwan computer giant Acer and France telecoms company Thomson SA
invested US$2.1 Billion in the freeport reinvigorating the economy and creating 200,000 jobs replacing those lost during the US Navy withdrawal.
In 1998, Gordon resigned as Chairman of the SBMA in order to run for president in the national elections held during that year. However, he eventually backed out from pursuing his candidacy. He was later re-appointed by outgoing President Fidel Ramos as chairman of the SBMA for a new six-year term.
After winning the 1998 presidential elections
on May of that year, newly elected President Joseph Estrada issued Administrative Order No. 1, which ordered the removal Gordon as Chairman of the SBMA. Estrada appointed Felicito Payumo, Gordon's critic and congressman of Bataan as new chairman. Gordon refused to step down, stating that his re-appointment from the Ramos administration gave him civil service protection. The removal process was not easy. Hundreds of volunteers and paid people barricated the gates of SBMA and Gordon locked himself inside the SBMA Administrative Office Building 229. After this, he was dubbed a dictator because of the fact that he rebelled against an executive order. The issue sparked the interest local and foreign press known as the Showdown at Subic.
Gordon filed for a temporary restraining order before the local court. The local court of Olongapo granted Gordon's request but Payumo's party filed an appeal before the Court of Appeals (CA). The CA reversed the local court's ruling and it was affirmed by the Supreme Court. With the Supreme Court decision, Gordon called Payumo and turned over the reins of SBMA at the Subic Bay Yacht Club two months later on 3 September 1998. Together with the Subic volunteers, they cleaned up the facility.
from the presidency. Newly installed President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appointed Gordon as secretary of the Department of Tourism. With his experience as a former brand manager of Procter and Gamble Philippines and chairman of SBMA, Gordon placed the Philippines in the international tourism map by actively marketing the Philippines in several tourism expositions and road shows with the Wow Philippines campaign strategy winning awards at ITB
and WTM. From 2002, after four years of negative growth and in spite of threats of terror post 9-11, Abu Sayyaf
kidnappings, SARS, Oakwood Mutiny
, tourism arrival increased heavily. He also encouraged domestic tourism by holding regional events and having provincial destinations showcased at Intramuros
and the rationalization of Holiday Economics. He held the position until January 2004.
in Cabanatuan, 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo
, 2004 landslides in Aurora, Quezon and 2006 Ginsaugun, Southern Leyte mudslide
and the PhilSports Arena stampede
. He is currently the chairman of Philippine Red Cross.
, Gordon ran for senator of the Philippines under the Koalisyon ng Katapatan at Karanasan sa Kinabukasan
(Coalition of Truth and Experience for Tomorrow) of President Arroyo. He won the election with 12,707,151 votes, which was the fifth highest number of votes from the electorate.
, as Chairman of the Senate Committee of Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Laws, he upheld the supremacy of the Constitution at all times. Though he may not have voted for the ratification of the 1987 Constitution, he took an oath to preserve and defend it. He insisted on the lawful process of Charter Change only according to the process set forth in the Constitution
. He opposed the method of Constituent Assembly
or "con-ass" initiated by President Arroyo and House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr.
, which was possible in the 1935 Constitution but unlawful in the current Constitution, as well as the dubious Sigaw ng Bayan People's Initiative
and was one of the triumphant parties in the case of Lambino and Aumentado vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 174153, October 25, 2006.
He also preserved the separation of powers in government and asserted the Senate’s constitutional right and duty to conduct inquiries in aid of legislation against Executive Order No. 464 in Senate, et al. vs. Ermita, G.R. No. 169777, April 20, 2006, and Executive Order No. 1 in Sabio vs. Gordon, et al., G.R. No. 174340, October 17, 2006.
.
Gordon quickly issued a press release on August 6, 2007 to clarify his comments in the dzBB interview. In the press release, he said that he did not declare his candidacy in the interview but merely answered to the interviewer's question regarding the possibility of him running for President. He further said that he would like to focus more on his work at the Senate, the Philippine National Red Cross, and the various causes that he supports.
