The Honorable Speaker
and the
Members of the
House of Representatives
request the honor of your presence at the
NECROLOGICAL SERVICE
for the late
HON. IGNACIO T. ARROYO JR.
Member
House of Representatives
Thirteenth Congress, 2004-2007
Fourteenth Congress, 2007-2010
Fifteenth Congress, 2010-2012
to be held at the
Plenary Hall
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila
on
Monday, March 5, 2012
after the 10:00 a.m. Requiem Mass
PROGRAM
I.
“IN MEMORIAM”
by: Buenaventura
The PNP Band
II.
INVOCATION
Hon. Ma. Amelita A. Calimbas-Villarosa
III.
“SANDALING PINAKAHIHINTAY” House of Representatives Chorale
by: Augusto Espina
IV.
EULOGY
Hon. Antonio F. Lagdameo Jr.
Hon. Jeffrey P. Ferrer
Hon. Maria Milagros “Mitos” H. Magsaysay
Hon. Danilo E. Suarez
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.
V.
“EMPOWER ME”
by: Claire Cloninger &
David Clydesdale
House of Representatives Chorale
VI.
RESPONSE
Ms. Bianca Marie J. Arroyo
Ms. Alicia Rita Morales-Arroyo
VII. MEMENTO OFFERING
TO THE BEREAVED FAMILY
VIII. “NEARER MY GOD TO THEE”
by: Mason
The PNP Band
Congressional Record
15th CONGRESS, SECOND REGULAR SESSION
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Vol. 2
Monday, March 5, 2012
At 11:08 a.m., Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. opened
the necrological service.
THE SPEAKER. The necrological service in honor of
our colleague, the late Hon. Ignacio T. Arroyo Jr.,
Representative of the Fifth District of Negros Occidental, will
now commence.
I call on the Secretary General to read the order of
service.
THE SECRETARY GENERAL. Order of proceedings for
the necrological service for the late Hon. Ignacio T. Arroyo
Jr.
Buenaventura’s “In Memoriam” to be played by the
Philippine National Police Band.
The Philippine National Police Band played “In
Memoriam” by Buenaventura.
THE SECRETARY GENERAL. Invocation by Hon. Ma.
Amelita A. Calimbas-Villarosa, Representative from the Lone
District of Occidental Mindoro.
May we request everybody to please rise.
Everybody rose for the Invocation.
INVOCATION
REP. CALIMBAS-VILLAROSA. In the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Lord Jesus said:
I am the resurrection and the life. He who
believes in Me, though he may die, shall live. And
whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.
(John 11:25-26)
He also said:
Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in
God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are
many mansions; if it were not so, would I have told
you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go
and prepare a place for you, I will come again and
receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you
may be also. (John 14:1-3)
Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, in whom we move
and live and have our being, grant us the joy of Your loving
presence and look upon us with favor. Allow us the comfort
of Your Holy Spirit and the Divine understanding that the
Lord Jesus Christ had conquered the sting of death and is
alive forevermore.
O Lord, You ordain the times and the seasons. Everything
that happens in this world happens at the time You choose.
Yet, by Your grace, You allow us a time for rejoicing. By Your
grace, You allow us a time to mourn.
Lord, we mourn the death of a dear colleague, Ignacio
Arroyo. We weep together with his family and friends for his
passing away, for what is left of him are now ripples of fond
memories.
We pray especially for his family and his loved ones.
May You allow them to experience Your comfort and peace.
Fill them with courage and draw them together in love.
We also pray for ourselves. Sustain us as we put our trust
in You because You alone are the Author and the Giver of life.
May this time of mourning allow us to come to terms with our
own mortality. May we realize that life here on earth is fleeting
like a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
Sovereign God, our Heavenly Father, preserve us in Your
loving presence. Keep us from falling and have Your way
with us according to Your perfect plan and purpose.
May we who are left behind deal kindly and lovingly
with each other the way that would bring most peace to our
departed brother, Hon. Ignacio Tomas Tuason Arroyo Jr.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen.
THE SECRETARY GENERAL. The House of
Representatives Chorale will sing “Sandaling Pinakahihintay”
by Augusto Espina.
The House Chorale sang “Sandaling Pinakahihintay”
by Augusto Espina.
THE SECRETARY GENERAL. Eulogy by Hon. Antonio
F. Lagdameo Jr., Representative from the Second District of
Davao del Norte.
EULOGY BY REP. LAGDAMEO (A.)
