The Big Man, as his campaign calls him, in the 2010 senatorial elections is Liberal Party candidate Franklin Drilon.

His campaign motto is: Big Justice – Mahirap Man o Mayaman.

Drilon, born in Iloilo City, is a product of the public school system and finished law at the University of the Philippines. He was No. 3 in the bar exams of 1969.

He was appointed to three different cabinet positions by the late President Corazon Aquino: Labor Secretary, Justice Secretary, and Executive Secretary.

He was elected senator from 1995 up to 2007. In between, he was elected Senate President twice – in 2000 and in 2001 until 2006 – the longest tem for a senator as Head of the Philippine Senate.

While in the Senate, he was elected President of the 112th Assembly of the Inter-parliamentary Union, the prestigious organization of lawmakers around the world. According to political writer and analyst Frankie Llaguno “no senatorial candidate today can match Drilon’s 24 years of public service and accomplishments both in the executive and legislative branches of the government.”

As Labor Secretary he was able to establish industrial peace in the post-Marcos era, a requisite for increased investments and employment. He worked tirelessly to protect workers, particularly overseas Filipino workers.

As Justice Secretary, Drilon is known to have fought criminality hard. He put in jail powerful and influential personages such as Rolito Go and Calauan Mayor Antonio Sanchez.

Some of the important legislations he authored included the Citizenship Retention Act, Foreign Investment Liberalization Act, General Banking Law, and the Revised Non-Stock Savings and Loan Association Act.

He also co-authored reform-minded legislations such as the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, Clean Air Act, Anti-Violence Aga inst Women and Children Act, Anti-Money Laundering Act, and the Overseas Absentee Voting Act.

Frank Drilon was married to the late Violeta Calvo, a fellow lawyer, by whom he has two children. Two years after Violy’s death, he married Mila Serrano-Genuino, a widow and close family friend.

I am writing about Franklin Drilon because I am impressed by his dedication to public service which I feel deserves the diescontinued support of the Filipino people.

He is No. 14 on your ballot this coming May 10 elections.

(zhern_218@yahoo.com)