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Arts & Culture of Zamboanga City by contributing writer & local artist: Icelle G. Borja |
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IcelleARTicles: Roseller T. Lim Roseller T. Lim, a legacy of Goodness and Greatness “ A good man’s work will live after him”…this
old adage couldn’t be more true and applicable to Roseller T.Lim, in
lieu of the following recognitions bestowed on him, thirty-some years
after his demise on 5 July,1976. Roseller T. Lim was among the Balikat ng Bayan(Public
Service) Awardees of the Social Security System in October 2007 as it
celebrated its 50th Anniversary. Among his co-awardees were the
late Presidents Ramon D. Magsaysay and Carlos P. Garcia; Senators Cipriano
P. Primicias, Manuel C. Briones, Pacita M. Gonzales and Marcelo B. Fernan;
Congressmen Floro S. Crisologo, Angel M.Castano, Wilfredo L. Enverga and
Erico B.Aumentado. Lim was given a posthumous recognition as remarkable and outstanding Statesman by the Se Jo Tong Lim (Lim Family Association of the Philippines) during the launching of its Commemorative Stamps featuring the PRIDE OF THE LIM FAMILY, last August 15,2008. These stamps, in cooperation with the Philippine
Postal Office, were launched in celebration of the 100yrs. of the Lim
Family Association, which was founded in 1908 and in commemoration of PI
Kan (Lim Ancestor) on his 3100th birth anniversary. Lim’s career in public life began as a GOOD SAMARITAN. One late afternoon, as he was on his way home, passing through the wharf, he heard moanings which led him to a tall man cringing in pain as he had just undergone an appendectomy two days ago but had to report for work cause his employer refused to give him anymore leave. This resulted in the bursting of his fresh wound as he was a ‘cargador’ (stevedore) of sacks of rice and cement. Lim rushed him to the hospital, then rolled up his sleeves and returned to the wharf where he call for the very first labor strike in Zamboanga City, giving birth to Zamboanga City’s Labor Union, which became the Mindanao Federation of Labor, still existing to-date Lim did not end the strike until their grievances such as sick leave, minimum wage, overtime pay and eight hour per day work were met. At this time, no laws were in place to protect
laborers from abusive employers. Lim became very popular as a labor leader
and this led to his being drafted as the Nacionalista’s standard bearer
for Congress in the 1949 Congressional elections pitting him
agaist political giants, the incumbent liberal Congressman Juan S.
Alano and the former Governor of Zamboanga Province Felipe B.Azcuna. At 34
years old, Lim won the elections by a landslide vote, thus began his
political career! This led
Lim to champion the laborers cause when he became a member of the House of
Representatives not too long after. From his report entitled ”My 14 Years In
Congress”: ”I was a member of the Congress of the Philippines for 14 years. I have acquired the distinction of
being the first Zamboangueno to be
elected to the House of Representatives for a total of six years,
first representing the Lone Congressional Seat of the then undivided
Zamboanga Peninsula, which included Basilan Island; and
subsequently, after the division of the Peninsula into Zamboanga del Norte
and Zamboanga del Sur, as the first duly elected representative of the
Lone Congressional district of the newly created Province of Zamboanga del
Sur. As such I have been honored by the sobriquet as the “Father of the
Province of Zamboanga del Sur.” Entering into wider political horizon, I
got elected Senator of the Philippines where I served for a total of eight
years to earn once again the distinction of being the first native son of
Zamboanga to be a member of the Upper Chamber.” Becoming the first Filipino with a Chinese surname to
win a national position was a feat in itself, because at that time, the
ethnic Chinese were discriminated against, for one reason or the other.
Lim had to repeatedly prove he was a natural-born Filipino citizen.