On April 26, 2009, the Bagumbayan Movement was launched in the Rizal Park and in the Manila Hotel. The movement, which advocated "transformative politics", served to push for the presidential candidacy of Gordon in the 2010 elections. The movement was eventually recognized as a political party by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in October 2009
On November 29, 2009, then Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando
revealed that he and Gordon were having discussions on a possible team-up for the 2010 elections. A few days later, on December 1, 2009, Gordon and Fernando officially announced their tandem during a press conference at the Senate press office in Pasay City, with Gordon running for the presidency and Fernando running for the vice-presidency. During the press conference, they billed themselves as "the transformers" since they intend to "transform the nation". Later in the day, the tandem filed their certificates of candidacy in the COMELEC main office.
On May 11, 2010 Gordon was third to concede the presidential election to Sen. Noynoy Aquino.
free channel TV 41(channel 29 in Cebu and Davao) . He also co-hosts with Jake Macasaet on "Duelo" Mondays to Fridays 7-8pm on AksyonTV
free (UHF) TV 41 .
Social networking
Zambales
Zambales is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is Iba. Zambales borders Pangasinan to the north, Tarlac and Pampanga to the east, and Bataan to the south. The province lies between the South China Sea and the Zambales Mountains. With a land area of...
) is a Filipino
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and broadcaster
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
who currently serves as the chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross
Philippine National Red Cross
Born officially in 1947, Philippine Red Cross , a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, has roots that trace back to the revolutionary days...
.
As a politician, Gordon gained national prominence as the Chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority
The Subic Bay Freeport or what was the former US Naval facility in Subic Bay into a self-sustaining tourism, industrial, commercial, financial, and investment center to generate employment opportunities .-History:...
during the administration of President Fidel Ramos, and as Secretary of Tourism under the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. In 2004, he was elected as Senator
Senate of the Philippines
The Senate of the Philippines is the upper chamber of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, the Congress of the Philippines...
under the senatorial ticket of President Arroyo. He ran for President in the 2010 Philippine elections
Philippine presidential election, 2010
-Timeline:The COMELEC-mandated election period for this election was from January 10 to June 9, 2010.-2008:*August 26 - Then Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando announces bid for presidency....
as the standard-bearer Bagumbayan - Volunteers for a New Philippines, but was unsuccessful in his bid.
Apart from his current position in the Red Cross, he also works as a broadcaster for News5. He presently hosts the radio show Aksyon Solusyon with Amelyn Veloso on Radyo5 92.3 News FM and the television show Duelo: Barilan ng Opinyon on AksyonTV
AksyonTV
AksyonTV is a 24-hour non-stop news and sports-related channel in the Philippines. Owned and operated by Associated Broadcasting Company, it occupies the frequency previously used by MTV Philippines, a subsidiary of Nation Broadcasting Corporation...
.
In an interview with The Manila Times that was published on July 21, 2011, Gordon declared his intention to run in the 2013 Philippine election
Philippine general election, 2013
Legislative elections and local elections will be held on May 13, 2013. The duly elected legislators of the 2013 elections will join the elected senators of the 2010 elections and will comprise the 16th Congress of the Philippines...
either for a position in the Senate or in the local government.
Early life and career
Gordon is the son of James Leonard T. GordonJames Leonard T. Gordon
James Leonard Tagle Gordon was the first elected mayor of Olongapo City, Philippines from December 30, 1963 to February 20, 1967...
, the second municipal mayor of Olongapo
Olongapo City
The City of Olongapo is a highly urbanized city located in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 227,270 people in 50,300 households.-History:...
and first mayor of Olongapo when it was converted into a city, and Amelia Juico Gordon, Olongapo mayor from June 1967 to June 30, 1972.
In 1954, he completed his elementary education at Lourdes Catholic School
Lourdes School of Quezon City
Lourdes School Quezon City is a private, Catholic educational institution owned and founded by the Capuchins in Quezon City, Philippines, beside the National Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes. The school is also known by the acronym LSQC, which differentiates it from its sister school, Lourdes School...
(now Lourdes School of Quezon City
Lourdes School of Quezon City
Lourdes School Quezon City is a private, Catholic educational institution owned and founded by the Capuchins in Quezon City, Philippines, beside the National Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes. The school is also known by the acronym LSQC, which differentiates it from its sister school, Lourdes School...
