Getting to Know Nonong Haresco

Politics is one topic that I would not want to get involved in. Politics is a very dirty game especially nowadays here in the country and it can divide a strongly connected family, a good friendship that was strengthened by time and sadly, the whole nation of great people.

But then who would make a difference for the country? Who would impact change for the people but the voters themselves?

We can't stop talking about politics, it is a hard truth; for our lives revolve around it and our lives as a nation depend on it.

It's election time again this May 2019. Why don't we get to know some of the candidates from the local government unit?

One of the candidates whom I got interested to know better is Cong. Teodorico Haresco Jr. of the Lone District of Aklan. This family man is a proud Ilonggo who has a soft heart for the less privileged which is why he always helps them by encouraging them to learn how to start their own small business ventures to make their lives better.

Haresco, who learned microentrepreneurship at a very young age is a firm believer that the microenterprise industry has the ability to uplift hardworking individuals who in turn would eventually be able to provide jobs for others in the community while at the same time help in the development of its socio-economic sector.

I agree with his advocacy to help the small businesses in the country because I believe our small enterprises are promising, creative, innovative and world-class. The small business owners deserve all the support from the local up to the national government. These small enterprises such as the sari-sari stores, home-based, start-ups and independent businesses and the likes are the foundation of our country's economy. I believe these small players in the business arena are giving a different kind of care and quality in their products because their work is a reflection of themselves.

I find this man humble based on the way he speaks. Unlike the many politicians, he doesn't speak much of things that are "too good to be true." He states facts and provides proof about his claims.

Here are some of the bills he authored and co-authored in support of the microenterprise industry :

HB03776 - an act empowering the micro, small and medium enterprises
Status : Substituted by HB04595

HB04595 - an act promoting the development of micro, small and medium enterprises
Status : Republic Act RA 10644 enacted on July 15, 2014

HB 02464 - an act requiring the inclusion of basic financial management and entrepreneurship as separate subjects in the elementary and high school curricula, respectively.
Status : Under study by the Technical Working Group (TWG) on February 04, 2014

As to date Nonong has authored and co-authored more than 60 house measures including some of the very important bills that will promote better services to the whole province of Aklan :

- an act establishing a mechanism for the sustainable development and use of the island of Boracay;
- an act providing for the establishment of barangay drugstores
- an act strengthening the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System
- an act increasing the bed capacity of Ibajay District Hospital from 25 to 100

Aside from being a hardworking public servant, he is also a businessman whose determination led to the development of his little startup turned into a 50-hectare prawn-farming venture in his hometown of Ibajay. His venture now caters to the big name in the restaurant business in the metro.

Among the milestone that is grateful for is being the only Visayan and Aklanon to receive the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Businessman of the Year Award in 2007 and the Deutsche Bank Banker of the Year Award in 2005. He was also People Asia's Person of the Year in 2008 and is one of the Modern Day Filipino Heroes in the same year.

Haresco conceptualized the President's Bridge Programme (PBP) as a parallel intervention to regular government infrastructure programmes which is being duplicated in Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea, Cambodia, Siberia, and in other parts of Asia.

Nonong's contributions to the development of Aklan and the whole Philippines cannot be denied.

This Halalan 2019 we have to know our candidates better and deeper, not all famous names could give us what we really need for a public servant; so before we mark our ballots, let's not forget to make a smart decision and choice first.