REP. LAGDAMEO (A.). If simplicity is the ultimate
sophistication, then Iggy would be the epitome of finesse,
which is a far cry from what reports have wrongly painted
him to be. Among those who do not know him well, he can
never win the contest for congeniality. But among those who
know him better, he was the soft-spoken guy with gentle
manners, who had no mean bone in his body and who only
had good words for everyone. Not even when he was
subjected to the vilest of slurs did Iggy abandon his dignified
demeanor. Not even when he was heaped scorn on for things
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he never did, for the person he never was, did Iggy drop his
upright bearing.
He never assumed the ways of his tormentors even when
it would have been permissible and even necessary to strike
back with the same foul means that they have hurt him.
He never allowed bitterness to take over the better angels
of his nature for he knew that he loses the fight the moment
he abandons the moral ground on which he has anchored his
principles.
He was misunderstood and his name sullied, but he took
all of these nonchalantly. When I asked him why he was not
vigorous in clearing his name, he said there was no need to
because his conscience needs no cleaning.
What was important to him was not the wrong perception
by the uninformed many of who he was, but the favorable
judgment of his character by the knowledgeable few.
What gave him comfort was the peace of mind which
only a clean conscience can provide. If the true character of
a man would emerge when he is subjected to the opposite
extremes of being given power and being robbed of dignity,
then Iggy passed both tests with flying colors.
When his people put him in Congress, he exercised
power with responsibility. When he was being put down, he
handled adversity with restraint.
The Iggy I knew was never enamored with the pomp of
office or the perks of rank. He treated his election in Congress
not as privilege to be enjoyed but as hard labor to be done.
He viewed his mandate not from the perspective of what
powers it will give him but on the duties he must do for the
people who have given him the gift to serve. He did not
bother with titles. He was focused on task, and that was how
he approached his work as a Representative: as a glorified
messenger of his people, tasked to deliver their views in
Congress and to deliver projects to them in return. He may
have focused on the latter which is why he never earned a
reputation of being a showhorse. But he earned a reputation
among his people as a workhorse because that was what his
people needed—a workhorse who can silently pull and plow,
and not a showhorse who can merely prance and loudly prattle.
So, if Iggy is here with us today, he will tell us to forget
about the positions he had held which are few, but of the kind
deeds he had done which are uncountable. He would
probably borrow the words of a famous man begging us that
he need not be idealized or enlarged in death beyond what he
was in life but remembered simply as a good and decent man
who honored his oath and served his country the best way
he can, as God blessed him with the honor too. He would
probably tell us that if we will ever measure his life, then let it
not be on how he fared in office but on how he did the roles
that matter most in life—being a dutiful son, a caring father,
an affectionate partner, a supportive brother, an adoring uncle,
a doting grandfather, a good neighbor, a nice co-worker and
a loyal friend. Should we do an accounting of his deeds, he
will tell us that the achievements he is most proud of are not
found in the archives of this Congress but in the land he
loved, his Negros, and in the hearts of his people.
Farewell, my friend. Godspeed, and when I return to my
office, I will toast you for a life well lived.
EULOGY BY REP. FERRER (J.)
REP. FERRER (J.). To the family of our dear friend and
colleague, the late Congressman Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo, we
share with you this moment of bereavement for the great loss
of an extraordinary man and a public servant.
To the honorable men and women of these great halls of
Congress, we are here to extend our deepest and sincerest
condolences to the Arroyo family.
I was with Congressman Iggy since the time I served as
Mayor of La Carlota City, Negros Occidental. We have shared
a lot of experiences in leadership and governance.
Congressman Iggy was just a simple man whose humility
and kindness was beyond reproach. He was well-loved by
his constituents, his fellow Negrenses, and his family. He
was given a rare opportunity of serving our beloved country.
He helped a lot of people through his various programs
for overseas contract workers, livelihood, infrastructure
projects, job generation, scholarships and education, health
and a lot more.
His constituents can vouch that he served them well
and to the best that he could. In fact, this was the reason he
was elected Congressman of the Fifth District up to his third
and final term. He truly made a big difference in the lives of
his constituents in the Fifth District by delivering basic and
needed services that they all deserved.
He was the conduit of the Negrense leaders to the
national leadership that accelerated the vital concerns and
projects for the province of Negros Occidental. He also helped
other districts in Negros Occidental and this can never be
forgotten by us.
Congressman Iggy’s nature was down to earth. He mingled
with people from all walks of life when he was still in the pink of
health. He was not just a leader but a friend you can turn to.
