60. JCI AND THE SENATE

JCI AND THE SENATE

Dr. Troy Alexander G. Miano

11 February 2018

The year 1996 was my first acquaintance with a number of senators. The first set of senators were the colleagues of my boss - Senator Heherson T. Alvarez in the Philippine Senate where I worked as a legislative and out-of-town staff for two years (1996-1998). The second group of senators were the JCI Senators, the senior members of the worldwide federation of young leaders and entrepreneurs popularly identified as Philippine Jaycees and officially named as JCI where I was inducted as a member in the same year.

Posted in its website, JCI or Junior Chamber International is a non-profit international non-governmental organization of young people between 18 and 40 years old. It has members in about 124 countries, and regional or national organizations in many of them. It has consultative status with the Council of Europe, with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations and with UNESCO. It was founded in St Louis in Missouri, USA in 1915. It encourages young people to become active citizens and to participate in efforts towards social and economic development, and international co-operation, good-will and understanding. Its members are called JCI Members. It publishes JCI World, a quarterly magazine, in six languages. It holds an annual conference, the JCI World Congress, in November of each year and regional annual meetings, the JCI Area Conferences.

Www.jci.cc further narrates how the JCI was formed. Henry “Hy” Giessenbier, Jr. (1892-1935), at the age of 18, formed the Herculaneum Dance Club, a social outlet for the community’s youth. Unknown at the time, Giessenbier was laying the foundation for what would become a global movement. On October 13, 1915, the first JCI Movement was founded when 32 men joined to form the Young Men’s Progressive Association (YMPCA) at the Mission Inn located in their hometown of St. Louis, USA.

Some members of JCI are given life membership of the organization and become "senators." The JCI Senate was founded in 1952 in Melbourne, Australia. Most countries with a Junior Chamber International also have an affiliated JCI Senate organization. Philip T.R. Pugsley was the founder of the JCI Senate. Born in Montreal, Canada, Pugsley was a leader of the JCI Movement at the local, national and international levels. At the 1951 JCI World Congress in Montreal, Canada, he was elected JCI President. During his travels, Pugsley witnessed organizations from around the world recognizing their outstanding members with trophies and other honorable awards, which lead to the idea for the JCI Senate. In 1952 at the seventh JCI World Congress, the JCI Senate was formed to officially recognize JCI members who displayed exemplary dedication to the JCI Mission. The JCI Senate is just one more way JCI members around the world can give back and financially assist positive change around the world. Joaquin V. Gonzalez of the Philippines was honored as JCI Senator Number One (#01). 

JCI Philippines, the first in Asia, was born on December 20, 1947 as Manila Jaycees with the extended chapter in Bacolod, Cabanatuan, Capiz, Cavite, Iloilo, Davao, Lucena, San Pablo, Tacloban and Zambaonga. The first national convention was held in Manila in April 1949 with Ramon del Rosario as national president. Since then, the Philippine Jaycees as an organization has become a byword in civic projects of varying scope and importance. Two projects have become institutions: “Voice of Democracy” oratorical contest among students and the annual search for the “Outstanding Young Men” of the Philippines. Five JCI Philippines National Presidents had become JCI World Presidents: JCI Sen. Ramon V. Del Rosario (1950-1951), JCI Sen. Robert Villanueva (1952-1953), JCI Sen. Victor C. Luciano (1985), JCI Sen. Crispin Dy (1997) and the incumbent JCI Sen. Marc Brian Lim.

JCI Cagayan Valley was born in 1982 with JCI Sen. Ramon M. Reyes (who would later become Mayor of Alicia and Representative of the 3^rd District of Isabela) as the first National Vice President for Cagayan Valley. Two JCI National Presidents came from this region: JCI Sen. Albert Raphael Angelo “Rip” A. Lesaca (2008) of JCI Roxas “Kapatiran” and JCI Sen. Bernard Faustino M. Dy (2011) of JCI Cauayan “Bamboo” who also served as 2013 JCI World Vice President and become the 4^th Mayor of Cauayan City.

