RICHARD GORDON

“Transformational Leader, the real

action-man”

Profile

Born: Aug 05, 1945

Birth Name: Richard Gordon

Nationality: Filipino

Political Party: BAGUMBAYAN

Spouse: Kate H. Gordon

Children: Marnie, Ali, LJ, Brian

Profession: Senator, Blue Ribbon Committee Chairman

Religion: Roman Catholic

Website: www.facebook.com/votegord on, www.dickgordon2010.com,

www.gordonbayani.com

Hometown: Olongapo City

Short Description: Dick Gordon is a proven transformational leader, the

real action- man; making possible the seemingly impossible, and
simply best known for overcoming great odds.

Civil Status: Married

Gender: Male

Nationality :Filipino
Spouse: Kate H. Gordon

Company: SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES

National and International Awards: 2008 AteneoUSA Award – Public
Service (to be given 5 July but did not attend due to Typhoon Frank )
AteneoUSA Chicago All Ateneo Convention

Candidates’s Profile

Dick Gordon is a consistent and proven transformational leader.In the

2004 national elections when he ran as senator of the Philippines,
despite the initial low public opinion surveys, Gordon won and received
the fifth highest number of votes from the electorate even without
sectoral and religious command vote support. Filipinos warmly
received his very positive personality and track record of
achievements.

He passed the very first law in the 13th Congress, Republic Act No.
9333, fixing the regular elections at the Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao (ARMM), and several other important laws, including
Republic Act No. 9369, the New Automated Election System law;
Republic Act No. 9334, the Sin Tax Law, Republic Act Nos. 9399 and
9400, fixing the tax regime in Special Economic Zones and Freeports in
Clark in Pampanga, Poro Point in La Union; and John Hay in Baguio;
Republic Act No. 9346, the abolition of the death penalty law; and
Republic Act No. 9367, the Biofuels Act of 2007.

Furthermore, as Chairman of the Senate Committee of Constitutional

Amendements and Revision of Laws, he upheld the supremacy of the
Constitution at all times. Though he may not have voted for the
ratification of the 1987 Constitution, he took an oath to preserve and
defend it. He insisted on the lawful process of charter change only
according to the process set forth in the Constitution. He opposed the
unconstitutional People’s Initiative and was one of the triumphant
parties in the case of Lambino and Aumentado vs. COMELEC, G.R. No.
174153, October 25, 2006.

He also preserved the separation of powers in government and

asserted the Senate’s constitutional right and duty to conduct inquiries
in aid of legislation against Executive Order No. 464 in Senate, et al.
vs. Ermita, G.R. No. 169777, April 20, 2006, and Executive Order No. 1
in Sabio vs. Gordon, et al., G.R. No. 174340, October 17, 2006.

In 2001, he transformed the moribund Philippines Tourism industry:

plagued by a negative image of kidnappings and SARS disease and
complicated by an era of continued threat of terrorism. As Secretary of
Tourism he accomplished this with his campaign: “WOW Philippines!
More than the usual!” This resulted to increased tourist arrivals that
rejuvenated the industry, becoming the country’s acknowledged
fastest way to address poverty and unemployment. In addition, in his
capacity as World Tourism Organization (WTO) Commissioner for East
Asia and the Pacific in 2002 and Chair of the Pacific Asia Travel
Association (PATA) for 2003, he became the chief advocate of Third
World countries that have been unduly affected in tourism and trade
by unfair Travel Advisories imposed by Western governments.

In 1992, he led the successful conversion of the former United States’

naval facility in Subic Bay. He turned it into the Philippines’ primary
trade zone. This was when the Philippine Senate rejected a treaty
extension ending a century of US military presence in the country. He
lobbied in Congress for the passage of a bill he drafted based on an old
plan to convert the American naval and air force facilities in Subic and
Clark respectively into economic enclaves by the creation of the Subic
Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).

As founding Chair and Administrator of the SBMA, he inspired an army

of 8,000 volunteers who protected and preserved the U.S.$ 8 billion
facility. Together with the volunteers, he successfully transformed
Subic into a premier investment hub that hosted the 4th APEC Leaders
Summit in 1996. By the time he left in 1998, SBMA had over 300
investors including notable American companies: Federal Express,
Coastal Petroleum and Enron. It even had British firms, BICC Cables
and Shell Exploration as well as Taiwan’s Acer Computers and France’s
Thompson Audio. More than 90,000 jobs were created under his
leadership.