The true character of Congressman Iggy was measured
by his humility, his good nature, his flexibility towards life,
his patience and perseverance, and his love for his family
and fellowmen.
Congressman Iggy, I know that you are now in the great
care of our Almighty Father.
Every time na nandoon si Congressman Iggy sa district
niya after his duty, he would call me always, “Jeffrey, where
are you?” Sabi ko, “Cong, galing din ako sa district ko.” “Sige
mag-dinner tayo. Isama mo si Mayora. Mag-usap tayo kung
anong maganda para sa district natin.” We shared a lot of
things, exchanged ideas. Ngayon, wala nang tatawag kay
Jeffrey na Congressman Iggy.
We will never forget your company, your goodness and
your journey as a public servant, a fellow and a friend. We
will truly miss you.
We are praying that the Lord will give you eternal peace
and will continue to love, bless and protect your family.
Salamat kag paalam sa imo abyan, Iggy.
THE SECRETARY GENERAL. Eulogy by the Hon. Maria
Milagros “Mitos” H. Magsaysay, Representative from the
First District of Zambales.
EULOGY BY REP. MAGSAYSAY (M.)
THE SECRETARY GENERAL. Eulogy by the Hon.
Jeffrey P. Ferrer, Representative of the Fourth District of
Negros Occidental.
REP. MAGSAYSAY (M.). Magandang umaga po sa
inyong lahat. Kay Speaker Belmonte at sa lahat ng mga
5
kasamahan ko rito sa Kongreso, sa pamilya po ni Congressman
Iggy Arroyo na pinamumunuan po ng kanyang kapatid na si
dating First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, sa lahat po ng mga bisita
na nakikidalamhati ngayong umaga, magandang umaga po
sa inyong lahat.
Noong ako po ay unang tumakbo at nanalong
Kongresista, independent po ako, wala akong partido. Isa po
si Iggy sa mga naging batchmate ko sa Kongreso.
When I first met him, I was kind of afraid because there
were some things that I thought that baka mayabang si Iggy
kasi kapatid siya ni GMA at saka ni First Gentleman, pero I
had a very nice experience when I went to the States with my
whole family.
We had a common friend, Princess, who is here today.
That was my first encounter with Iggy after seven months in
Congress. It was a very beautiful trip that I do not regret
sharing with Iggy’s family. We picked up Iggy in Las Vegas
because his daughter Bianca lived in Las Vegas and, at that
time, we were going on a road trip to the Grand Canyon. We
rode on an E350 van. My host Princess and Dr. Jing, Iggy,
Aleli and Alelu were in the first row of the van and the eight
Magsaysays rode at the back of the van.
We withstood around six to seven hours of driving, and
I remember before we reached the Grand Canyon, we had to
stop at each and every gas station because we had to buy
bubblegum for Alelu because she had to eat something or
chew something so that at least the ear pressure will not be
that bad. I remember Iggy just came from an operation, but he
had to endure that six-hour trip to the Grand Canyon, because
he wanted to show his daughter, Alelu, how much he loved
her by bonding with her in the States. That was where I saw
Iggy up close.
All those bad things that they were saying about him in
the past were completely erased. I saw the softer side of Iggy
which did not even involve Congress. I saw how he was as a
father and as a husband, and how he doted on Alelu, giving
in to her every whim and every request. We did not even eat
in any restaurant anymore. We ended up eating and buying
food in the gas stations, because that was our main meal
already, but we enjoyed it all.
I remember that when he saw that my husband JV was
feeling cold, because the jacket that he brought was not
enough for the cold that he was experiencing, Iggy told JV,
“JV mayroon pa akong jacket, ibigay ko ito sa iyo para hindi
ka malamigan.” It was such a simple gesture, but he could
have opted not to, but you know, I guess, it was really Iggy’s
nature to look after each and every one. So, he gave his
jacket, and I remember when we came back, I was returning
the jacket to Iggy and he said, “huwag na, huwag mo nang
isauli.” Sabi ko, “salamat, at least may remembrance ako sa
iyo, Iggy, na magkasama tayo rito sa Congress.”
It was a long trip, but it was well worth it, because from
that time on, Iggy’s family and my family became very close.
There were a lot of things that he shared with my husband,
JV. While on the trip, they both realized pareho pala silang
mahilig sa sabong, and that was the time that Iggy wanted to
join the NCA, iyong National Cockers Association, and that
is how they all became close with Jun Santiago, because they
used to be classmates in the derbies in Pasig, along with
Governor Ynares and all the other members of NCA.
