They came to honor the man alternately called the “West Philippine Sea Expert” and the “Father of the Foreign Service Institute.”  From former DAP President Ed Gonzalez and his contemporaries to incumbent President Antonio Kalaw Jr. and the current crop of Academy top brass and personnel, they set aside time to remember and honor a pioneer among the DAP’s crack think-tank experts.

Antonio N. Pangilinan, who died last December 18 amidst the holiday revelry, got his due from DAP colleagues who paid tribute to him during a fellowship gathering organized by his old institution last January 15 at the Leonides Virata Hall.

The Tarlac, Tarlac native, who served the DAP from June 21, 1973 to January 16, 1987 as one of its “intellectuals,” was described by Gonzalez as a “traveler” who was not a member of any group but was “razor sharp,” somebody who was known to refuse to go by conventional rules.

‘Ahead of his time’

“The breadth of his knowledge clarified things for me.  He practically became my mentor.” Gonzalez said.  “Tony was ahead of his time for contributing the basis for the United Nations    Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which became the grounds for arbitration that the Philippines sought for its dispute with China on the West Philippine Sea.”

Kalaw, who preceded all speakers, set the tone for the afternoon event that was attended by Pangilinan’s family, former officemates, and friends when he said that the fallen former colleague at the Office of then-DAP President Onofre D. Corpuz “used his intellect to contribute ideas for our country and our people.

“A genius is a person who shows exceptional intellectual ability, creativity, or originality, to an extent that is associated with the attainment of innovative expansions in a sphere of knowledge.  Tony exemplified this kind of person,” Kalaw declared.  “He did not just stand up for something.  He stood up for many things.

Owed something

“As a nation, we owe something to the man.  Our West Philippine Sea case against the creeping Chinese occupation of our territories now pending at the International Court of Justice is mainly founded on his scholarly contribution to champion the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” PADK continued.  “From 1974-1975, he was one of the pioneers of the Career Foreign Service Development Program, where he conceptualized and developed the program that focused on the career management system and on the setting up of the Foreign Service Institute of the Department of Foreign Affairs.”

Another former colleague, Ed Decena, said that Pangilinan had a “deep and wide way of thinking.” He revealed that the last project his late comrade worked on was the conceptualization of an aviation academy for the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.

 

‘A very prolific thinker’

Former CFSDP Program Director Patricia “Triccie” Sison, on the other hand, described Pangilinan, a close friend, as a “gentle soul, a very prolific thinker and writer, and a very cognitive and deep thinker” who did not give the impression of his brilliance.

Meanwhile, Pangilinan’s elder sister, Precilla Pangilinan-Higgins, who responded on  behalf of the former DAPper’s family, thanked the people at the Academy for recognizing his brother, saying that she had no inkling of the things his brother did in his lifetime and just learned of his many accomplishments, many of which have proven to be a boon to his country, through his colleagues at the Academy.

She said that she always stayed at her late brother’s modest apartment unit near Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City whenever she came to the Philippines for a visit from the United States where she is based.

At peace with books

She noted that her brother kept a roomful of books and was at peace whenever he was at the said room lighted by a single bulb and reading one of those books.

“If he could now see you gathered for him, I’m sure he would have been very grateful,”      Higgins said.

Among those who also came to pay tribute to Pangilinan were Isabel Suarez-Morales, the wife of another brilliant DAP pioneer, the late Horacio “Boy” Morales, Sonny Estacio, Senior Vice President for Services Bernie Dizon, Executive Fellow Carlos Tabunda Jr., Asset Management Center Vice President Ermarie Mondejar, DAPCC Director Teresita Castillo, Center for Office and Conference Facilities OIC Veronica Ferrer, Business Development and Resource Generation Office OIC Winnie Manzo, Internal Auditor Michael Gapuz, and Corporate Concerns  Center Vice President Trygve Bolante, who presided over the program that lasted from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m.