) in Quezon City
Quezon City
Quezon City is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon, Quezon City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. The city was named after Manuel L...
and Colegio de San Juan de Letran
Colegio de San Juan de Letran
The Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Letran College, or simply Letran is a private Roman Catholic institution of learning located in Intramuros, Manila, in the Philippines. The college was founded in 1620. Colegio de San Juan de Letran has the distinction of being the oldest college in the...
in 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,...
. He then finished his secondary education in 1962 at the Ateneo de Manila University
Ateneo de Manila University
The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...
. He stayed in Ateneo and completed his tertiary education, earning a degree of Bachelor of Arts, major in History and Government in 1966. After serving as a delegate for the 1971 Constitutional Convention, he successfully pursued a degree of Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
at the University of the Philippines
University of the Philippines
The ' is the national university of the Philippines. Founded in 1908 through Act No...
College of Law
University of the Philippines College of Law
University of the Philippines College of Law or UP Law is the law school of the University of the Philippines. Since 1948, it has been located at the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City, the flagship campus of UP's seven constituent universities. Until the 1970s, night classes of...
in the year 1975.
Between 1966 to 1967 he served as a Brand Manager for Procter and Gamble 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...
. As the 1960s came to a close, he aided his mother Amelia in running the government of Olongapo after the assassination of his father James. In 1975, he became an Associate for the prestigious ACCRA Law Offices.
Ancestry
1971 Constitutional Convention
In the year 1971, while still studying at the UP, he was elected as the delegate of the first district of Zambales to the 1971 Constitutional ConventionPhilippine Constitutional Convention election, 1970
The Constitutional Convention of 1970 was called to change the existing Philippine Constitution which was made during the Commonwealth of the Philippines. Special elections for the CON-CON Delegates who will represent the various provinces of the country on November 10, 1970...
, which drafted the 1973 Constitution of the Philippines. He was the youngest delegate in the said convention.
Mayor of Olongapo City
In 1980, he was elected Mayor of Olongapo CityOlongapo City
The City of Olongapo is a highly urbanized city located in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 227,270 people in 50,300 households.-History:...
. During his term as mayor, Olongapo soon became a highly urbanized city by the year 1983. Under his leadership, Olongapo City was converted from being a "sin city" into a “model city” by raising police accountability through I.D. systems, proper health and sanitation, waste management and the strict observance of color coding in public transport.
In 1986, Gordon and then San Juan mayor Joseph Estrada
Joseph Estrada
Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...
became two of the local executives who refused to vacate their positions after the government reorganization by President
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
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...
. Gordon gave way for the Aquino appointed Officer-In-Charge after a formal written directive from the Executive Secretary representing Aquino was issued. In the same year, he joined Philippine Vice President Salvador Laurel
Salvador Laurel
Salvador Roman Hidalgo Laurel , also known as Doy Laurel, was Vice President of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992 under Corazon Aquino. Before that, he briefly served as Aquino's first Prime Minister from February 25 to March 25 of 1986...
in reorganizing the Nacionalista Party
Nacionalista Party
The Nacionalista Party is the oldest political party in the Philippines today and was responsible for leading the country throughout the majority of the 20th century since its founding in 1907...
around the country. They campaigned for a "No" vote on the 1987 Constitution framed by the Aquino appointed constitutional convention. In 1988, he was elected as mayor with the help of the Nationalist People's Coalition
Nationalist People's Coalition
The Nationalist People's Coalition or NPC is a political party in the Philippines.-History:The Party was founded in 1991 after some members of the Nacionalista Party led by then Rizal Governor Isidro Rodriguez bolted from the Nacionalista Party after some disagreements with Nacionalista party...
, a breakaway of the Nacionalista Party under Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco.
On September 1991, Gordon led a nationwide rally for the retention of the U.S. Bases in the Philippines. The U.S. naval base in Subic Bay
Subic Bay
Subic Bay is a bay forming part of Luzon Sea on the west coast of the island of Luzon in Zambales, Philippines, about 100 kilometers northwest of Manila Bay. Its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility named U.S...
was a major income generating client of Olongapo City. In the same year, Olongapo experienced the greatest volcanic cataclysm of the century when Mt. Pinatubo erupted and dumped 14 inches of wet ash on the City. However, on September 16, 1991, the Philippine Senate voted 12-11 to reject the extension of a bases treaty.