Lim’s success paved the way for others with ethnic Chinese names to hold
positions in politics and the government. “…during the whole period of my membership in the House of Representatives, covering the years 1950-1955 inclusive, I was consistently a member of the Committee on Public Works and Committee on Revision of Laws. As a member of said committees, it was my duty to study all the bills presented along the fields of labor, public works and revision of laws. In 1953, I was a member of the Committee on Fishing Industry and in 1954, of the Committee on Forests…on February 10,1954 I was appointed Chairman of the Committee on Labor and Industrial Relation. I introduced, together with 17 other Congressmen, House BillNo.15 creating the SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM, providing for sickness, unemployment, retirement disability and death benefits for employees and laborers. This bill is now Republic Act (R.A.) No.1611. I filed a bill House Bill(HB).No.2426) which, upon its enactment into law (R.A 1131) improved our laws regulating the employment of women and children. My bill (HB.269) prescribing five days of labor for each week for all government employees and granting them extra compensation for overtime work, amending sections 562,5666 of the Revised Administrative Code and a was consolidated into HB292. H B No.1954, which I authored, amending section nine of the Minimum Wage Law, was borne out of my desire to improve the law affecting the wages of laborers and employees. Together with other members of the Committee on Labor, I studied the feasibility of revising the Eight Hour Labor Law so as to include workers in public utilities among the recipients of benefits and protection provided in the law. R.A.No.1438 was my H.B.No.2786 appropriating the sum of seventy-five pesos for the yearly expenses of the Philippine Representative and their advisers to the International Labor Conference...” “As a Representative from Zamboanga, and in the
performance of my duties to the supreme authority _the Filipino people_I
introduced in Congress bills of general application affecting the people in
the whole nation…Fields of human activity affecting the national economy
were the subjects of my bills…H.B.No.3815(RA.1292)to
encourage Filipino retailers and to create the Filipino Retailers
Fund;H.B.No.2650 to amend the last paragraph of the Administrative Code
which governs unlawful occupation
or destruction of public forests…of far-reaching effect in the national
economy of the Philippines is R.A.No.1000 filed as H.B.No.2190 in 1954 and
my name and those (other congressmen and congresswoman Consing) appearing as
co-authors, the law authorizing the President of the Philippines to issue
bonds to finance projects for economic development.(the law also authorizes
the President to issue bonds to finance public works.)..I filed
H.B.No.1806(R.A>997)with (other )congressmen as co-authors, created the
government Survey and Reorganization Commission…R.A.1205(H.B.No.684)which
I authored with (other )congressmen converted all specially organized
provinces into regularly organized provinces…My other bills in he House of
Representatives sought to amend certain sections of the Revised Election
Code(H.No.1750) to amend the Naturalization Law(H.No.2880 I authored H.B.No.165 (R.A.1145)with other congressmen as co-authors creating the Philippine Coconut Administration, prescribing its powers, functions, duties and providing for the raising of funds for its operations.” Several municipalities, fifteen in all, were created in the province of Zamboanga del Sur. Several franchise bills were introduced in 1950 for
various purposes, such as electricity, heat & power, radio-telegram
stations, etc…” Citing a dozen more accomplishments for the province and the two cities, foremost of which are the ff: ”securing the transfer of prisoners from Muntinlupa to San Ramon..and recommending other prisoners from Zamboanga for executive clemency; with 20 Liberals and 10 Nacionalistas, I submitted a petition to the President of the Philippines For the appointment of Don Pablo Lorenzo to the cabinet
to give Mindanao more active participation in the Government…;in 1954-55,
I was President of the Mindanao-Sulu-Palawan Congressmen Association… During my eight years in the Senate of the Philippines
I had been a member of its various committees. From 1956 to the
present(1963), I have been a member of the committees of Agriculture and
Natural Resources, Commerce and Industry, Health, National Defense and
Security, Revision of Laws, and National Minorities, on Finance, Privileges
and Election Laws, Justice and Transportation and Public Services as well as
on Accounts, Provincial and Municipal Governments and Cities, Banking
Corporation and Franchises, Codes and Constitutional Amendments and the
Electoral Tribunal, the Social Justice, Community Development and Welfare,
where I was first appointed member, later appointed vice-chairman. On
January 25, 1960, I was appointed Chairman of the Committee on Investigation
(Blue Ribbon) of the Senate.” Among the bills Lim filed and which became laws, were
those amending the Social Security Act, the Magna Carta of Labor, The
Philippine Labor Code, The Woman and Child Labor Law, amending the law
establishing in the Philippines an Apprenticeship Training System and
