How Cesar will take care of Bohol

MANILA, Philippines - “The easiest way to make life difficult for your children is to make it too easy for them,” his father would tell him as a young boy growing up in Santa Ana, Manila. The son of an attorney who spent his entire career as a civil servant with the Bureau of Customs, Cesar “Buboy” Montano recalls sharing a distinctively humble upbringing with his six siblings. As a schoolboy he would sell newspapers in sando and tsinelas after school so that instead of having bente singko sentimos for a baon he had one peso. Such life lessons would prove invaluable to him as he grew into adulthood. Unable to pass on material luxuries to their children, Cesar’s parents were relentless in passing on richness of a much more permanent nature: “The importance of believing in yourself and following your passions with purpose and persistence.”

On the eve of the May 10 elections, and some three decades after selling newspapers for pocket change, Cesar is expected to win a landslide victory for the position of Bohol governor.

The Philippines knows Cesar as a multi-award winning film actor and director. As host of the popular game show The Singing Bee, which he has given up to run for public office, Cesar brings joy in to the homes of millions of Filipinos nationwide. “Mas importante saakin ang kapakanan ng mga kapwa kong Boholanos,“ he says.

I know Cesar as a family man; a loving, caring and sometimes alaskador husband to my cousin Sunshine (I love this man’s sense of humor), na minsan ay ikinapipikon ng pinsan ko dahil sa “dry” nya na sense of humor. He’s a devoted father, a loyal friend and a loving and caring boss to his employees. My cousin Shine told me years ago that not a single driver or helper has left Cesar’s employ. Now I know why.

He and his employees have the same food. This made me admire him all the more. I know so many people who are as successful as Cesar is. But only a few show this kind of compassion and understanding for those around him.

This past week I joined Cesar and Sunshine on the campaign trail all over Bohol. It’s not easy to go around two or three towns in just one day the way we did. You sometimes forget to eat. But Cesar always has this knack for communicating and empathizing with the people of Bohol. I’ve heard and felt his disdain for dirty politics and corruption, and deep conviction to make the Philippines a better place. I must admit he’s a charmer on stage, but being charming and just flattering people is different from charm coupled with sincerity in helping your countrymen.

It’s so easy to judge celebrities who enter politics. Some of them do help in improving our country while others only disappoint the many who rely on them.

But, if more public servants had Cesar’s sincerity, conviction and dedication, our country would undeniably be much better off.

”Good character and honesty should go hand-in-hand with government service,” says Cesar. “It is the responsibility of all Filipinos to ensure they are represented by those that seek to make the common family life better.” Mabuhay ka Buboy. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas at ang mga mamamayang Pilipino!!!