Very special people

Yesterday, February 26, is always a special day for me. It is the birthday of two very special people in my life apart from my parents. They are both special because of their tremendous influence in me, leaving their indelible and lasting mark in my personal life and professional career. I consider them as my real "bosses". One is my boss at home and the other was my former boss in the law office. We always celebrate the birthday of my boss at home, while for the past 17 years we commemorate the birth anniversary of my former boss in the law office.

My boss in the house, is of course, my loving and caring wife, Josie Sampedro-Sison, my friend and constant companion for the past 40 years who has always been "there" in good times and in bad, along the easy street and the bumpy road of life. From day one of our marriage she has staunchly supported and encouraged me to resolutely and wholeheartedly pursue whatever I have decided to embark on, ever confident in my ability to achieve them. When setbacks come, as they are sure to come in life, she provides that necessary spark to dispel the engulfing darkness; and that abiding strength and invaluable inspiration to enable me to stand up, begin again and carry on. Only when my words and deeds do me more harm than good do I encounter stiff resistance and receive stern admonition rather than unflinching support from her. She is my close confidant and reliable adviser on day to day problems, ever ready with her simple and sensible answers. Because of her, I am also afflicted with what Manong Max Soliven calls "asthma" – ask my wife.

In the early years of marriage and family life when making both ends meet was difficult, she helped as breadwinner earning more than the bacon I brought home. At those trendy times when career-oriented women professionals were emerging, she readily gave up her promising occupation as dance directress and choreographer in exchange for the nobler task of being a housewife and mother to our one girl and five boys ably filling up the necessary quality time parents should give their children. Truly, she is the main reason for my persevering fidelity to lofty ideals and for the many blessings God has bestowed on us. She fits to a tee the description found in the Good Book about the ideal wife: "She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs at the days to come. She opens her mouth in wisdom and on her tongue is kindly counsel."

My other former boss in the law office is the late Senator Jose W. Diokno, a brilliant statesman and lawyer par excellence. He was my mentor in the legal profession who taught me, not by words but by example, the fine rudiments of a dignified and principled law practice always upholding truth and justice. From him I learned the value of hard work, discipline and thorough preparation before going to any legal battle. Simplicity, clarity and brevity are the styles I picked up from him in the preparation of any pleading or other documents. In the short span of three years as an associate in his law firm, I acquired more experience in practice than I would have practicing alone or in another office for ten years. As a junior lawyer, he gave me confidence as he allowed me to argue alone before the highest court of the land even with my scant experience.

But he should be remembered and honored more for his service to our people and country. He was undoubtedly an outstanding senator, a courageous champion of human rights and a fearless fighter for the rule of law, one of the few who defied the dreaded and oppressive martial law regime that caused him his freedom. It was during his confinement in a military stockade when he made a pact with God that upon his release, he would assist the poor and the defenseless as his saw hundreds of them being thrown in prison like animals. Thus was born his Free Legal Assistance Group around the country which also inspired me to start column for the masa like this one, and to form the Ipaglaban Mo Foundation that extends assistance to the poor and defenseless in their quest for justice. If people recall and know more about what he has done for our country I am sure they will not question the law renaming Taft Avenue to Jose W. Diokno Avenue.

These are the special people in my life. Josie, my lifetime partner who helps me in being a better person and in shaping and molding a spiritually strong and healthy family, both the main and its branches that have so far produced one granddaughter and ten grandsons. And Diokno, my revered guru in the legal profession. I thank God for them.

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