JV a Kapampangan, belonged to batch 77 in Don Bosco Juniorate. . He graduated as a professed cleric in Canlubang in 1982, and spent his practical training in Cebu where he was loved by his football players and students.
When he left, he became VP of the ASH way back 1984. We became good and close friends then. He was a passionate leader, mentor, organizer, dreamer, speaker and educator. Multi-talented indeed. He pursued his masteral and doctoral studies in education.
To catch up on him, I visited him in his home in Angeles. His high school kids then, had their own version of a 2 PM Saturday manual work. One was cutting grass, the other was painting the wall.
Another time, I went to see him at Clark Polytechnic, which he founded. He was Director of the school. I saw written on the blackboard, “PREVENTIVE SYSTEM.”
After giving himself some insulin shot, he went out of his office, made a round of the building, and enjoyed goofing around and bantering with the students. At lunchtime he invited me to a modest meal at the mess hall. In a very jovial mood, sitting at the center of a long dining table with about seven of his staff around him, he cracked jokes with them. He was the center of unity of his faculty.
Then he invited me to attend a seminar the coming week, as resource speaker on values he was to give in downtown Balibago. I went. Lo and behold, I counted some 500 factory workers in attendance, gaping in awe and relishing every bit of his funny antics. His topic? Developing good habits. That simple.
Just last month he planned to put up 4 more schools daw for the poor youth of Pampanga. And so on and so forth…
Astounding. Remarkable. Very Salesian. Truly Salesian at heart!
Eternal rest JV, You deserve one finally. What with the so many activities you have done for the Lord, out of love for Don Bosco and our Blessed Mother.
Till we meet again!
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