MANILA – “Matino at Mahusay: Best Practices of Jesse Robredo,” a book containing late Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo’s best examples in good local governance and honest public service, was launched last Wednesday at Club Filipino in Greenhills, Quezon City.
The 96-page book was produced by the Jesse M. Robredo Foundation (JMRF) and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF).
“It is amazing that Jesse Robredo’s legacy endures in the way it does,” FNF Philippines Country Director Jules Maaten said.
“Jesse utilized good governance as a technique to address public administration issues. But it was also his philosophy – something that he actually believed in so he was able to convince people about his programs, and why until now, more than two years after his death, his work continues to inspire us,” Maaten added.
The book was written and published in response to the clamor of numerous local government officials wanting to learn and exercise Robredo’s leadership and principles of good governance, education, public health and disaster risk reduction and management.
“People would always ask me about his activities when he was mayor of Naga and as secretary of interior and local government. This book has the stories that we would like to impart to public officials as well as ordinary citizens,” Robredo’s widow and JMRF chair, Camarines Sur Third District Representative Leni Robredo said, sharing that she had always wanted to make a compilation of her late husband’s projects.
“The book will not only serve as a support for the training but as guidance and encouragement in the course of their work, Leni Robredo added. “In the book are lessons that are not necessarily meant to be copied but only serve as a model, [which] they can replicate and improve on.”
Under Jesse Robredo’s 18-year reign as Naga City mayor, the area transformed from a third-class to a first-class city. He was voted and trusted for practicing transparency, accountability and people participation.
“We hope that this book will be able to help more local government leaders to follow the shining example of the late Jesse Robredo. We will also work with colleges and universities to develop a subject on his Leadership and Governance,” JMRF Board Member Harvey Keh said, mentioning that a thousand copies of the book were currently given for free to local officials and academic institutions.
Jesse Robredo died in an air crash accident due to a bad weather condition on August 18, 2012. Fast forward to three years, his legacy and noble example lives on.