That was how I saw Iggy. I will always remember Iggy,
not as a Legislator, but as a friend.
He was only one of the very few Congressmen who had
visited my house so many times. When we were here in
Congress, all we talked about was his family. How he loved
his daughters, how he talked about Bianca and Dina. Kapag
may problema iyong daughters niya, he would tell me about
it, and I was just probably the listening ear that Iggy needed
when he was here in Congress. Even during the time that he
was being persecuted by a lot of people, I never heard Iggy
say something bad about anyone. Even though other people
were goading him, halos sulsulan na si Iggy, I did not hear
him speak ill. He suffered in silence. I knew he was suffering,
but I guess it was really in his character to be good natured.
Tama ho iyong sinabi ni Congressman Lagdameo. Tama iyong
sinabi ni Congressman Ferrer. Iggy was such a humble
person. Hindi mo makikita o maririnig iyong yabang sa
katawan ni Iggy. I have never seen him, even outside when
we were in restaurants—I have never seen him flex his muscles
to say, ako si Iggy Arroyo, ako kapatid ni FG, kapatid ako ni
Gloria. Wala akong nakitang ganoon ho kay Congressman
Iggy.
There were a lot of times that we used to laugh about a
lot of things. There were also a lot of times that he would
almost break down especially when he was talking about the
pains that he was feeling in his body.
I accepted Iggy as a friend. People may say that he had
a lot of, probably, mistakes, but as a friend, you accept your
friend’s mistakes and all.
I do not want to remember him for the things that other
people say. If you really love Iggy as a brother, as a husband,
as a partner, as a father, as a grandfather, as a great grandfather,
as a cousin, as an uncle, I think you should accept him at the
times that he showed his best side, his magnanimity, his
humility, his generosity. Most of all, you should accept him
as a person, and love him even more. If he had done something
bad or had done something to hurt your feelings, we are all
here today, and I hope that you will allow Iggy, if you really
love him, or set him free. If ever there is something that is
unfinished, I just hope that you all finish it today, because I
think that is what Iggy would have wanted.
I had seen him when he was ecstatically happy. There
were so many people in his life who made him happy, and he
told me that. He told me that his brother made him happy, his
sister made him happy, his parents made him happy, most
especially his children made him happy the most, and I had
seen that whenever we watched the Pacquiao fight in Las Vegas.
I had seen how he was with his daughters, all his
daughters—with Alelu, with Bianca, with Dina—and his
grandchildren, his great grandchildren. I had seen how he
was and I saw the happiness in his face. Sabi nga niya sa
akin, “You know what, Mitos, I know my time is limited, but at
least, I hope they will not take it against me if I just want to be
happy.”
If, along the way, he encountered you or you encountered
him, cherish that moment that you were together, because
not everybody had that opportunity to be with Iggy. There
are almost 95 million Filipinos here in this country and how
many lang ang nakapag-bonding kay Congressman Iggy. So,
I consider myself lucky that I was able to bond with him and
became close to him as a friend and as a person. That is why
in the last years of his life, I saw how it pained him when he
was going through a difficult time in 2006. I saw also how
happy he was in the last five remaining years of his life.
6
The last time I bonded with Iggy was in Las Vegas. It
was the Pacquiao–Mosley fight. We were all in his room in
MGM and that was where I saw him so happy because his
daughters were all there except Alelu.
When we were talking together, when we were alone, he
told me, “You know what, I wish all my daughters will always
be with me, because I love each of them dearly. Even if may
tampo sila sa akin, para sa akin, mahal na mahal ko lahat ng
mga anak ko.” He would always say that to me, lalo na in their
family na dominated siya ng mga babae, kasi isa lang yata
iyong apo niyang lalaki. So, he was telling me, “I am dominated
by women, but I love it.” He even told me, “The next time we
go abroad, sana ulitin natin ito because your family and my
family bond so well.” Sana huwag na lang sumama iyong
loob kung sakaling Iggy had a different happiness along the
way. You know alam niya na his time was limited eh. He just
wanted to experience life. He just wanted to be happy. He
told me, “I just want to be happy in the last years of my life,
so sana huwag namang ipagkait sa akin ng mga tao iyong
happiness na nararamdaman ko. If I went with someone else—
if Grace gave me the happiness, then sana patawarin nila ako
at pagbigyan naman nila ako.”
He even told me, “In our next trip, I want us to go on a
cruise kasi I know that with your family and my family, we do
not have to talk about politics. I know that we can just be
together and enjoy each other’s company, and for me, that is
already enough.” Because we all know that Iggy is such a
quiet person, it is very hard for him to express himself.
