DAVAO CITY, May 31 (PIA)- Secretary Jesus Dureza who served six Philippine Presidents in various capacities launched his 478-page autobiography titled “Walked with the Presidents: An Autobiography” last May 28 at the Guillermo E. Torres Auditorium, University of Mindanao campus in Matina, this City.
With around 200 people mostly family members, relatives, colleagues, friends and supporters gathered at the auditorium for a short program which was capped by a book signing by the author. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, a high school classmate of the book author and Senator Christopher Bong Go delivered their recorded congratulatory messages.
“It’s a long walk for about 32 years with six Presidents kaya di na ako tumakbo ng Senator, senior citizen Jess nalang ako para maalagaan ko ang aking asawa, mga anak at aking mga apo (That is why I didn’t run for senator I will be just senior citizen Jess so I can take care of my wife, my children and grandchildren),” Dureza said during his speech at the event.
Sec. Dureza scuttled his plan to run for public office and proceeded to write the book which was edited by Ronnie Amorado, Senior Vice President of the University of Mindanao.
The book details his childhood then to his youth as a high school student at the Holy Cross Academy (now Cor Jesu) in Digos, then his college and law school years at the Ateneo de Davao. While studying law he became a journalist for the Mindanao Times and a correspondent for the Manila Times.
“Mahabang istorya ang nasa libro ko, sana Mabasa niyo, mahabang-mahaba dahil lahat ng narratives ko doon ay more on compilations of my columns in the Mindanao Times. There are many experiences that I have gone through. (In my book is a long narrative, I hope you read it, it’s very long since all of my narratives there…),” Dureza said.
Sec. Dureza became a congressman for Davao City’s first district in 1987 until an electoral protest unseated him in 1989. He later ran in 1992 for the same position and won.
But it was his 32 years serving six Philippine Presidents which serves as the main highlight of the autobiography. This started under Corazon C. Aquino where he was appointed as director of the Philippine Coconut Authority.
During the term of President Fidel V. Ramos he was appointed as Presidential Assistant for Mindanao and Chair of the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCO) until President Joseph Estrada.
Sec. Dureza held several positions during the term of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, among these included Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Press Secretary, Presidential Legal Counsel and Chair of the Mindanao Development Authority, a cabinet ranked position he held a few months into the presidency of Benigno Aquino III where he tendered his courtesy resignation to give the then new President a free hand to choose his MinDA chair.
Under the term of his high school classmate President Rodrigo Duterte he served as Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process. The book author returned to his journalism roots where he serves as Publisher of the Mindanao Times He also has his column at the daily. (PIA/RG Alama)
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