Eulogy for Senator Ernesto “Boy” Herrera by Former Senator Edgardo J. Angara (@edangara) @sonnyangara
Ernesto “Boy” Herrera – born from humble beginnings in Samboan, Cebu – rose to national leadership on sheer industry, drive and brilliance.
Boy and I first got to know each other when we worked for honest and free elections in NAMFREL in 1986. At the time, he was the Secretary-General of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) and served ably and well in the Agrava Commission that investigated the assassination of Senator Ninoy Aquino.
Boy dedicated his entire professional life to upholding workers’ rights and welfare. Aside from serving in the TUCP even until his twilight years, he was the only Filipino member of the Executive Board of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) from 1988 to 1992, and the first Asian recipient of the George Meany International Human Rights Award.
He was a true democrat. He shunned populist and hard-left rhetoric. And in fighting for the labor cause, his federation as a result was recognized as the moderate and truly democratic labor movement.
After the peaceful EDSA revolution which resulted in President Cory Aquino’s ascent to the Presidency, Congress was reopened and elections for a 24-man Senate were held in May 1987. I joined Cory’s ticket to represent education, while Boy represented the trade unions. We were among the 22 of 24 senators on her ticket to emerge victorious.
I remember Boy speaking from rally-to-rally, in province after province. He was on his crutches, he was a dramatic figure with a booming voice and a quaint accent when speaking in English. He would become one of my very closest associates in the Senate. With Ka Blas Ople, Batman to his Robin, he was instrumental in our peers electing me as Senate President. Boy and Ka Blas’ wise counsel and advice helped me frame and manage the legislative agenda of the 9th Congress – ultimately enacting many key structural reforms under the Ramos Administration.
He served in this august Chamber for two (2) terms from 1987 to 1998, having chaired many of its influential ad important committees—Committee on Finance, Committee on Public Services, Committee on Ways and Means, and of course, the Committee on Labor. Boy has over 20 laws to his name—the more significant being the Labor Code revision of 1989, strengthening workers’ rights and promoting industrial peace. The other is the landmark Migrant Workers’ Act of 1995.
He was also a staunch advocate for law and order. His crusade against drug use among the youth served as a singular model in the country. He founded the Citizen’s Drug Watch Foundation. He chaired this and Crime Watch as well.
Boy Herrera’s drive and enthusiasm was undiminished by his physical handicap since he contracted polio in his youth. He achieved far more than his able-bodied counterparts and he lived a life of singular purpose. He remains an inspiration to us all.
Salamat, Boy. Paalam.