The Noynoy he knows

President Noynoy Aquino, according to one of the few non-relatives closest to him, Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, is all of the following:

• He believes in consensus, but doesn’t mind being outvoted by his Cabinet on certain issues.

• Is not a hip-shooter. “He likes to study and evaluate things.”

• Can “crunch” on numbers.

• Has a “retentive” memory. “He can remember about 95 percent of what he reads but unlike his late father Ninoy, is not as good with names and faces.”

• Is a firm believer in meritocracy.

• Gets angry over “inefficiency.”

• “Has kept every promise he has made to a woman.”

• Is “gentle” to every lady.

Almendras, who was guest at last Tuesday’s Bulong Pulungan forum at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza, and Noynoy Aquino were part of Ateneo de Manila University’s College Batch ‘81. It was a time of political unrest, with the latter’s father as the moral leader of the opposition. Almendras remembers being with his friend as they attended rallies of the opposition, listening to little Kris Aquino speak onstage on behalf of her father.

“The President’s life has been a series of good friendships. Because of what his family has been through, the President values friendship in the truest sense,” says Almendras, giving an insight as to why Noynoy Aquino’s trusted circle is composed mostly of his so-called “KKKs” (kabarkada, kaklase, kabarilan).  From Batch ‘81 are PAGCOR chairman Cristino Naguiat Jr., newly appointed Legal Counsel Alfredo Caguioa, MWSS Administrator Gerry Esquivel, and Almendras.

“He knows his friends won’t bug him for anything,” Almendras, who belongs to the powerful Durano clan of Cebu and the Almendras clan of Davao, shares.

Almendras was Energy Secretary before assuming the post of Cabinet Secretary. Why he accepted both government posts is crystal clear to him: “Because my President asked me.”

Prior to joining the Aquino Cabinet as Energy Secretary in 2010, Almendras was president of Manila Water. He was instrumental in setting the stage for the expansion and growth of the company. Under his leadership, Manila Water was consistently named one of the Best-managed Companies in Asia, the Best in Corporate Governance, one of the Greenest Companies in the Philippines and the World’s Most Efficient Water Company.

His first CEO position was as president of a bank, that was when he was only 37 years old. As president of City Savings Bank, he made it one of the most profitable in its category in the entire country.

He started his corporate career at Citytrust Banking Corp. and later moved to Citibank. After his stint with Citibank, he was invited by the Aboitiz Group to be the company’s treasurer for two companies. In 2001, he joined the Ayala Group through Ayala Land Inc. and appointed CEO of Cebu Holdings Inc. and Cebu Property Ventures and Development Corp.

But when his former classmate asked him to give up the pay and perks of his private sector position to join government, Almendras felt it was his duty to do so. Not only as a friend, but also as a Filipino.

He remembers vividly still the wee hours of the morning after President Cory Aquino died on Aug. 1, 2009.  While her remains were at the Heritage Park prior to her wake at De La Salle Greenhills, Noynoy went home to Times Street for some private time to grieve. Almendras was by his side, and rode with Noynoy in the car  when he went to his mother’s wake for the first time.

“There was just the two of us,” recalls Almendras, “and he told me, ‘Siguro, ang Mom na ang kahuli-huling Aquino na magsasakripisyo para sa bayan…’”

Little did his friend know at that very moment that he would be proven wrong and that in a few days there would be a clamor for another Aquino to give of himself  for the country.

***

Management is his strongest suit, believes Almendras, and that is what he is taking with him to Malacañang, in an office side by side that of Executive Secretary Paquito “Jojo”Ochoa Jr., a few feet away from the Office of the President in the Main Palace. (At the moment, President Aquino is holding office in President Marcos’ former bedroom as the Premier Guesthouse, where he used to hold office, is being restructured for safety reasons.)

So has he replaced Ochoa as the so-called “Little President?”

“No, Jojo Ochoa is the Little President,” stresses Almendras. “My job is to make sure nothing falls between the chairs.”

He explains that his coming in as Cabinet Secretary has also “taken a portion of the load” off the back of Presidential Management Staff Secretary Julia Abad, who had recently given birth.

As Cabinet Secretary, Almendras is tasked to effectively integrate and implement the programs of the Aquino administration and ensure the effective coordination of policies and projects of the different departments and agencies of government.

President Cory Aquino’s Cabinet Secretaries included Jose “Ping” de Jesus and Aniceto “Chito” Sobrepeña.

Almendras also is the lead man in the planning of President Aquino’s overseas trips. At present, he is in the thick of preparations for the President’s trip to Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum.

He disclosed that President Aquino would be the keynote speaker in at least two “very interesting” sessions at the Forum. There is a beeline of prominent leaders from the private sector who are seeking a meeting with him while he is in Davos, Almendras added.

In addition to that, some 14 heads of state have expressed their desire to pay a visit to the Philippines.

“World interest in the Philippines has never been this good,” Almendras says proudly. He reveals that a head of state whom he declines to identify has told him that, “I haven’t met anyone as sincere as your President.”

Almendras says that as Cabinet Secretary, his “deliverables” are very clear to him and that he intends to make the so-called delivery “before” 2016.

Like his President, he has the same goal — “to leave the country a better place than the country we inherited when he took office.”

With the President’s leadership and your brand of management, we’re counting on special delivery, no less, Secretary Almendras!

(You may e-mail me at joanneraeramirez@yahoo.com.)