WORKS

Senator Dick Gordon’s track record in public service is one for the
books.

As Mayor of Olongapo City, he brought order not only to the streets of

his city but also to the lives of his people. Mayor Dick Gordon stood
shoulder-to-shoulder with the people of Olongapo, shoveling the
ashfall, and recovering what was left of their lives. With him at the
helm, they rebuilt their city and their lives, later becoming a model city
for peace and order, health care, education, livelihood, and good
governance.

After the US Military Base closed in November 1992, he inspired and

empowered the local population and a fleet of young professionals
from here and abroad, and turned Subic Bay into the country’s
showcase for economic progress, bringing in billions in investments
and creating almost 100,000 jobs. World leaders like Margaret
Thatcher, Dr. Mahatir Mohammad, and U.S. President Bill Clinton came
to Subic to see the miracle that was the great transformation – and
they came away impressed. So with the 18 APEC head of economies
during the 4th Leaders’ Summit held thereat.

While he was the author of the success that is the Subic Bay Freeport,
a twist of events took him away, but in time brought him towards a call
to serve more people, this time as Secretary of Tourism. He knew that
tourism was the country’s ticket to development – the fastest way to
progress. Through his “Wow Philippines” campaign, the country
became well-known abroad, and tourists started coming. Despite the
challenges of the times, with the removal from office of the sitting
president, the SARS outbreak, the Oakwood mutiny, the Dos Palmas
kidnapping, and numerous bombings, not to mention the global
terrorism problem, Secretary Gordon kept tourism afloat. In doing so,
he lived up to his mantra – “tourism means jobs; where tourism
advances, poverty retreats.”

So great was his contribution to the tourism industry that its players
begged him not to run for Senator in 2004. But the road has led him to
the Philippine Senate, perhaps not the ideal place for a man of action,
a man who wants to see results for the people now. Yet, he has
distinguished himself as a prolific lawmaker, an advocate of legislation
that seek to uplift our people and our country. He is the main author
and advocate of an Automated Election System law. Through this
system, Senator Gordon hopes to leave our people with elections that
are clean, honest, fair, and credible. The Tourism Bill, signed into law
recently, is also a result of Senator Gordon’s years of hard work
advocating tourism development for our country. He is also the
principal author of the Veterans Equity Law. And as Chairman of the
Blue Ribbon Committee, he has shown that he is one who is never
afraid to take a stand on any issue, firm but fair, serious and sincere.

Senator Gordon has held many positions, and succeeded beyond

expectation at every single one of them. But I think that the job he
loves the most is one that he has held for over forty years – his job as a
volunteer of the Philippine National Red Cross. Today, he is its
Chairman, and is a Governor of the International Federation of Red
Cross and Red Crescent Societies, but his commitment and dedication
to this organization and the work that it does goes far beyond title and
position. In fact, in everything that he does, Senator Gordon goes
beyond himself. We have seen him, above and beyond the call of duty,
saving lives here in our own province as with Cabanatuan, Bulacan,
Albay, Negros Occidental, Iloilo, Leyte, and Aurora, among many others
throughout the years. Wherever there is a disaster or calamity, you
can be sure that he is there, always first, always ready, always there
often endangering his own life, defying his family, in order to alleviate
other people’s suffering and uplift human dignity. And when the
disaster is over, count on him to be there to help rebuild the
community. In recent months, people have seen him in the news
because of the Red Cross kidnapping crisis. People have seen him
passionate, aggressive, sad, sometimes even angry. If he has
appeared emotional, it is because he is a leader who truly cares – the
captain of a ship who treats all of his men like they are his own
children, because to him every life matters and is worthy of every
effort, attention, compassion, and caring that he can give – no matter
what anybody else says.