Probably, I am one of the luckiest Congresswomen here,
because among all of the girls, I was the one whom he bonded
with the most. Aside from him being my seatmate.
He told me a lot of things in confidence and they will
always remain, Iggy, in confidence. To all the women he
loved—his sister, his mother, his daughters, his wife, his
partner—at least, be lucky that, at one point in time, you
made Iggy very happy, because that is what he told me.
Sana naman, after today, kung ano man iyong dapat ayusin,
ayusin natin nang maayos because I am sure that is what
Iggy wants. At least, at this point in time, let us not think
of ourselves but think of Iggy, because Iggy was so selfless
in loving all of you, that he accepted all of you despite all
your flaws. Sana tanggapin ninyo rin si Iggy despite all
his flaws.
So, to you, Iggy, marami pa tayong dapat na
pagkuwentuhan. Sasamahan mo pa sana akong umikot sa
Negros, pero I am sure mas madali na para sa akin because
I know hindi lang sa Negros mo ako sasamahan kung hindi
sa buong Pilipinas. You will always remain a family friend to
my family—among all the Arroyos here, the only one whom
I had a very close interpersonal relationship with beyond
politics.
So, to all my colleagues, let us all wish for Iggy, let us set
him free. Let us let him go because that is what love is all
about. Love is letting go, setting a person free. Sana, whatever
we are feeling right now, ipaubaya na ho natin because I
know things might be difficult for you. He must have caused
you some pain, but he always told me, “I wish that they will
all forgive me for the pain that I have caused.” So, please, as
a request, sana na lang ho ay pagbigyan ho natin si
Congressman Iggy.
So, to all of you, we will miss Iggy; I will miss Iggy sitting
beside me and Congressman Sim Datumanong. You know,
Iggy, the last time I talked to you was in October and I asked
you if you were going to watch the Pacquiao fight, kasi
classmates kami sa Pacquiao fight kahit Dallas pa iyan, kahit
saan pa iyan, magkasama kami. But you said, “You know
what, Mitos, I do not think I can watch the fight,” noong
November, “because it is very painful, what I am feeling. It is
not easy to be injected. Every time they inject me, the pain is
so excruciating that sobrang sungit ko talaga. Super duper
sungit ko na sometimes naaawa ako kay Grace kasi wala
namang iba roon na magsa-suffer ng kasungitan ko kung
hindi siya.” So, for that, nagpapasalamat na rin ako kasi may
nag-alaga sa kanya sa London. Sa akin lang, tinanggap ko si
Iggy, I accepted him, so sana lahat tayo—iyon lang ho ang
gusto kong sabihin sa inyong lahat. Please accept Iggy para
naman ho makalaya na rin si Iggy kasi I do not think Iggy
would want this to continue.
To all of you, thank you very much and good morning.
THE SECRETARY GENERAL. Eulogy by the honorable
Minority Leader Danilo E. Suarez, Representative from the
Third District of Quezon.
EULOGY BY REP. SUAREZ
REP. SUAREZ. Mr. Speaker, bereaved family and
constituents of Hon. Ignacio T. Arroyo Jr., my colleagues,
friends, ladies and gentlemen:
God has assigned to each and every one of us a mission
to accomplish here on earth. When we have completed that
mission, we shall return to our Creator and account for our
deeds, not only for what we have done to ourselves but most
especially for what we have done to our fellowmen.
Today, we are saying goodbye to a man who has already
accomplished his mission here on earth—our dear friend and
colleague, Hon. Ignacio T. Arroyo Jr.
Iggy, as we fondly called him, served as a Member of the
House of Representatives for three terms representing the
Fifth District of Negros Occidental. He won his first election
to Congress in the year 2004 and was reelected in 2007 and
May of 2010.
As a Member of the House of Representatives,
Congressman Iggy Arroyo served as Chairman of the
Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. Under
his stewardship, the Committee on Environment and Natural
Resources was able to pass significant laws, namely: Republic
Act No. 9729, otherwise known as the Climate Change Act of
2009; Republic Act No. 9512, otherwise known as the National
Environmental Awareness and Education Act of 2008; and
Republic Act No. 9847, otherwise known as the Mts.
Banahaw–San Cristobal Protected Landscape (MBSCPL) Act
of 2009.
