FORMER Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. thanked the people of the Second and Fourth Districts of Pangasinan for making it possible for him to be elected five times as the Speaker of the House of Representatives which he said was unprecedented in the political history of Asian countries.

JDV is assisted by son Christopher before blowing the birthday candles. (Punchphoto by ECV)

Addressing well-wishers who trooped to his residence in Bonuan Binloc to celebrate his 83^rd birthday said, he was the only member of the legislature elected who was elected in two separate occasions in two congressional districts–the 2^nd and 4th districts. 

He was first elected congressman of the old second district which once comprised Dagupan City, San Carlos, Basista, Urbiztondo, Mangatarem and Binmaley.

It was the same district that elected the late Speaker Eugenio Perez Sr. as a congressman, that catapulted him to become speaker of the House of Representatives, the first from Pangasinan.

He said after the redistricting in 1987, Dagupan City became part of the 4^th District along with Mangaldan, San Fabian, San Jacinto and Manaoag, which was already the pilgrimage center of Pangasinan at that time.

He served as speaker during the terms of then-President Fidel V. Ramos and continued as speaker during the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

De Venecia’s friends from France and China joined the celebration.

His wife Gina and son, Congressman Christopher de Venecia, were on hand to welcome the well-swishers. Most of the guests wore red shirts and dresses.

Still hale and healthy at age 83, De Venecia has not lost his gift of gab and still dishes out long political speeches.

Since De Venecia retired from politics, his wife Gina, served as congresswoman for two terms, and son Christopher, who is on his second term as congressman in the Fourth District.

The former speaker is currently the country’s ambassador to the APEC and is representing President Duterte in the inter-faith dialogue between Moslems and Christians.

When asked for his birthday wish for his father, Christopher said: “What do you wish a man who has everything? Nothing. The gift of nothing is quite simply one of the most beautiful things that any human being can have,” the young De Venecia said.

He wished his dad to be able to watch more movies, to find a lot of time to do things that he was not able to do when he was a five-time speaker of the House, more travels, more quality time for the people he loves without being bothered by calls from statesmen, leaders, from people who need something from him.

“I wish that you will just celebrate that you are human, that you are a husband, that you are a father, that you are a friend to most of us here with you today,” he added.

He also wished him to be able to go home more in their district more often “so you can see the fruits of your labor that Manay Gina continued and that we are continuing” (Leonardo Micua/ PhilStar Wire Service/ECV)

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