Beyond beauty
It may be the curse for most icons that the public will forever limit their existence to only a single attribute. For Margarita “Tingting” Cojuangco, she will be immortalized for her beauty. But there is so much more to this woman than meets the eye. For years, in fact, her focus has been on finishing her doctorate degree, writing a remarkable collection of history and cultural books as well as heading the Philippine Public Safety College. Uptown/Downtown had a chat with Dr. Cojuangco as she shared insights on her work, her values, her concern for the marginalized and her love of family.
Very few people are aware that you have a doctorate degree and that you are president of the Philippine Public Safety College.
I married Peping at an early age and because of that, I wasn’t able to finish college. My dream to finish my education was one I promised myself I’d eventually pursue. And I did. I went back to school with my eldest daughter’s former classmates being mine. Going back to school and being around the young ones was a bit daunting at first, but I really wanted this, so I persevered and earned my Bachelor of Arts in Oriental History. I proceeded to the University of Santo Tomas two weeks later in 1985. I earned in 1989 a Masteral Degree, Major in Philippine History and Minor in Theology, Meritissimus.
Two weeks after my graduation from UST, Dr. Pablo Tangco literally took me by the hand to the National Defense College of the Philippines in 1989 where I completed my Master’s in National Security Administration course in one year. After having been elected as governor, I attended classes on Fridays and Saturdays at the University of the Philippines for a doctorate degree in Anthropology. Though I was able to complete my academic units, I wasn’t able to get my Ph.D. because I was required to read 38 books in a month before the comprehensive exam. Could I? I was a victim of professors fighting with three of my classmates.
In 1998, I went back to my beloved school, University of Santo Tomas wherein it took me five years to complete Doctor of Philosophy, Major in History, magna cum laude. And recently, at PPSC, I took the Public Safety Officers Senior Executive Course to brush up on police subjects in a classroom that I read about.
Learning is a continuing process that’s why I love research and field work. My research work has been so extensive that I couldn’t squeeze everything in a thesis and dissertation. It resulted in publishing books and never had any launching, what a hassle they are! I give my books away. I have five as of now: Kris of Valor, 1993; Konstable: The Story of the Philippine Constabulary, 1901-1991, in 1994; History of Tarlac: Pre-History to World War II, in 1996; A Handful of Pearls: Essays on my Mindanao-Sulu Sea Travels, in 2002; The Samals in History and Legend, in 2005 and Northern Woman, Southern Seas, in 2007.
About the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC), it is an educational and training institution under the Department of the Interior and Local Government committed to provide the best training, human resource development and continuing education for the members of the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology with the end in view of developing a more professionalized corps of law enforcement and public safety personnel for the country.
My role in the education and training not only of our police force, but the fire and jail officers as well, is to be their mentor while they are my students and even outside of PPSC. I consider them all as my own children, exerting all PPSC’s resources and efforts for their best interests.
Why is PPSC important?
PPSC is the school that continuously educates our policemen, jail guards and firemen on mandatory courses. It is a requirement for all the uniformed forces to undergo some schooling regularly to update and upgrade their knowledge to learn and for their promotion.
I was appointed by President Arroyo as PPSC president in September 2004. I am grateful to the opportunity given to me to mold 1,050 cadets, men and women to be dedicated law enforcers and public safety officers after four years.
What other positions/jobs do you hold?
Aside from being the president of the PPSC, I am also the chairman of the Alumni Foundation of the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP), a director in the Drug Abuse Rehabilitation Foundation (DARE). I am in the Board of Trustees of the Collegio San Agustin, a columnist in The Philippine Star and a member of the Board at the Baguio Country Club. I’m also a full colonel in the Army Reserved Force.
What are the advocacies that are important to you?
First and foremost is literacy. I believe everyone should have a proper education. It’s a basic right. That’s why I accepted the government challenge of erecting school buildings even in the farthest barangays tasked to me by President Arroyo. Children shouldn’t have to walk far to get an education. Education should be made available to them. They must learn how to read, write and do math.
Children must be taught the country’s history, how our ancestors fought to give us the life we live now. They should at least know the likes of Jose Rizal, Francisco Balagtas, Andres Bonifacio, Fernando Amorsolo and Lucio San Pedro. The children should be introduced to good role models and those who have achieved great things despite the greater odds. I’m proud to say that during my short stint, with the help of the corps of engineers and DPWH, we were able to build under President Arroyo’s administration 1,640 school buildings around the country. Education is the key to a better life. It’s also the key to lasting peace.
With PPSC, I want to help shape the future of the country. My advocacy now is to produce dedicated uniformed men to serve their communities, enhancing their capabilities for them to be able to dispense their duties and responsibilities, at the same time exercising their rights and ours.
Do you think being known as a beauty icon has any bearing on your successful, multi-faceted life?
I have more than tried to stay away from the “beauty icon” and socialite tags. Unconsciously, it’s probably why I continued to pursue higher education. I wanted to prove to everyone that there was more to me than those tags. While being known may have some bearing in my multi-faceted life, it can’t be the reason for its success.
I am a loyal friend, a very focused and intense worker and a passionate individual. I think my education, the sincere enthusiasm for what I do for the tri-bureaus, combined with the drive to succeed, allows me to thrive.
What are the values you learned from your parents and what are the values you imparted to your daughters?
From my parents, I learned respect for elders and for everyone. I learned the value of hard work and also to be sincere. These same values I taught my daughters. We sent them to school and got their degrees. What they are right now is a product of their own doing. My children reached success the old-fashioned way — through hard work. Also being a tight knit family, they are taught to love, depend and protect each other.
Being born into a family in politics, my daughters are taught the value of acceptance, too. They are taught to accept others and to listen to them even if they differ in ideology. This coincides with the lesson of respecting others.
How is motherhood different from being a grandmother?
Responsibility. You have more responsibility in bringing up your own children than your grandchildren. The weight is all yours. The responsibility of bringing them up to be good children, sending them to good schools, teaching them good manners, imparting to them good values. It’s all yours. My daughters might say that I am impatient, speedy, detailed, meticulous, nagger, a stickler for good manners and etiquette but I believe we’ve been successful in raising good children.
With grandchildren, you’re not the primary caretaker. You’re only the “back-up” and you can only remind and suggest, not demand. So, I have more fun with my grandchildren. I can borrow them for the weekend, spoil them rotten and then return them to their parents.
How do you see yourself five years from now?
I’d still like to be in education more than I want to be in politics. Maybe teach and lecture? Or get a second doctorate degree?
What is the greatest challenge the country faces?
I think alleviating poverty is the greatest challenge this country faces. It’s the cause of the many of our country’s troubles. Restoring the trust in government is another challenge.
What is your greatest contribution to the nation?
My children. Peping and I have brought up five daughters who have been nothing but model citizens. They are patriotic, independent minded, strong-willed and disciplined girls who have stayed out of trouble and are now making their own contributions to society. If every Filipino parent can concentrate on bringing up his or her children to be productive, honest, good-intentioned and selfless citizens, then maybe we can break the cycle of greed and mistrust. They are our crowning glory.
Second is my life’s work as a public servant. I can say that my work as a public servant speaks for itself. From being governor of Tarlac to the present as PPSC president, I have given 100 percent of myself to my cause and my constituents. I am proudest each time my students are disciplined and studious, sad when the environment outside schools change them. Jubilant when they graduate, especially the Philippine National Police Academy cadets because for four years, they have persevered through a rigid life in the Academy. I feel like their mother, proud of her children seeing them through schooling and graduation.
What words of wisdom can you share with young people who look up to you?
Listen to your parents, study hard and aim high. If you dream it, you can achieve it.
