Press Release
May 12, 2020

Sponsorship Speech of Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan
On Proposed Senate Resolution No. 399
Honoring the Late Ramon "Sec Mon J" Jimenez
12 May 2020 | Senate of the Philippines

Thank you, Mr. President, and Majority Leader, distinguished colleagues, magandang hapon sa kanilang lahat.

Today this representation wishes to honor Secretary "Mon J" Jimenez Jr., the man who put a "fun Philippines" on the world map.

Nakasama po natin si Secretary MonJ sa Executive Department noong nakaraang administrasyon. Siya po bilang Tourism Secretary at ako naman po bilang Presidential Assistant on Food Security and Agricultural Modernization.

Nang mamatay ang asawa po ni Ginoong MonJ na si Abby, ito ang madalas kong marinig sa kanya:

"We report to a collective consciousness that is a big part of what we can call our conscience. The 'little voice inside our head' is actually a chorus. A chorus composed of the good people in our lives as they say, 'Be good. We can see you.'

"The good people in our lives are the same people we report to in our hearts and minds. We anticipate their approval and their blessing even when they are not around, because we worry, almost automatically, that whenever we do wrong, we are less deserving of their love and respect."

Sino ang gabay at konsyensya natin sa ating mga ginagawa? Lalo na sa public service? Sabi ni MonJ, yung munting tinig, 'yung chorus daw 'yon ng mga mahal natin sa buhay na nagsasabing, "Magpakabuti ka at nakikita ka namin. Pinapanood ka namin"

Sa puso't isip natin, nag-re-report tayo sa mga taong pinahahalagahan natin. Inaasam ang kanilang "OK" at "good job" kahit wala na sila. Kasi automatic na nag-aalala tayo na kung gumawa tayo ng mali, magiging hindi tayo karapat-dapat sa kanilang pagtingin, sa kanilang pagmamahal.

Maraming golden nuggets of wisdom si Secretary MonJ pero isa ito sa mga tumatak sa akin, lalo na nang mawala na rin ang aking ama noong Enero 2016. Tama si MonJ, yung mga mahal natin sa buhay, sila ang check natin, ika nga, kumbaga sa branches of government.

Ang mga ginintuang aral ni Sec. Mon, malinaw at matalas, naka-angkla sa demokrasya, sa boses ng maliliit.

During the social media boom in the early 2010s, after 2010 particularly of micro-blogging site Twitter, the words "fun" and the "Philippines" were frequently seen tweeted together. Sec. MonJ took advantage of this social media insight, and eight years ago, on January 6, 2012, the "It's More Fun in the Philippines" tourism campaign was launched.

As many call him, the Yoda of Advertising, Sec. MonJ described the campaign as one that is "people-powered." True enough, after a few hours, the slogan became a meme that thousands of Filipinos started personalizing in various social media platforms.

Many laughed remembering fond memories and outdoing each other trying to prove which Filipino experience was "more fun." Eventually, it became viral all over the world. Showing how, indeed, it is more fun in the Philippines.

Sikat na sikat ang kampanya kasi yun ang puso sa bawat Pilipino -- masayahin. And it brought about the unprecedented achievements for the Philippine tourism industry, almost doubling tourism arrivals and revenue, and creating the jobs and businesses we are now trying to save in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Secretary MonJ's leadership imbued Philippine tourism with a lasting strategic direction. Ang layo ng narating natin bilang Pilipino dahil napakasimple at napaka-eleganteng kampanya tungkol sa "Kung sino tayo".

Sec MonJ was also a mentor to countless young talents in advertising, communications, and public service, teaching them by his life's example how to uphold values, especially love of country.

Buong buhay niya, tinaguyod ni Sec. MonJ ang ideyang ang komunikasyon ay isang kasangkapan ng katotohanan, pagbubuklod, at pakikinig -- mahahalagang pundasyon ng ating demokrasya.

Sabi niya, truth is the most powerful instrument of persuasion -- the antidote to the hate, lies, and anger of social media strategies that exploit big data, microtargeting, and algorithm bias.

It was truly an honor and a privilege to have dared, aspired, and to have risk alongside Sec. MonJ, even if we ended up - to borrow the term - "bloodied but unbowed." His passing left many of us heartbroken, and in deep grief. I will always remember him as the man who loved and served his country well.

He remains loved and respected by those whom he engaged, not only for his formidable talents as a communicator, but also for his integrity, incorruptibility, humility, fairness, and love.

He will be missed. We express our sincerest condolences to his daughters Nina and Sassa, and his many colleagues and adopted children in advertising, communications, and public service.

Na-imagine ko ngayon si Sec MonJ, with his wife Abby by his side, looking down from heaven, telling all of us he left behind, "It is even more fun in heaven."

Paalam Sec. MonJ at maraming salamat sa iyong sakripisyo at pagmamahal sa bayan.

May I request our colleagues to adopt Senate Resolution No. 399.

Maraming salamat, Mr. Senate President. Maraming salamat. Magandang hapon.

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