He also co-authored several other important laws such
as: increasing the salary grades of public school teachers;
the Seafarers Act of 2008; giving scholarships to the youth
engaged in agriculture; the institution of the children’s welfare
funds for the protection and rehabilitation of abandoned,
abused and sexually exploited children; the Anti-Child
Pornography Act; the Magna Carta for Daycare Workers;
the establishment of drug rehabilitation centers in every region
in the country; and the grant of incentives and benefits to
rural health workers.
Sa buhay ng bawat nilalang, iilan lang ang binibigyan ng
7
pagkakataon na umangat sa iba upang makapaglingkod sa
bayan, iilan lang ang binibigyan ng pagkakataon na
makapagbigay ng tunay na kahulugan ng totoong serbisyo,
at iilan lang ang binibigyan ng pagkakataon na maging gabay
at instrumento na mapagaan ang buhay ng kanilang
kababayan lalung-lalo sa kanyang nasasakupang distrito, at
isa si Congressman Iggy Arroyo na nabigyan ng ganitong
pagkakataon.
His memory shall forever linger not only in the corridors
of this Assembly, but in every nook of the Fifth District of
Negros Occidental which he represents.
As a closing statement, I quote from a great writer, Julie
Burchill:
Tears are sometimes an inappropriate response
to death. When a life has been lived completely
honestly, completely successfully, or just
completely, the correct response to death’s perfect
punctuation mark is a smile.
With a smile in our faces, let us all bid goodbye to our
friend and colleague, Cong. Iggy Arroyo, who has lived his
life completely and served his countrymen with honor and
dedication.
So, as we commit his body to the land he loved, we
commit his soul to the Creator he sought to serve, and we—
each of us—commit our memories of him until our own dying
days.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual
light shine upon him.
Paalam, Iggy. Mahal ka naming lahat!
THE SECRETARY GENERAL. Eulogy by Hon. Feliciano
Belmonte Jr., Speaker of the House of Representatives.
EULOGY BY SPEAKER BELMONTE
THE SPEAKER. The bereaved family of Rep. Iggy
Arroyo, honorable colleagues who almost compose a quorum
this morning, friends, ladies and gentlemen:
It was October last year when Iggy sought authority to
go to London to confer with his doctors. We conversed briefly
on the floor and he said, “No, I am feeling okay, so I just need
this further medication.” He had all my prayers and fervent
wish for him to get well. While in London, Iggy exhausted all
possible medical remedies. In fact, a few days before I learned
of his death, I had actually signed an extension of his leave
for medical reasons. But on January 26, he was finally
succored by the Lord to be free eternally from his earthly
woes.
The demise of Iggy brings to fore the saying that death
strips a man of everything but never his good deeds and the
fond memories of people. Death is the greatest assayer of the
sterling call of a person’s talent.
Prior to his election as a Member of the House of
Representatives, Iggy was an accomplished entrepreneur,
serving as board member of the Philippine Producers
Corporation (PHILPROCOM) in Bacolod City, as well as a
member of the Planters Asssociation of Negros Occidental.
He was also very active in civic concerns in the Brotherhood
of Christian Businessmen and Professionals, and the Rotary
Club of Bacolod–East.
On his last term as Member, the current one, he was the
Chairman of the Committee on Environment and Natural
Resources, Vice Chairman of various committees and leading
member of other committees. In his legislative district, he
never faltered to respond to the needs of his constituents.
He provided them with high impact infrastructure and placed
high value on the education of the youth to further nurture
and strengthen the hope of the fatherland.
But, yes, I would like to echo what everyone said—
hindi mayabang si Iggy, humble even in all the times that I
saw him. And as we bid him goodbye in his new journey, let
us vow to continue the noble and worthy causes he trudged
upon so that our bond with our friend and colleague, instilled
by his dedication to public service, shall not be severed by
death.
You know, when I saw him earlier, I could not help but
think about the transience of life, our mortality, because,
actually, I had seen Iggy as a kid, as a toddler, growing up in
the old Tuason compound in Santol Street. Yes, I remember
him. I looked at my own curricula and I realized that during
the year I graduated from high school, he was one year old
and we were living in their compound with my uncle, the late
Congressman Pio Duran, and his wife who also became a
Congresswoman, Josefina Belmonte Duran.
As your Speaker, on behalf of our fellow
Representatives, allow me to express how deeply we feel
the loss felt by Iggy’s entire family and the people of the
Fifth District of Negros Occidental. No amount of extolment
can ever be a salve for the deep loss that we feel. But in the
midst of our sorrow, may we find solace in the thought that
the Lord’s gift of life given to Iggy was well-spent and was
shared meaningfully.