creating the National Apprenticeship Council. Worthy of mention was Lim’s success in the fight for a regular seat for the Philippines in the governing council of the organization. A metropolitan paper, the EVENING NEWS (July 20,1957) carried in its column “You and Your Congress” by Salvador F. Zaide an account of this as follows: “At no time in the history of the International Labor Organization, an instrumentality established within the framework of the United Nations charter, has a Philippine delegation succeeded in influencing the decisions reached in an important ILO confab than the one led by Senator Lim, Chairman of the upper chamber’s committee on Labor. Lim, assisted by Dr. Jorge Bacobo, well-known educator and law codifier, and other hardworking members of the Philippine team to the recently concluded ILO plenary session in Geneva, Switzerland, out-generalled and out-maneuvered the rival of the Philippines for a regular seat in the government council of the global agency. He accomplished this feat despite the absence of a manifestly major government support.” The Lim-piloted local team hard-pressed for U.S.dollars from the day its members departed from Manila up to the very minute they returned home. Its success in getting the Philippines elected to the ILO governing body is nothing short a miracle considering that Chairman Lim and the regular delegates of his group were impelled to observe the most stringent economy while working on the representatives of ILO member-countries for votes in support of the Philippines. “But, of course, the senate newsmen who know the
Zamboanga senator rather intimately aren’t a bit surprised by the success
he and his colleagues chalked up in the Geneva parleys. If Philippine labor
has real and true friends, to their minds, none could be more dependable
than Senator Lim himself.” Other bills creating Committee on National Minorities
to study the problems concerning non-Christian Filipinos,R.A.3034 creating
the Mindanao Development Authority, bills affecting and creating public
offices amending certain provisions of the Law which created the National
Waterworks and Sewerage Authority, but was vetoed by the President on June
22,1957. Barangay heads are now called Barangay Captains, instead of barangay lieutenants, because of Lim. “In the process, I believe that I have properly
conducted myself as to make the two Zamboangas proud of the fact that I did
not merely discharge my duties but represented them with dignity and honor.
As the first duly elected Congressman of the newly created Province of
Zamboanga del Sur, I have provided the foundation for political, social and
economic development. I initiated these functions by authoring the law
(HB2524) dividing old Zamboanga Province into two autonomous constituencies
and the two separate laws amending the city charters of Zamboanga City and
Basilan City….” “…the division of Zamboanga into two provinces and
the transition of Basilan and Zamboanga Cities into autonomous
constituencies have spurned economic gains for the entire congressional
district…the highway linking Pagadian and Zamboanga City, which is my
modest contribution, has cut down travel to and from either terminus by a
few hours instead of journeying for days through the perilous waters or the
high sierras of the Peninsula; the airport in Zamboanga City has already
become an alternate international airport…the highway has also encouraged
the settlement and developed the urbanization of the offshore tribes and
inland ethnic groups as well as the flow of settlers from the Visayas and
Luzon; more small farms have been opened, accelerating our productive
rate”. Lim, unlike other politicians who would pool and
consolidate their political power, did not think of himself but of the
constituents he served, for to him, the people always came first. Awards and Citations are eloquent proofs of my dedication to work…on Spet.17,1952, the provincial board of the province of Zamboanga del Sur unanimously approved a resolution expressing the “boundless gratitude of the people of southern Zamboanga” to me and acknowledging me the “Father of R.A.711”,H.No.292(year 1955) of the City Council of Zamboanga expressed appreciation and spontaneous gratitude from the people and the City Council of Zamboanga for my achievements in the interest and welfare of my constituents and the political emancipation of the people of Zamboanga City for making elective the positions of Mayor, Vice-Mayor, and Councilors in Zamboanga City. On May 25, 1952, the Congressional Press Club cited me for pro-labor legislation during my first years in Congress and thanked me for the passage of the bill eliminating the 1%tariff duty on newspapers, congratulating me also for the enactment of my bill _one of the only two major local bills of the from 1950 to 1955_dividing the province.of Zamboanga into Z.Del Norte and Z.del Sur..The “La Opinion”, on June 30,1952,chose me as one of the ten outstanding representatives that year…in 1952, the LWBP chose me as one of the eight “honorable mentions” among the incumbent congressmen. The WMP congressmen in 1953..The League of Women , as one of the twelve outstanding member of Congress. A Certificate of Award was given to me, following the
selection of the 15 Congressmen for 1955 by the Philippine Congressional
Bulletin, for having performed duties in a most “Commendable,
distinguished and exemplary manner in Congress”. Finally, a Diploma of
Merit by the League of Philippine Architects on April 9, 1955” for my
