by: Ma. Christina Angela Guevarra Note: This entry was originally posted in www.peyups.com, as part of the Dekada 90 entries. We are reposting this in our blog because the writer was able to capture the highlights of Mike's history as a student activist, and at the same time, she was able to articulate the questions that most people have in their minds. We hope this will open a forum not only about Mike, but about all former student activists who consider public service as a career track. _________________________ by: Ma. Christina Angela Guevarra Kuwento lang - noong aktibistang estudyante pa sa UP ang kasalukuyang kinatawan ng ikatlong distrito ng Quezon City, pumapasok lang siya sa klase kapag may eksam o recitation. At dahil maboka at matinik magpaliwanag sa mga titser, madalas na pinalalampas ang kanyang mga "kalokohan." Balikbayan mula sa US si Michael T. Defensor nung mag-enrol siya sa kolehiyo noong 1985. Sa katunayan, para itong pagbabalik-loob sa dating alma mater. Sa UP Integrated School (UPIS) kasi nagtapos ng elementarya si Mike. Ngunit hindi na ito ang Peyups na nakagisnan niya. Napadpad siya sa isang Pinas na nasa gitna ng mainit na kampanya laban sa diktaduryang Marcos. "Maraming protest rallies," aniya. "May mga questions na ako noon, dahil noong 1985 na nasa States pa ako, maraming news na lumalabas na hindi nakikita rito pero nakikita roon." Dala ng bugso ng panahon, sumali siya sa isang political org, ang UP Center for Nationalist Studies (CNS), noong 1986. Mula noon ay naging aktibo na siya sa mga kilos protesta para sa demokrasya. Naging USC councilor si Mike noong 1987 at nahalal na vice-chairperson nang sumunod na taon. At dahil talaga namang napakasigasig, hinirang siyang national chairperson ng National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) noong 1989. Bilang isang masugid na aktibistang may "hectic"na iskedyul at bagong paniniwala na rin, lumipat si Mike sa BA History kahit na isang semestre na lang ang kailangan niyang bunuin upang magtapos ng BS Economics. Problema ang naging dulot nito dahil hindi niya sinabi sa kanyang tatay. "Kaya may pressure sa akin for several years," aniya. Pagkagradweyt noong 1992, sumabak na siya sa mas malaking larangan ng pulitikahan. Nahalal siya bilang isa sa mga pinakabatang konsehal ng Quezon City. At dahil "child-wonder" itong si Mike, naging isa rin sa pinakabatang deputadong pumasok sa kongreso. Sa kasalukuyan, nakatutok si Mike sa mga programang pang-kabataan bilang vice chairman ng Youth and Sports Development Committee. Kasama ang mga kapwa niya "Spice Boys," hayag din siyang tumututol sa Constitutional Correction and Development (Concord) ng kasalukuyang administrasyong Estrada. At mukhang namang may pinatutunguhan ang kanyang career. Bilang deputado, tumanggap si Defensor ng mga parangal mula sa iba't ibang kinatawan. Hinirang siyang isa sa Twenty Most Outstanding Congressmen noong 1997 ng Congress Watch. Isa rin siya sa dalawang Pilipinong napabilang sa "Top 20 Asia's Most Powerful and Influential Young Leaders to Watch for in the Next Millennium" ng Asiaweek na inilathala nito lamang Nobyembre. Ngunit nang tanungin si Mike ukol sa aktibismo, partikular sa kilusang estudyante, mukhang nag-iba na `ata ang simoy ng hangin - taliwas na sa mga paniniwala niya noong mga huling taon ng diktadurya. "Kung hindi kaliwang-kaliwa, kanang-kanan naman. Wala man lamang gitna. Maraming de-kahon na pagtingin at pananaw," hinaing ni Mike. Sandamukal na raw ang mga klase ng ideyolohiya at isyung pinakikialaman ng kilusang estudyante ngayon. Kaya marami na raw ang "nate-turn off." Kuwento lang - pulitiko na ngayon si Mike. Kung dati rati'y nagtatalumpati lang siya mula sa likod ng inarkilang dyip o trak, ngayo'y asenso na - sa Batasan na rumaraket. At kung gaano kaanghang ang mga salitang binibitiwan ni Mike noon laban sa krisis ng edukasyon, ganoon na rin katamis ang ngiti niya ngayon sa bulwagan ng dating itinuring niyang na kalaban.
Vilma Resuma was Mike’s Third Grade teacher in Filipino at UPIS. Ms. Resuma currently heads the office of research and is also a Filipino teacher in the High School Department of UPIS; she is now 64 years old. I recently came across Ms. Resuma. I asked her if I can interview her about Mike for this blog. Here’s how the conversation went:
LC: Ma’am, teacher ka namin sa Filipino nung Grade 3 sa UPIS. Anong naalala nyo tungkol kay Mike nung panahon na yon?
