84th birth anniversary of Rafael M. Salas: Bago City honors outstanding son

CEBU, Philippines - People of Bago City, last August 7, celebrated the 84th birth anniversary of its illustrious son and hero, the late Rafael M. Salas—famous scholar, author, poet, statesman, academician and champion of Philippine development. 

Among the events held were a “fun walk” at the Rafael M. Salas Drive in the city, and a program at the Rafael M. Salas Library, attended by his widow Carmelita “Menchu” Salas, who was a former Phil. ambassador to the Czech Republic.

Mayor Ramon Torres led Bago City officials to the event, together with former SRA chief, lawyer Arsenio Yulo, one of Salas closest friends, former Senator Ramon Magsaysay Jr and wife, and former Bacolod City Mayor Joy Valdez, the RMS Library project director.

According to Torres, Salas did his best to serve his people, and was credited for giving solution to the country’s annual rice problem under the National Rice Sufficiency Program. As a United Nations official, he also greatly contributed to the worldwide understanding of the population and its impact to development among developed and developing countries.

Bago City is proud and privileged to have produced an outstanding citizen who has a purpose to serve mankind, said the mayor.

A city resolution was approved for the city’s celebration of Rafael M. Salas’ birth anniversary, and the City Council said it will make it a permanent annual event.

Yulo, for his part, recalled his memories with Salas with whom he grew up together especially during their teenage days. He said Bago City is the only city in the country with two certified heroes: Spanish revolution leader Gen. Juan Araneta and Rafael Salas.

Salas’ wife, Carmelita, held tears as she thanked the Soroptimists, Bago City government and other civic groups in spearheading the activity.

Salas was born on August 7, 1928, one of three children of Ernesto Araneta Salas and Isabel Neri Montinola.

According to his biography, he went to Manila to continue his education after the war and graduated with high honors in the University of the Philippines in 1950, completed his B.A. (Magna Cum Laude) and LL.B (Cum Laude) from the U.P. College of Law both in 1953, and then attended Harvard University MPA in 1955.

In 1966, Salas was appointed executive secretary by then President Ferdinand Marcos, but due to irreconcilable differences with the latter, he later resigned and accepted the post of first executive director of the UN Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) in 1969. He held this position up to his death in 1987. —Contributed by Lorenzo Lambatin Jr