Let us not allow his achievements to go for naught. Let
us keep his torch of commitment to public service burning to
greater heights of growth and progress. In this way, Iggy will
surely be very happy wherever he may be.
On behalf of all my colleagues in the House of
Representatives and all the people here, the employees and
other people who have met him here and elsewhere, I say—
goodbye, Iggy. God be with you. Rest in the bosom of our Lord.
THE SECRETARY GENERAL. The House of
Representatives Chorale will now sing “Empower Me” by
Claire Cloninger and David Clydesdale.
The House of Representatives Chorale sang “Empower
Me” by Claire Cloninger and David Clydesdale.
THE SECRETARY GENERAL. Mrs. Alicia Rita MoralesArroyo will now deliver the response.
RESPONSE OF MS. MORALES-ARROYO
MS. MORALES-ARROYO. Honorable Speaker Feliciano
Belmonte Jr., Deputy Speaker Jesus Crispin C. Remulla,
Majority Leader Neptali M. Gonzales II, Minority Leader
Danilo E. Suarez, Secretary General Marilyn Yap, and other
officers of the House in attendance and respective Members
of the House of Representatives present here today, friends,
ladies and gentleman, good morning:
Maraming salamat po sa inyong pagtulong upang
mapagaan ang matinding dalamhating idinulot ng pagkamatay
8
ng aking asawa. Walang nakaaalam ng sakit na dinaramdam
ko at ng aming pamilya.
It is a grief that is unimaginable for he shared with me the
best years of my life. I will cherish the memories some of
which I am privileged to share with you this morning.
In the 80s, when Congressman Dato Arroyo was barely
a teenager, he would visit my eldest nephews, Boj and Gatsby.
Concurrently, my eldest niece, Guia, also invited her friends
over. Once, I spotted a girl with such beautiful cat eyes. I
wondered who she was—her name was Bianca.
In 1988, my sister, who is the best friend of Marilou,
invited me to John Lesaca’s birthday in Marilou’s house so I
could hear him play the violin. I met a man named Ignacito,
now Cong. Iggy. He charmed me with his eyes. After a couple
of rendezvous, when I was hiking, he would cut me in Ilongot
Street. I found out Bianca was his daughter and Dato was his
nephew, Marilou was his sister. This all happened in our
friendly neighborhood.
I told him that I was preparing to leave in five months
to take my MBA at the number one school in the world and
ignored any possible relationship. He responded by saying,
“I will do anything in my power to keep you and I will
follow you wherever you go.” This man of a few words
managed to sink my heart. He was gentle yet persistent.
You can tell that he can easily get what he wants with his
tender ways.
While I was in the United States studying, he was utterly
fulfilled taking care of the farm in Binalbagan, Isabela, Negros
Occidental. In essence, he became a father to more than 300
people. He would always be excited to show me the healthy
crops his farmers planted during the harvest season.
We eventually got married and when I was about to give
birth, I asked the Lord for a safe delivery, for a God-fearing
child and I said, “if you do not mind, God, please give her my
husband Arroyo’s eyes.” It is said that, when you ask the
Lord for a Mercedes Benz, He in time gives you a Rolls Royce.
I thank Congressman Ignacio Arroyo for leaving me
behind three lovely children: Bianca, Dina and Alelu who are
all God-fearing, gentle, elegant in their taste and refined in
their ways. Just like their father.
As the years progressed, I saw him extend his kind efforts
to the whole of Region VI in the Visayas as the Regional
Chairman of Lakas–Kampi Party. A few years later, I was happy
that he decided to run for Congress. As the Congressman
who garnered the highest votes in the history of District 5 of
Negros Occidental in 2004, he officially took care and loved
his people as a public servant. I thank the people of the Fifth
District of Negros Occidental who put their trust in him and,
to this day, continue to love him during the best years of his
life. These past days, I have encountered a multitude of
people revealing how he touched their lives in a positive
way. Thank you.
At the end of the day, when we go on with our lives, we
can hang on to the best of what we have and what we had in
our relationships as what the other Members of the House
mentioned earlier.
I also thank you, his colleagues in the House of
Representatives, who gave him friendship. My husband was
not only a public servant but the love of my life and I will
always remember him as a good Member of the House. My
daughters and I, and the rest of the family, appreciate the
warmth and love you have given to us.
In closing, I quote Matthew 25:34-40:
Come, you have my Father’s blessings. Inherit
the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of
the world. For I was hungry, you gave me food. I
was thirsty, you gave me drink. I was a stranger and
you welcomed me. I assure you, as often as you did
it for least of my brothers and sisters, you did it to
me.