Senator Gordon is a leader with a vision for the future of his people,
and a clear strategy to get them there. He is a leader who has made
change, and change for the better. He has brought dignity and hope to
his people and has motivated and inspired others to go in the right
direction, and he, along with everybody, has sacrificed much to get
there. In everything he has done, he has seen for his people a new
country – a Bagumbayan. He has brought them out of the darkness
and into the light. And now, he calls everyone to break free of their
own limitations to chase after the horizon, to step into the light, grab
hold of their own future, and finally build a nation that is enabled,
ennobled and free.

BIOGRAPHY

Richard Juico "Dick" Gordon (born August 5, 1945 in Castillejos,

Zambales) is a Philippine senator and a 2010 Philippine presidential
candidate under the Bagumbayan - Volunteers for a New Philippines.
He is also the present chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross.

Gordon is the son of James Leonard T. Gordon, the second municipal

mayor of Olongapo, and Amelia Juico Gordon, the first mayor of
Olongapo when it was converted into a city.
In 1954, he completed his elementary education at the Colegio de San
Juan de Letran in Manila. He then finished his secondary education in
1962 at the Ateneo de Manila University. He stayed in Ateneo and
completed his tertiary education, earning a degree of Bachelor of Arts,
major in History and Government in 1966. After serving as a delegate
for the 1971 Constitutional Convention, he successfully pursued a
degree of Bachelor of Laws at the University of the Philippines College
of Law in the year 1975.

Between 1966 to 1967 he served as a Brand Manager for Procter and

Gamble Philippines. As the 1960s came to a close, he aided his mother
Amelia in running the government of Olongapo after the assassination
of his father James. In 1975, he became an Associate for the
prestigious ACCRA Law Offices

Early political career

In the year 1971, while still studying at the UP, he was elected as the
delegate of the first district of Zambales to the 1971 Constitutional
Convention, which drafted the 1973 Constitution of the Philippines. He
was the youngest delegate in the said convention.

In 1980, he was elected Mayor of Olongapo City. During his term as

mayor, Olongapo soon became a highly urbanized city by the year
1983. Under his leadership, Olongapo City was converted from being a
"sin city" into a “model city” by raising police accountability through
I.D. systems, proper health and sanitation, waste management and the
strict observance of color coding in public transport.

In 1986, Gordon and then San Juan mayor Joseph Estrada became two
of the local executives who refused to vacate their positions after the
government reorganization by President Corazon Aquino. Gordon gave
way for the Aquino appointed Officer-In-Charge after a formal written
directive from the Executive Secretary representing Aquino was issued.
In the same year, he joined Philippine Vice President Salvador Laurel in
reorganizing the Nacionalista Party around the country. They
campaigned for a "No" vote on the 1987 Constitution framed by the
Aquino appointed constitutional convention. In 1988, he was elected as
mayor with the help of the Nationalist People's Coalition, a breakaway
of the Nacionalista Party under Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco.

1991 Campaign for U.S. Naval Base in Subic

On September 1991, Gordon led a nationwide rally for the retention of

the U.S. Bases in the Philippines. The U.S. naval base in Subic Bay was
a major income generating client of Olongapo City. In the same year,
Olongapo experienced the greatest volcanic cataclysm of the century
when Mt. Pinatubo erupted and dumped 14 inches of wet ash on the
City. However, in September 16, 1991, the Philippine Senate voted 12-
11 to reject the extension of a bases treaty.

Chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority

Establishment and Development of the SBMA

The looming withdrawal of the Americans from the U.S. naval base in
Subic meant the loss of over 40,000 jobs for Filipinos who were
employed in the said base. Also, $ 8 million worth of infrastructure left
behind by the Americans in the base and was in danger of being looted
from outsiders, as evidenced by the looting that occurred in 1991 at
the Clark Air Base due to the aftermath of the Pinatubo eruption.

To address the problems beforehand, Gordon led the citizens of

Olongapo to mobilize and lobby for the inclusion of a free port concept
into the national legislation for the conversion of the U.S. bases. The
effort was successful, with the inclusion of the establishment of the
Subic Bay Freeport Zone (also known as the Subic Special Economic
Zone) in Section 12 of Republic Act No. 7227, otherwise known as the
Bases Conversion and Development Act, which was approved in March
13, 1992. Section 13 of the same legislation also provided for the
establishment of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), which
was tasked to administer the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

On April 3, 1992, Gordon was appointed as the chairman of the SBMA

by President Corazon Aquino.By November 24, 1992, the U.S. Navy
completed its withdrawal from the facility and its conversion for civilian
and commercial use began.Volunteerism and the high civic spirit of the
host community marked the pioneering efforts at conversion.