contribution and enhancement of
the architectural profession and for sponsoring H.B.No.64 known as the
Architects’ Law.” As Senator Lim received on May 30,1956
from the Senate Press Club as “Outstanding Senator of the Year; the
Philippine Congressional Bulletin on the same year gave him a Certificate of
Award for ”outstanding legislative performance during Third Congress of
the Philippines”; A Certificate of Award as “outstanding Senator, to the
Third Congress of The Philippines by the Philippine Government Employees
Association on July 20,1957”; The Gold Star Mothers and War Widows and
Orphans Association of the Philippines on Feb.29,l958,and gave a Certificate
of Appreciation for “generosity and sympathetic espousal of the cause of
the War Mothers, Widows and Orphans of the Philippines”… For service in
Congress, a Certificate of Honor by the Capitol News for “brilliance,
active participation in parliamentary deliberations and proven admirable
ability as parliamentarian during the First Session of the Fourth Congress
of the Republic of the Philippines ”From 1959 to 1961 , more awards and
citations were received by Lim, too voluminous to further enumerate. Finally, in his own words, he relates the circumstances
which led to his being called “The Great Filibuster”! “In 1963, there was reorganization move by the Liberal Party (LP) senators in the Senate. Their candidate for the senate presidency was Ferdinand Marcos, the Nacionalistas (NP) of which I was then a part, fielded Fernando Lopez. There were 12 Liberals., the NP had the same number which included Senator Lorenzo Tanada of the Nationalist Citizens Party. Sen. Alejandro Almendras however was out of the country because he said he had to undergo goiter operation. Because there only 11 NP senators at that time the Liberals decided to present a motion reorganizing the senate from the presidency down to the last chairman of the various senate committees. To frustrate that plan, I was therefore assigned by the (NP) to filibuster. I was to start my filibuster on that Monday but Almendras was scheduled to arrive Thursday of that week, according to his cablegram. I was therefore assigned to hold the floor until the arrival of Almendras. Fortunately for me after 18 ½ hours of continuous filibuster, many senators were too tired and sleepy and had to leave the session hall. They had to move for the adjournment. Sen.Roy, an NP was presiding. There were only seven of us on the floor when the LPs came back rushing to the session hall. It was too late, session had been adjourned. Thus I was saved from collapsing after almost two days of continuous talking. I was determined to continue filibustering until I shall have dropped dead on the floor of the senate. The physical strain that I suffered as a result of that filibuster has been recurring in once in a while. WHY DID “I FILIBUSTER? In order to CONSERVE DEMOCRACY. At that time the Lower House was already captured by the party in power. The only brakes to the abuses of the administration then was the minority control of the Senate. However, when Almendras arrived from New York Doctors Hosp., he voted for Marcos, the (LP) president for the senate presidency. Thus Amang Rodriguez, Mr, Nacionalista, was toppled from the senate presidency and the minority party also lost control of the senate.” This earned Lim the monicker “The Great
Filibuster”..for which a monument of
his was unveiled last 9 February, on his 94th birth anniversary, also
celebrating EL DIA DE Senador Roseller T.Lim, by an ordinance dated
August 17, 2006, passed by the City Council of Zamboanga City. This day will be celebrated every year
commencing with a Mass at 8:00 am, and ending with a dinner where five
Roseller T. Lim awardees from the youth sector will be awarded. Lim’s memorabilia are exhibited at the National Museum in Zamboanga City, to remind the youth of his accomplishments and of the great service he has done for them and for their future. For as Confucius, the great
Chinese philosopher said ”study
the past, if you would define the future”. Lim became a Constitutional Convention delegate in
1971, and has the distinction of being one of the 49 delegates, out of more
than 250, who did not sign and ratify the so-called Marcos Constitution of
1972. In 1973, Lim was appointed as Appellate Justice to the Court of Appeals, where he became the source of information on labor and criminal laws for his co-justices. He succumbed to a fatal heart attack caused by
atherioschlerosis at 4:21pm, 5 July 1976 at the Makati Medical Center,
Makati,at the age of 61 years, with his family around him. Lim was married to the beauteous Amy Mustafa Schuck of Jolo, Sulu, & had five children namely, Rosamy, Mercibel, Victoria, Roseller, and Amy Rose. Rosamy became president of La Hermandad Foundation
Inc,in 1973, an association of fellow Zamboanguenos who are residents of
Metro Manila, for the purpose of supporting scholars from indigent
students in Zamboanga City. The association became a foundation during her
term.She graduated from St. Scholastica’s College with two degrees,
Bachelor of Art Maj. In Music & Bachelor of Music, Major in Music
Education, and took her Bachelor of Laws in Ateneo de Manila &
Perpetual Help Universities…Mercibel became president of Rotary
Club, Paranaque in 2006, widow
of Lorio Fuentebella, with 4
children & grandmother of 6. She finished Nutrition in St.
