Social idealism and music are among legacies of the late outstanding Senate President Jovito “Jovy” R. Salonga.
Salonga was a nationalist similar to Apolinario Mabini, Gen. Antonio Luna, Gregorio Aglipay, Macario Sakay, Claro M. Recto and Renato Constantino. He was a young World War II guerrilla who was jailed and tortured by Japanese military invaders. A bar topnotcher, graduate of UP, Harvard and Yale, he defended the Philippine claim to North Borneo (Sabah) in the 1960s.
When Salonga died on March 10, 2016, Tony and Olivier Award-winning singer Lea Salonga eulogized: “RIP, Senator Jovito Salonga. They sure don’t make them like you anymore.”
On his 100th birth anniversary last year, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto visited his tomb and said: “I paid my respects to former Senate President Jovito Salonga, one of the greatest statesmen to have ever come out of Pasig.”
On September 16 of this year, it would be the 30th anniversary of Salonga leading the Senate in 1991 to vote out U.S. military bases and upholding an independent foreign policy, causing his ouster three months after as Senate President and the loss of business support for his 1992 presidential bid.
Salonga explained his vote, “Today, we have finally summoned the political will to stand up and end 470 years of foreign military presence here.” He was referring to the presence of Spanish military in the Philippines since the 16th century and the U.S. military starting 1898.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque’s grandmother and public school teacher Margarita Reyes Cruz was a first cousin of Salonga. He was also the lawyer of his grand-uncle for a Supreme Court case challenging the constitutionality of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).
It was in 2013 — coincidentally the 442nd anniversary of the founding of Laguna province by Spanish colonizers — that Wilson Lee Flores bought Salonga’s rest house and renamed it W Resort.
It was built by Senator Salonga and his late wife Lydia Busuego Salonga in 1974. The Salongas’ guests at this rest house included three presidents Cory C. Aquino, Fidel Ramos and Joseph Estrada, many other leaders, foreign diplomats and intellectuals. Salonga’s 100th birthday in June 2020 was quietly celebrated there.
It is located at Miramonte Village, Brgy. Pansol, Calamba City, Laguna. It has two high-ceiling bungalows with airconditioned bedrooms, social and dining areas, gardens, two pianos, hot springs, swimming pool, kiddie pool, two kitchens, videoke, barbecue grill and billiards.
Apart from owning the resort, Flores is a writer, realty entrepreneur, and owner of the 82-year-old Kamuning Bakery Café. Flores said that after the pandemic, he plans to host a musical tribute at the resort for Salonga.
He wants to have a reunion of the senate president’s favorite singers who used to perform there, like Andion Fernandez, Celeste Legaspi, Homer Son, Frankie Aseniero, and the University of the Philippines (UP) singing group, among others.
This proposed music tribute to Salonga shall be similar to the Pandesal Forum hosted by the bakery just before the lockdown, in honor of poet, veteran journalist and screenwriter Jose “Pete” Lacaba called “Kape’t Ka Pete Music & Poetry Night.”
Lacaba said he became a suki of the bakery ever since the late movie actress Nida Blanca brought him there. Other movie queens who enjoyed pastries there are Gloria Romero, Susan Roces, and the late Amalia Fuentes.
Among the numerous luminaries who attended the Lacaba tribute were National Artists Dr. Bienvenido Lumbera and BenCab; leaders Satur Ocampo and Sonia Roco; painters Danny Dalena and Jose Tence Ruiz; and academics UP Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo and former Ateneo Dean Tony La Viña.
Music and poetry performers included Noel Cabangon, Gemino Abad, Cooky Chua, Vim Nadera, Danton Remoto, Hazel Faith, Skarlet Brown, Michael Coroza, Charlson Ong, Becky Demetillo-Abraham, Jess Santiago, the Cavite Young Writers Association (CYWA), Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika at Anyo (LIRA), and more.
San Miguel beer, Eden Cheese, Philippine Foremost Milling and Pagcor gave support for foods and drinks for the performers and guests.
After the pandemic, Flores plans to host some of the café’s tertulia-inspired Pandesal Forum sessions with leaders and media, also music and literary events at W Resort.
The place is now available for rent per day or overnight, ideal for excursion, vacation, team building, and celebrations, etc. Message W Resorts’ Facebook page, text or Viber 09338536436, 09188077777 or 09178481818 for inquiries.