Maraming salamat po at magandang umaga! (Applause)
THE SECRETARY GENERAL. Ms. Dina Arroyo-Tantoco
will deliver her response, to be followed by Ms. Bianca Marie
J. Arroyo.
MS. ARROYO-TANTOCO. Good morning, Speaker
Belmonte, honorable Members of Congress, friends and
family.
On behalf of my family, I would like to thank you for your
support and prayers at this time of grief and sadness. Your
words of kindness about our father have touched our hearts
and ignited memories of him that we will cherish forever.
Thank you to the organizers of this beautiful service.
You have given him such an honorable tribute.
As I stand here today, I am tasked with summing up the
life of a man whose admirable qualities you can write a book
about.
For his children, it was not necessarily the words he
would say—as most of you know he was more on the quiet
side—but more the way he lived his life which I was able to
impart valuable lessons from. Our father “Iggy” was loved
by so many. He was a charismatic Gentleman who loved to
make light of every situation as the joker, too, because he
liked seeing people happy. His easygoing nature comforted
everyone and drew them by his side. He always taught us the
significance of rising above situations. My father had an
indescribable spirit of hopefulness. It was his optimism and
faith in God that got him to where he was, kept him resilient
during the most trying times, whether personally or
professionally.
Over the last few days, I have met many people from
my father’s past who told me that my father’s role in their
lives was instrumental because he convinced them to fight
for their happiness. To us, there was no problem my father
could not solve. Any problem taken to him would have an
answer. He instilled in us patience and understanding in
facing life’s complexities. Through his own manner of
constantly being calm and collected, we learned the value
of perspective.
When I used to visit him here in Congress, what I noticed
was how everyone was always happy to see him, how proud
he was of his work and how he genuinely cared for the people.
Therefore, being that I am here today, summing up the man
who had made such an impact in the lives of many people
close to us, I would say that he was full of love. One thing we,
as his family, will always remember is how well he loved and
how good that love made us feel. If he were here today, he
would tell us to live our lives full of love, because with love,
there can be no regrets.
Dad, if I could follow your footsteps, it would be the
greatest achievement of my life. Thank you.
9
MS. ARROYO (B.). Good morning, Speaker Belmonte.
Good morning, Members of Congress.
Again, I would like to thank all of you for allowing my
father the honor of service. I would also like to thank the
organizers and everybody here today. I initially just wanted
my sister Dina to do the response for the family, but because
I am the eldest and I lived with my father in Negros, I felt I
should say a few words about how I knew my father as a
Congressman.
I grew up living with my father in Negros, so I know how
much he loved serving the people of his district. It brought
him great honor and pride to serve the people of the Fifth
District of Negros Occidental. My father was actually a shy
man who was mild-mannered and quiet. When he decided to
run for Congress, I was pleasantly surprised. He explained to
me that he really wanted to serve the people and do what he
could for the people of the district. There were lots of projects
he wanted to do and he wants to make a difference in people’s
lives as much as he could.
Many people have since come up to me telling me how
he touched their lives and helped them. I have even gotten emails from his constituents telling me of the good work he
had done. Today, when people come up to me and tell me
how he helped them and what a good man he was, it brings
so much joy to my heart. I feel that I owe it to my father to tell
everyone how proud I am of him.
My father taught me a lot of things in life. He taught me
a lot about unity as a family, perseverance, humility, generosity
and, most importantly, faith. Because of him, I know that I can
achieve anything in life if I work hard enough for it and I persevere.
Dad, in case I did not say it enough, I love you and I
thank you for a legacy of good memories, love and especially
for making me the strong person I am today.
Thank you. (Applause)
THE SPEAKER. May I call the family to please ascend
the rostrum in order to receive the tokens of his service in the
House of Representatives.
The family of the late Honorable Ignacio T. Arroyo Jr.
ascended the rostrum to accept the House mementos.
THE SECRETARY GENERAL. Mason’s “Nearer My God
to Thee” to be played by the Philippine National Police Band.
The Philippine National Police Band played “Nearer
My God to Thee” by Mason.
THE SPEAKER. The necrological service is ended.
Go in peace.
It was 12:23 p.m.
Published by the Publication and Editorial Service, Plenary Affairs Bureau
The Congressional Record can be accessed through the Downloads Center of the official website
of the House of Representatives at www.congress.gov.ph
AZB/gic/ddc/05212013/1648