In the 1992 local elections
Philippine general election, 1992
The senatorial election was held in the Philippines on May 11, 1992. This was the first general election under the 1987 Philippine Constitution. An estimated 80,000 candidates ran for 17,000 posts from the presidency down to municipal councilors...
, Gordon was reelected as mayor of Olongapo City by a landslide victory. In 1993, a citizen questioned Gordon's dual duty as mayor of Olongapo City and as chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority
The Subic Bay Freeport or what was the former US Naval facility in Subic Bay into a self-sustaining tourism, industrial, commercial, financial, and investment center to generate employment opportunities .-History:...
. The Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the Philippines
The Supreme Court of the Philippines is the Philippines' highest judicial court, as well as the court of last resort. The court consists of 14 Associate Justices and 1 Chief Justice...
decided that Gordon must hold one position. Gordon decided to vacate his position as Mayor and assumed the position of SBMA chairman in full capacity.
Establishment and Development of the SBMA
The looming withdrawal of the Americans from the U.S. naval base in Subic meant the loss of over 40,000 jobs for Filipinos who were employed in the said base. Also, $ 8 million worth of infrastructure left behind by the Americans in the base and was in danger of being looted from outsiders, as evidenced by the looting that occurred in 1991 at the Clark Air Base due to the aftermath of the Pinatubo eruption.To address the problems beforehand, Gordon led the citizens of Olongapo to mobilize and lobby for the inclusion of a free port concept into the national legislation for the conversion of the U.S. bases. The effort was successful, with the inclusion of the establishment of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone
Subic Bay Freeport Zone
Subic Bay Freeport Zone , which is known simply as Subic Bay, is the Philippines' first success case of a into a tax- and duty-free zone similar to Hong Kong and Singapore, operated and managed by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority or SBMA. It covers the fenced area of the former U.S...
(also known as the Subic Special Economic Zone) in Section 12 of Republic Act No. 7227, otherwise known as the Bases Conversion and Development Act, which was approved on March 13, 1992. Section 13 of the same legislation also provided for the establishment of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority
The Subic Bay Freeport or what was the former US Naval facility in Subic Bay into a self-sustaining tourism, industrial, commercial, financial, and investment center to generate employment opportunities .-History:...
(SBMA), which was tasked to administer the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
On April 3, 1992, Gordon was appointed as the chairman of the SBMA by President 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...
. By November 24, 1992, the U.S. Navy completed its withdrawal from the facility and its conversion for civilian and commercial use began. Volunteerism and the high civic spirit of the host community marked the pioneering efforts at conversion.
In the 1992 local elections
Philippine general election, 1992
The senatorial election was held in the Philippines on May 11, 1992. This was the first general election under the 1987 Philippine Constitution. An estimated 80,000 candidates ran for 17,000 posts from the presidency down to municipal councilors...
, Gordon was reelected as mayor of Olongapo City by a landslide victory. In 1993, a citizen questioned Gordon's dual duty as mayor of Olongapo City and as chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority
The Subic Bay Freeport or what was the former US Naval facility in Subic Bay into a self-sustaining tourism, industrial, commercial, financial, and investment center to generate employment opportunities .-History:...
. The Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the Philippines
The Supreme Court of the Philippines is the Philippines' highest judicial court, as well as the court of last resort. The court consists of 14 Associate Justices and 1 Chief Justice...
decided that Gordon must hold one position. Gordon decided to vacate his position as Mayor and assumed the position of SBMA chairman in full capacity. In the 1995 local elections
Philippine general election, 1995
The senatorial election was held in the Philippines on May 8, 1995. Filipinos protected the ballot boxes with their lives and campaigned against traditional politicians who used bribery, flying voters, violence, election rigging, stealing of ballot boxes and etc...
, his wife Katherine, a three term Congresswoman, was elected mayor of Olongapo. In the 1996 APEC Summit, 18 world leaders were impressed with the facility and Subic became a new investment hub in Southeast Asia. Bluechip companies like FedEx Express, Enron
Enron
Enron Corporation was an American energy, commodities, and services company based in Houston, Texas. Before its bankruptcy on December 2, 2001, Enron employed approximately 22,000 staff and was one of the world's leading electricity, natural gas, communications, and pulp and paper companies, with...