In the 1992 local elections, Gordon was reelected as mayor of

Olongapo City by a landslide victory. In 1993, a citizen questioned
Gordon's dual duty as mayor of Olongapo City and as chairman of the
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. The Supreme Court decided that
Gordon must hold one position. Gordon decided to vacate his position
as Mayor and assumed the position of SBMA chairman in full capacity.
In the 1995 local elections, his wife Katherine, a three term
Congresswoman, was elected mayor of Olongapo. In the 1996 APEC
Summit, 18 world leaders were impressed with the facility and Subic
became a new investment hub in Southeast Asia. Bluechip companies
like FedEx Express, Enron, Coastal Petroleum now El Paso Corporation,
Taiwan computer giant Acer and France telecoms company Thomson
SA invested US$2.1 Billion in the freeport reinvigorating the economy
and creating 200,000 jobs replacing those lost during the US Navy
withdrawal.

In 1998, Gordon resigned as Chairman of the SBMA in order to run for

president in the national elections held during that year. However, he
eventually backed out from pursuing his candidacy. He was later re-
appointed by outgoing President Fidel Ramos as chairman of the SBMA
for a new six-year term.

1998 Forced Removal

In the 1990s, Gordon was a fierce critic of Joseph Estrada due to their
difference of opinions regarding the US Naval Base. This was seen as
early as 1991, when Gordon refused to let then-Senator Estrada film
inside Subic Bay for a movie that criticized American bases in the
Philippines.

After winning the 1998 presidential elections on May of that year,

newly elected President Joseph Estrada issued Administrative Order
No. 1, which ordered the removal Gordon as Chairman of the SBMA.
Estrada appointed Felicito Payumo, Gordon's critic and congressman of
Bataan as new chairman. Gordon refused to step down, stating that his
re-appointment from the Ramos administration gave him civil service
protection. The removal process was not easy. Hundreds of volunteers
barricated the gates of SBMA and Gordon locked himself inside the
SBMA Administrative Office Building 229. The issue sparked the
interest local and foreign press known as the Showdown at Subic.

Gordon filed for a temporary restraining order before the local court.
The local court of Olongapo granted Gordon's request but Payumo's
party filed an appeal before the Court of Appeals (CA). The CA reversed
the local court's ruling and it was affirmed by the Supreme Court. With
the Supreme Court decision, Gordon called Payumo and turned over
the reins of SBMA at the Subic Bay Yacht Club two months later on 3
September 1998. Together with the Subic volunteers, they cleaned up
the facility.

Philippine National Red Cross and Department of Tourism

Since 1986, Gordon was elected as governor of the Philippine National

Red Cross, taking active roles in rescue, relief and rehabilitation in
various disasters from shipwrecks, typhoons, 1990 earthquake in
Cabanatuan, 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, 2004 landslides in
Aurora, Quezon and 2006 Ginsaugun, Southern Leyte mudslide and the
PhilSports Arena stampede. Currently he is the chairman as well as a
Member of the Governing Board of the International Federation of the
Red Cross.

On January 2001, Gordon actively participated in the second EDSA

Revolution that led to the removal of Joseph Estrada from the
presidency. Newly installed President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
appointed Gordon as secretary of the Department of Tourism. With his
experience as a former brand manager of Procter and Gamble
Philippines and chairman of SBMA, Gordon placed the Philippines in the
international tourism map by actively marketing the Philippines in
several tourism expositions and road shows with the Wow Philippines
campaign strategy winning awards at ITB and WTM. From 2002, after
four years of negative growth and in spite of threats of terror post 9-
11, Abu Sayyaf kidnappings, SARS, Oakwood Mutiny, tourism arrival
increased heavily. He also encouraged domestic tourism by holding
regional events and having provincial destinations showcased at
Intramuros and the rationalization of Holiday Economics. He held the
position until January 2004.