VR: I remember him to be kiti-kiti. Malikot yang batang yan. But even at that early age, his capacity to lead was not lost on me. I recall he was a board leader in class and he was active in several school organizations back then.
LC: Kumusta naman siya sa klase?
VR: Mike has always been bright. He was good in class and he was very articulate and very active in recitation.
LC: Nagkikita pa ba kayo ni Mike?
VR: We last saw each other three years ago at the wake of a common friend. At hindi talaga siya nakakalimot.
LC: Ano naman po ang masasabi nyo tungkol kay Mike ngayon considering na kilala nyo na sya dati pa?
VR: Alam kong madami talagang kaibigan si Mike. When my co-teachers and I talk about him, there’s always a sense na sayang sya. Naaawa din kami kasi parang mali talaga dahil nagkaroon ng mis-association sa kanya kaya nag-iba ang tingin sa kanya ng mga tao.
LC: Kung magkikita po kayo, may gusto po ba kayong sabihin kay Mike?
VR: It is very sad that it has come to this. Kung makakausap ko lang siya, I would advise him to stay away from politics and concentrate on business. I’ve seen his potential and I know that he would be successful in channeling his energy and talent outside politics. I think most of us who know him from way back wish him well and at this point we would rather not see him in politics.
It is not surprising that people who know Mike personally would think he’d be better off staying away from politics. We know that Mike has been unfairly judged in public through mere association with the current administration, which let’s face it, is very unpopular. It’s just a shame that most of us rashly judge public figures by virtue of their political affiliations. We need to be more mature, in this regard. To recall, Mike was very popular as an opposition congressman during Estrada’s presidency. It’s not that he has changed; as a Cabinet secretary, he was doing his role to protect the institution of the presidency and our democratic government, but not the personalities in the government per se. How about we get past the politics of personality and wise up?
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Back to the 80’s! Butch Acebuche, Marj Lopez, Raul Teehankee, Amiel Cabanlig, John Defensor, Florence Defensor, Sen.Manny Villar, and Mojo Javier
By DJ Mojo Jojo
I always love surprise parties. But the trouble with planning these discreet celebrations is that almost always, someone always lets the cat out of the bag. You know, keeping a secret is a difficult thing to do. However, for the 40th birthday celebration of Mike Defensor, this amazing feat did occur as a handful of his closest family and friends gathered to make merry and raise a glass in a one of a kind natal fete!
Mike at 40 & Stars of the 80’s
The Grand Ballroom of Makati’s Hotel Intercontinental was transformed into a veritable time capsule, reminiscent of the 1980’s. “This was Mike’s favorite decade, and represented a very special and happy time in his life,” said his beautiful and beaming wife Julie Defensor, who organized surprise soiree.
With images of the 80’s filling the venue, guests were greeted by a towering photowall of vinyl records representing the hits of the day including Michael Jackson’s Thriller, Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” and others by Cindy Lauper, Duran Duran, Menudo and OPM sensation Hotdog. Party goers spearheaded by Mike’s classmates from UPIS batch ’86 wore flashback outfits of the heyday like leather jackets, neon socks, lace gloves, penny-loafers, legwarmers, and other colorful costumes.
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By Jose Victor “Jay” Delas Alas
I have known Mike since our elementary days in UPIS. Even as early as those years, I had seen Mike as a great leader. Sumikat sya sa school nung tumakbo at nanalo sya sa student council. Pero kahit bago pa nun, madami na ang may kakilala sa kanya. Kasi sya yung tipong kahit kilala yung pamilya nya, kahit sino pwede nyang samahan. Pwede sya sa mga sosyal pwede din sya sa masa.
All out yan pagdating sa batch namin, mas lalo na sa mga alam nya na nangangailangan. Nung 20th high school reunion nga namin, gusto nya talagang magkasama sama kami lahat, considering na hindi naman sya graduate technically ng UPIS. Nung nalaman nya na hindi makakasama yung iba dahil nga may entrance fee yung event, sabi nya hindi tawagin nyo pa din sila, ako na muna ang sasagot ng entrance.