, Coastal Petroleum now El Paso Corporation, Taiwan computer giant Acer and France telecoms company Thomson SA
Thomson SA
Technicolor SA , formerly Thomson SA and Thomson Multimedia, is a French international provider of solutions for the creation, management, post-production, delivery and access of video, for the Communication, Media and Entertainment industries. Technicolor’s headquarters are located in Issy les...
invested US$2.1 Billion in the freeport reinvigorating the economy and creating 200,000 jobs replacing those lost during the US Navy withdrawal.
In 1998, Gordon resigned as Chairman of the SBMA in order to run for president in the national elections held during that year. However, he eventually backed out from pursuing his candidacy. He was later re-appointed by outgoing President Fidel Ramos as chairman of the SBMA for a new six-year term.
1998 Forced Removal
In the 1990s, Gordon was a fierce critic of Joseph Estrada due to their difference of opinions regarding the US Naval Base. This was seen as early as 1991, when Gordon refused to let then-Senator Estrada film inside Subic Bay for a movie that criticized American bases in the Philippines.After winning the 1998 presidential elections
Philippine general election, 1998
The senatorial election was held in the Philippines on May 11, 1998. The two main competing coalitions in the senatorial election were the Lakas-NUCD-UMDP and the Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino -led coalition composed of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino , Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino , the...
on May of that year, newly elected President Joseph Estrada issued Administrative Order No. 1, which ordered the removal Gordon as Chairman of the SBMA. Estrada appointed Felicito Payumo, Gordon's critic and congressman of Bataan as new chairman. Gordon refused to step down, stating that his re-appointment from the Ramos administration gave him civil service protection. The removal process was not easy. Hundreds of volunteers and paid people barricated the gates of SBMA and Gordon locked himself inside the SBMA Administrative Office Building 229. After this, he was dubbed a dictator because of the fact that he rebelled against an executive order. The issue sparked the interest local and foreign press known as the Showdown at Subic.
Gordon filed for a temporary restraining order before the local court. The local court of Olongapo granted Gordon's request but Payumo's party filed an appeal before the Court of Appeals (CA). The CA reversed the local court's ruling and it was affirmed by the Supreme Court. With the Supreme Court decision, Gordon called Payumo and turned over the reins of SBMA at the Subic Bay Yacht Club two months later on 3 September 1998. Together with the Subic volunteers, they cleaned up the facility.
Secretary of Tourism
On January 2001, Gordon actively participated in the second EDSA Revolution that led to the removal of Joseph EstradaJoseph Estrada
Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...
from the presidency. Newly installed President
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appointed Gordon as secretary of the Department of Tourism. With his experience as a former brand manager of Procter and Gamble Philippines and chairman of SBMA, Gordon placed the Philippines in the international tourism map by actively marketing the Philippines in several tourism expositions and road shows with the Wow Philippines campaign strategy winning awards at ITB
ITB
ITB may refer to:* Institut Teknologi Bandung, a prestigious engineering school in Indonesia* Institut Teknologi Brunei, an institute of higher learning in Brunei* Institute of Technology, Blanchardstown, a regional technical college in Ireland...
and WTM. From 2002, after four years of negative growth and in spite of threats of terror post 9-11, Abu Sayyaf
Abu Sayyaf
Abu Sayyaf also known as al-Harakat al-Islamiyya is one of several military Islamist separatist groups based in and around the southern Philippines, in Bangsamoro where for almost 30 years various Muslim groups have been engaged in an insurgency for an independent province in the country...
kidnappings, SARS, Oakwood Mutiny
Oakwood mutiny
The Oakwood mutiny occurred in the Philippines on July 27, 2003. A group of 321 armed soldiers who called themselves "Bagong Katipuneros" led by Army Capt. Gerardo Gambala and LtSG...
, tourism arrival increased heavily. He also encouraged domestic tourism by holding regional events and having provincial destinations showcased at Intramuros
Intramuros
Intramuros is the oldest district in the present day city of Manila, the capital of the Republic of the Philippines. Nicknamed the "Walled City", Intramuros is the historic fortified city of Manila, the seat ot the government during the Spanish Colonial Period. Its name in Latin, intramuros,...
and the rationalization of Holiday Economics. He held the position until January 2004.