Last night, in the annual Regional Mass Induction of JCI Cagayan Valley, the JCI Senate Isabela was formally inaugurated and the first elected officers for this year were sworn into office by no less than the national president of JCI Senate Philippines, JCI Sen. Apollo Enriquez in the presence of JCI Senate Foundation Chairman, JCI Sen. Cong Victor Yu. The elected charter officers are: JCI Sen. Cecilia La Madrid-Dy (President), JCI Sen. Victor  J. Santos (Executive Vice President), JCI Sen. Edmund A Obiña (Vice President for Internal Affairs), JCI Senator Dohnardwyn A. Videz (Vice President for External Affairs), JCI Sen. Troy Alexander G. Miano (Secretary General), JCI Sen. Walter C. Uy (Treasurer) and JCI Sen. Edwin C. Uy (Director for Community Affaira & Individual Development) and JCI Sen. Bernard Faustino M. Dy (Director for International Relations & Business). Witness to the historic JCI Senate induction were: Senator of the Republic of the Philippines & 2008 JCI National President - JCI Sen. Joseph Victor G. Ejercito,  2014 National President - JCI Sen. Christine Ponce-Garcia and 2018 JCI National President – JCI Sen. Rey Felix C. Rafols. JCI Sen. Bernard Faustino M. Dy was also a JCI National President in 2011.

I started my JCI career as the official delegate of my LOM (Local Organization Movement), JCI Cagayan Valley and JCI Philippines in the First National Youth Parliament in 1996 under the sector “National Organizations” which was spearheaded by the Office of the President of the Philippines through the National Youth Commission. In 1999, I was elected as the LOM President of the Cabatuan “Gintong Butil” Jaycees, now JCI Cabatuan, and it was during this term when Cabatuan Jaycees was awarded as “Outstanding NGO of Isabela” by the Provincial Government and the DILG. In 2003, I was elected as the National Vice President for Cagayan Valley and the following year as Deputy National Executive Vice President for Area-I. In my last year as a regular member, I was appointed Area-I Treasurer. In 2013, I received the highest honor given to an elected local legislator, “The Outstanding Councilor of the Philippines” (TOCP) Award which was a joint endeavour of the Philippine Councilors League, JCI and the Office of Senator Edgardo J. Angara. In 2012, my wife Jasmin was elected LO President and my sister Pamela Ann also served in 2015. I am now known as JCI Senator No. 76649.

Searching the net, I stumbled on the origin of the word “senate”. A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature or parliament. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: Senatus), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: senex meaning "the elder" or "old man") and therefore allegedly wiser and more experienced members of the society or ruling class. Thus, the literal meaning of the word "senate" is “assembly of elders”. Many countries have an assembly named a senate, composed of senators who may be elected, appointed, have inherited the title, or gained membership by other methods, depending on the country. Modern senates typically serve to provide a chamber of "sober second thought" to consider legislation passed by a lower house, whose members are usually elected. The modern word Senate is derived from the Latin word “senātus”, which comes from “senex” meaning “old man”. The members or legislators of a senate are called senators. The Latin word “senator” was adopted into English with no change in spelling. Its meaning is derived from a very ancient form of social organization, in which advisory or decision-making powers are reserved for the eldest men.

Google elaborates: Senate membership can be determined either through elections or appointments. For example, elections are held every three years for half the membership of the Senate of the Philippines, the term of a senator being six years. In contrast, members of the Canadian Senate are appointed by the Governor General upon the recommendation of the Prime Minister of Canada, holding the office until they resign, are removed or retire at the mandatory age of 75.

Prior to 1916, the Philippine Assembly, from 1935 to 1941 the National Assembly and from 1978 to 1986 the Batasang Pambansa (National Legislature) was the sole house of the legislature. In periods where the legislature was bicameral, the upper house has always been called as the "Senate". There are 244 individuals who served as senator including 22 women. In the province of Isabela, only one Isabeleño served in the Senate – Heherson Turingan Alvarez who hails from Santiago City. Senator Alvarez served for two inextendible term as senator of the republic from 1987-1992 and 1992-1998.

Being inducted in the JCI Senate is an honor. Having served and molded by the movement for 22 years has contributed much to my personal development as a public servant, spiritual and community worker and as a family man. JCI always reminds me, as I enter my 22 years in the government, that service to humanity is the best work of life.