Senator of the Philippines

In the 2004 national elections, Gordon ran for senator of the Philippines
under the Koalisyon ng Katapatan at Karanasan sa Kinabukasan
(Coalition of Truth and Experience for Tomorrow) of President Arroyo.
He won the election with 12,707,151 votes, which was the fifth highest
number of votes from the electorate.

During the 13th Congress (2004–2007), as Chairman of the Senate

Committee of Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Laws, he
upheld the supremacy of the Constitution at all times. Though he may
not have voted for the ratification of the 1987 Constitution, he took an
oath to preserve and defend it. He insisted on the lawful process of
Charter Change only according to the process set forth in the
Constitution. He opposed the method of Constituent Assembly or "con-
ass" initiated by President Arroyo and House Speaker Jose de Venecia,
Jr., which was possible in the 1935 Constitution but unlawful in the
current Constitution, as well as the dubious.Sigaw ng Bayan People's
Initiative and was one of the triumphant parties in the case of Lambino
and Aumentado vs. COMELEC, G.R. No. 174153, October 25, 2006.

He also preserved the separation of powers in government and

asserted the Senate’s constitutional right and duty to conduct inquiries
in aid of legislation against Executive Order No. 464 in Senate, et al.
vs. Ermita, G.R. No. 169777, April 20, 2006, and Executive Order No. 1
in Sabio vs. Gordon, et al., G.R. No. 174340, October 17, 2006.
He was also responsible for the passage of Republic Act No. 9369 — or
the Automated Elections System to obviate cheating and post election
controversies and protests that hound Philippine elections.

On April 9, 2008, Araw ng Kagitingan or Day of Valor in Bataan,

President Arroyo signed into law Republic Act No. 9499- Gordon's
Veterans Bill. The Filipino World War II Veterans Pensions and Benefits
Act of 2008 amends Sections 10 and 11 of Republic Act No. 6948, as
amended, by removing the prohibition against our veterans receiving
benefits from the United States government. Before the law was
signed, the Philippine government benefits of veterans would be
revoked once they were granted benefits by the United States
government. Because of Gordon’s advocacy and persistence, this
prohibition is now eliminated, and Filipino veterans will now be able to
receive any form of benefit from any foreign government without
losing the benefits given to them by the Philippine government.

He was the principal author of the National Tourism Policy Act of 2009
or Republic Act 9593, declaring a national policy for tourism as an
engine of Investment and employment, growth and national
development that was signed by President Arroyo in Cebu on May 12,
2009 and witnessed by the country's tourism private sector.

2010 presidential campaign

On August 5, 2007, Gordon was asked in a radio interview in

dzBB if he had any plans to run for president, to which he
answered, "Well, I am available". He further elaborated
that he plans to form a new political party aimed at
pushing for the interest of the Filipinos and that he would
run on a platform that is pro-people. His comments were
eventually reported the next day on newspapers such as
the Philippine Star, Malaya, Daily Tribune and Abante.

Gordon quickly issued a press release on August 6, 2007 to clarify his

comments in the dzBB interview. In the press release, he said that he
did not declare his candidacy in the interview but merely answered to
the interviewer's question regarding the possibility of him running for
President. He further said that he would like to focus more on his work
at the Senate, the Philippine National Red Cross, and the various
causes that he supports.

On April 26, 2009, the Bagumbayan Movement was launched in the

Rizal Park and in the Manila Hotel. The movement, which advocated
"transformative politics", served to push for the presidential candidacy
of Gordon in the 2010 elections.The movement was eventually
recognized as a political party by the Commission on Elections
(COMELEC) in October 2009.

On November 29, 2009, then Metro Manila Development Authority

Chairman Bayani Fernando revealed that he and Gordon were having
discussions on a possible team-up for the 2010 elections. A few days
later, on December 1, 2009, Gordon and Fernando officially announced
their tandem during a press conference at the Senate press office in
Pasay City, with Gordon running for the presidency and Fernando
running for the vice-presidency. During the press conference, they
billed themselves as "the transformers" since they intend to "transform
the nation. Later in the day, the tandem filed their certificates of
candidacy in the COMELEC main office.

PROJECT

IN

PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION

Submitted by:

REDEN P. MANIQUEZ

BSIT-3B
 Submitted to:

MRS. JOSENIA CONSTANTINO

MARCH 5, 2010