Philippine National Red Cross
Since 1986, Gordon was elected as governor of the Philippine National Red Cross, taking active roles in rescue, relief and rehabilitation in various disasters from shipwrecks, typhoons, 1990 earthquake1990 Luzon earthquake
The Luzon earthquake occurred on Monday, July 16, 1990, at 4:26 PM local time in the Philippines. The densely populated island of Luzon was struck by an earthquake with a 7.8 Ms...
in Cabanatuan, 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo
Mount Pinatubo
Mount Pinatubo is an active stratovolcano located on the island of Luzon, near the tripoint of the Philippine provinces of Zambales, Tarlac, and Pampanga. It is located in the Tri-Cabusilan Mountain range separating the west coast of Luzon from the central plains, and is west of the dormant and...
, 2004 landslides in Aurora, Quezon and 2006 Ginsaugun, Southern Leyte mudslide
2006 Southern Leyte mudslide
A massive rock slide-debris avalanche occurred on 17 February 2006 in the Philippine province of Southern Leyte that caused widespread damage and loss of life. The deadly landslide followed a ten-day period of heavy rains and a minor earthquake of magnitude 2.6 on the Richter scale...
and the PhilSports Arena stampede
PhilSports Arena stampede
The PhilSports Stadium stampede was a stampede that occurred at the PhilSports Stadium in Pasig City, Metro Manila in the Philippines on February 4, 2006. It killed 78 people and injured about 400...
. He is currently the chairman of Philippine Red Cross.
Election
In the 2004 national electionsPhilippine general election, 2004
The senatorial election was held in the Philippines on May 10, 2004. The major coalitions that participated are the Koalisyon ng Katapatan at Karanasan sa Kinabukasan composed of parties that support the candidacy of president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and the Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino ,...
, Gordon ran for senator of the Philippines under the Koalisyon ng Katapatan at Karanasan sa Kinabukasan
Koalisyon ng Katapatan at Karanasan sa Kinabukasan
The Koalisyon ng Katapatan at Karanasan sa Kinabukasan is the political coalition that supported president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who won the 2004 Philippine presidential elections. It is the remnant of the People Power Coalition that was formed following the ascendancy of president Gloria...
(Coalition of Truth and Experience for Tomorrow) of President Arroyo. He won the election with 12,707,151 votes, which was the fifth highest number of votes from the electorate.
Senate Chairmanships
During the 13th Congress (2004–2007)13th Congress of the Philippines
The Thirteenth Congress of the Philippines was the meeting of the national legislature of the Republic of the Philippines, composed of the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives...
, as Chairman of the Senate Committee of Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Laws, he upheld the supremacy of the Constitution at all times. Though he may not have voted for the ratification of the 1987 Constitution, he took an oath to preserve and defend it. He insisted on the lawful process of Charter Change only according to the process set forth in the Constitution
Constitution of the Philippines
The Constitution of the Philippines is the supreme law of the Philippines.The Constitution currently in effect was enacted in 1987, during the administration of President Corazon Aquino, and is popularly known as the "1987 Constitution"...
. He opposed the method of Constituent Assembly
Constituent Assembly (Philippines)
Constituent assembly or "con-ass" is one of the three modes in which the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines could be amended or revised. The other two modes are via People's Initiative and Constitutional Convention...
or "con-ass" initiated by President Arroyo and House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr.
Jose de Venecia, Jr.
Jose Claveria de Venecia, Jr. also known as JDV or Joe De V is a former Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, serving from 1992 to 1998 and from 2001 to 2008. As Speaker, he was the fourth highest ranking official of the Philippines. He was the former president of the...
, which was possible in the 1935 Constitution but unlawful in the current Constitution, as well as the dubious Sigaw ng Bayan People's Initiative
People's Initiative
People’s Initiative or "PI" is one of the modes in which the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines could be amended. The other two modes are via Constituent Assembly or "Con-Ass" and Constitutional Convention or "Con-Con"; which also allow revisions....
and was one of the triumphant parties in the case of Lambino and Aumentado vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 174153, October 25, 2006.
He also preserved the separation of powers in government and asserted the Senate’s constitutional right and duty to conduct inquiries in aid of legislation against Executive Order No. 464 in Senate, et al. vs. Ermita, G.R. No. 169777, April 20, 2006, and Executive Order No. 1 in Sabio vs. Gordon, et al., G.R. No. 174340, October 17, 2006.