Scholastica’s College…Victoria graduated CUM LAUDE in Child Psychology
from Maryknoll Colleg(now Miriam Univ.), is married to Reynaldo Constantino,
with 3 children, the eldest Roseller Juan Miguel part-times in his own band
Mike’s Apt.( inheriting from his grandparents their musicality, as Lim
played the spanish guitar, violin, sang with a nice alto voice,( his
favorite songs Noche de Ronda, Preguntas alas estrellas, the godfather song
, I wanna give, among others) and danced); Roseller’Bong’,
an atenean, was Gen. Mgr. of CollegeAssurancePlan(CAP) Zamboanga City branch
in the early 80’s, has a son Roseller III…and Amy Rose was Miss
Friendship in the 1975 Binibining Pilipinas Pageant, graduated Mass Com from
De la Salle Univ., has one son and a grandmother of 3 boys, was married to
Rico San Agustin. Rosamy, Mercibel,Vicky and AmyRose are members of the
prestigious Bayanihan Dance Troup, with Vicky and AmyRose joining the 1973
world tour. Lim was the oldest of nine siblings, 5 boys & 4 girls, born to Don Antonio G. Lim of Recodo, Zamboanga City and Mercedes Robinson-Tarrosa, of Mercedes, Lumbayao, Zamboanga City. Lim was fondly called “Ller” by his siblings and fellow Zamboanguenos. Three of his brothers finished law & the other Roberto,became an agriculturist. He became Vice-Mayor of Zamboanga City from1968-1971; Bureau Director for Agriculture in 19972; Regional Director, Bureau of Agriculture extension, under the Dept. of Agriculture. His youngest son, Rudy is presently Councilor for the 1st district, of Zamboanga City. His brother Atty. Rosegildo, became Regional Director of the Nat’l Bureau of Investigation(NBI). A sister, Amparo, became Mrs. Daco Boot and was a Spanish scholar to Spain, became Dean of the Spanish Dept. of the Univ.of Negros Occidental,Recolletos, in Bacolod City, & translated the Philippine National Anthem into Spanish. Lim’s great-grandfather came from Amoy, Fujian Province, Mainland China, with another brother. They entered via Pangasinan and emigrated to Zamboanga City. Lim is a product of Jovellar Elem. School, Ateneo de
Zamboanga (where graduated Valedictorian of his high school class), Silliman
University, Dumaguete City(where he finished his Bachelor of Laws), passed
the Bar with 84.7% grade the same year he graduated. Lim loved sports. He was a golfer, with a 6 handicap;
played chess and loved boxing(in fact he wanted to be a boxer, but thanks to
his father, he became a lawyer instead). Lim was a member of the Integrated Bar of the
Philippines, honorary member of several clubs and organizations such as
Wack-Wack Golf and Country Club, Zamboanga City Golf and Country Club
(lifetime member), Army & Navy Club, Se JO Tong Lim Association acting
as adviser and facilitator. Lim was responsible for giving the name of La
Hermandad Zamboanguena, an association of Zamboanguenos living in Metro
Manila, of which he was very supportive.His wife, Amy & daughter, Rosamy
served as Presidents of said association. Titles & Honors conferred on him are The Great
Filibuster, Champion of the Masses, Father of the Social Security Law,
Outstanding Congressman for all the 6 yrs he served as Congressman of
Zamboanga , Outstanding Senator for all the 8 yrs of his term, Father of
Zamboanga del Sur, Founder & 1s president of Mindanao-Sulu-Palawan (MINSUPALA)
Labor Org. He is fondly remembered by his constituents in Zamboanga as “El
Gallo Sulangkang (the fighting cock) & El Nino Bonito”. Lim was born February 9, l915 in Recodo, Zamboanga
City…died 5 July, 1976 in Makati, MM as incumbent Court of Appeals
Justice..buried in Zamboanga Catholic Cemetery, 10 July 1976..Lim’s bones were exhumed & buried with his beloved wife Amy,
who died 22 September 2000 , at the Loyola Memorial Park,Paranaque,MM. |
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