Kahit ako nung namatay yung tatay ko, hindi naman ako nanghihingi e, naglagay sya sa bulsa ko. Sabi ko ibigay na lang nya dun sa isang kaibigan namin na nangangailangan ng tulong dahil nagaagaw buhay yung tatay. Sabi nya, “Hindi, sa ‘yo yan.” Pinuntahan nya din yung isang kaibigan namin sa ospital, binigyan nya din. So, ganoon talaga syang klaseng kaibigan. Kaya nung sinabi ni Jun Lozada na walang wala talaga sya at nagbigay sya, talagang likas sa kanya yun, walang bahid na pamumulitika. Likas talaga sa kanya ang tumulong. In fact, sya yung tao na hindi mo na kailangang hingan, kapag nakita ka nyang nangangailangan, tutulong yan.
Pero, isa sa mga hindi ko makaklimutan talaga kay Mike e nung gumitna sya sa gulo namin nung fourth year high school ako. Hindi na sya taga-UPIS nun, bumalik sya pagkatapos nyang matapos ng high school sa states. It was a classic case ng rambol ng UP na tipong damay lahat at yung iba hindi na pumapasok dahil sa gulo. Natapos lang yun nang kinausap nya yung dalawang partido. Malakas talaga sya mangumbinsi. E kung sa grupo lang namin hindi na yon maaareglo, kung hindi sya lumapit. Naalala ko sabi nya, “Wala na kong hihingin sa yo, pare. Ayusin na natin ‘to.” Naayos naman. Ngayon nagkikita kita kaming mga taga dalawang partido, nagbibirubiruan tungkol doon sa gulo. Yun ang classic na kwentuhan namin pag nagkikita-kita kami.
Kaya hindi din ako nagtaka na kahit sa pulitika, si Mike yung tipong gumigitna para ayusin ang dalawang panig. Kahit nung nasa administration sya, he served as the channel between the government and former president Estrada. Nung nagkaroon ng kaguluhan sa Oakwood, siya ang kumausap sa mga Magdalo soldiers. Ganun talaga syang tao, kung makakatulong sya para magkasundo ang dalawang panig, gagawin nya. It’s unfortunate na nababahiran ng ibang kulay ang ginagawa nya. Putting things in perpective, he’s not the type who would do these things for political mileage. Hindi talaga sya ganung tao. People should note that he was even the first to concede his senate bid. In a political scene na pagnatalo sinasabi agad na dinaya, sya tinggap nya.
Alam din naman yata nya kasi na nag-iba ang tingin sa kanya ng tao. At sinabihan na din naming mga kaibigan nya nun na kung pwede wag na syang sumama sa administrasyon dahil baka mapasama pa ang tingin sa kanya ng tao dahil mainit ang mata ng mga tao sa gobyerno. But I think he saw it as an opportunity to help out. Now out of politics, he continues to be seen in a negative light, but I know ultimately and for those who know him, Mike will always be one of the most remarkable people in contemporary politics
The writer is a batch mate of Mike Defensor in UPIS. He is currently the officer in charge of operations at Berkman Systems Incorporated.
(Salamat, by The Dawn)
Mike has always been dear to us since we were kids. He’s a good friend who came running when we needed him. Mike was the go-to guy even before he became Cong. Mike, and then Sec. Defensor. Many of us knew he was destined for public service. Mike was the consummate politician, a trait he developed since grade school. We thought he would go on to become president, if he didn’t disappoint the fickle Filipino public.But it seems he has. So much so that he is vilified by the media at every opportunity. His actions are always placed within the perspective of his relationship with an unpopular president. Justifiable, though harsh.
So we set up this blog. Some of us have worked with him and have seen him make what we thought were good decisions. But some of us were also there when we thought he made wrong ones. But that is how a man is made -- by the choices he makes.As his friends, the best we can do is stand by him and try to help everyone else see things from a different light.
On the campaign trail, the mayor running for re-election walks up to a house of his campaign adviser and rings the doorbell. When a small boy opens the door, the mayor introduces himself, “Hello there, little boy! What’s your name?”
“Little Johnny,” replies the small boy.
“Well, Little Johnny, I’m Mayor Hoffman. I’m running for re-election. Can I speak to your father?”
“He’s in the shower right now,” answers Little Johnny with a giggle.
“Oh! Well, is your mother in the house too?” asks Mayor Hoffman.
“Yes, she is. But she’s in the shower with my daddy,” replies Little Johnny with a snicker.
“Oh I see,” says Mayor Hoffman who pauses a moment thinking of what to say next. Then he smiles and says, “Little Johnny, can you go see if they are through now? I would like to speak to either one of them. It’s important.”
“I don’t think so,” replies Little Johnny with a big laugh.
Surprised to see the boy laughing heartily, the perplexed mayor demands, “What’s so funny, son? Is there something wrong with your parents?”
“Well, when my daddy asked for the Vaseline while they’re in the shower, I handed him the Super Glue.”