Automated Election Law
He was also responsible for the passage of Republic Act No. 9369 — or the Automated Elections System to obviate cheating and post election controversies and protests that hound Philippine elections.WWII Veterans Compensation
On April 9, 2008, Araw ng Kagitingan or Day of Valor in Bataan, President Arroyo signed into law Republic Act No. 9499- Gordon's Veterans Bill. The Filipino World War II Veterans Pensions and Benefits Act of 2008 amends Sections 10 and 11 of Republic Act No. 6948, as amended, by removing the prohibition against our veterans receiving benefits from the United States government. Before the law was signed, the Philippine government benefits of veterans would be revoked once they were granted benefits by the United States government. Because of Gordon’s advocacy and persistence, this prohibition is now eliminated, and Filipino veterans will now be able to receive any form of benefit from any foreign government without losing the benefits given to them by the Philippine government.National Tourism Policy Act of 2009
He was the principal author of the National Tourism Policy Act of 2009 or Republic Act 9593, declaring a national policy for tourism as an engine of Investment and employment, growth and national development that was signed by President Arroyo in Cebu on May 12, 2009 and witnessed by the country's tourism private sector.2010 presidential campaign
On August 5, 2007, Gordon was asked in a radio interview in dzBB if he had any plans to run for president, to which he answered, "Well, I am available". He further elaborated that he plans to form a new political party aimed at pushing for the interest of the Filipinos and that he would run on a platform that is pro-people. His comments were eventually reported the next day on newspapers such as the Philippine Star, Malaya, Daily Tribune and AbanteAbante
Abante is a daily Filipino tabloid publication in the Philippines. Its office is in Manila. Its editor-in-chief is Allen A. Macasaet. During the State of Emergency in 2006, operatives from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group tried to raid Abante's office but withdrew when they saw that...
.
Gordon quickly issued a press release on August 6, 2007 to clarify his comments in the dzBB interview. In the press release, he said that he did not declare his candidacy in the interview but merely answered to the interviewer's question regarding the possibility of him running for President. He further said that he would like to focus more on his work at the Senate, the Philippine National Red Cross, and the various causes that he supports.
On April 26, 2009, the Bagumbayan Movement was launched in the Rizal Park and in the Manila Hotel. The movement, which advocated "transformative politics", served to push for the presidential candidacy of Gordon in the 2010 elections. The movement was eventually recognized as a political party by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in October 2009
On November 29, 2009, then Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando
Bayani Fernando
Bayani Flores Fernando is the former Chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority .He has announced his intention to run for President of the Philippines in the 2010 election. However, after talks with Richard Gordon, he agreed to slide as Vice President for Gordon's newly-established...
revealed that he and Gordon were having discussions on a possible team-up for the 2010 elections. A few days later, on December 1, 2009, Gordon and Fernando officially announced their tandem during a press conference at the Senate press office in Pasay City, with Gordon running for the presidency and Fernando running for the vice-presidency. During the press conference, they billed themselves as "the transformers" since they intend to "transform the nation". Later in the day, the tandem filed their certificates of candidacy in the COMELEC main office.
On May 11, 2010 Gordon was third to concede the presidential election to Sen. Noynoy Aquino.
Post-Senate Career
Following the end of his senate term, Gordon, together with Amelyn Veloso, currently anchors "Aksyon Solusyon" Mondays to Fridays 10-11am on 92.3 News FM and AksyonTVAksyonTV
AksyonTV is a 24-hour non-stop news and sports-related channel in the Philippines. Owned and operated by Associated Broadcasting Company, it occupies the frequency previously used by MTV Philippines, a subsidiary of Nation Broadcasting Corporation...
free channel TV 41(channel 29 in Cebu and Davao) . He also co-hosts with Jake Macasaet on "Duelo" Mondays to Fridays 7-8pm on AksyonTV
AksyonTV
AksyonTV is a 24-hour non-stop news and sports-related channel in the Philippines. Owned and operated by Associated Broadcasting Company, it occupies the frequency previously used by MTV Philippines, a subsidiary of Nation Broadcasting Corporation...
free (UHF) TV 41 .
External links
OfficialSocial networking