Remembering Dinggoy Roxas, Gemmo Trinidad

by Louis "Barol" Biraogo '79

This month marks the birth anniversary of a great Filipino, and the recent death of dedicated public servant.

On October 21, 1960, Gerardo Roxas Jr. was born in Manila, to Gerardo Roxas Sr. and Judy Araneta Roxas. “Dinggoy,” as he came to be called by family and friends, was the youngest of three siblings.

His political and social pedigree is impeccable.

Manuel Acuña Roxas, the first President of the Republic of the Philippines (1946-1948), is his paternal grandfather.

His dad Gerardo Sr. was a member of the House of Representatives of the Congress of the Philippines representing the first district of Capiz (1957-1963), and a senator (1963-1972). Former Senator Mar Roxas is his elder brother.

Dinggoy’s maternal lineage is traced to his grandfather, the pioneering industrialist J. Amado Araneta, who developed the Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City.

The young Roxas’ uncle is businessman and philanthropist Jorge “Nene” Araneta, who successfully continued the vision of the Araneta patriarch, and is listed as among the wealthiest Filipinos by Forbes magazine for the past several years.

While studying Law in the University of the Philippines in Diliman in 1983, the dashing, good-looking Dinggoy followed the footsteps of his father and uncle and joined UP’s prestigious Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity.

The fraternity’s roster includes the names of President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., Vice President Salvador “Doy” Laurel, and Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.

In 1987, Dinggoy’s natural charm and popular appeal allowed him to reprise his father’s political career by winning a seat in the House of Representatives for the first district of Capiz. At 26 years old, he became the youngest congressman of that era.

The hard-working congressman served two terms in the House, where he was known as the champion of state-sponsored education for poor but deserving young Filipinos.

Despite Dinggoy’s political and economic pedigree, the inately humble solon very often mingled with ordinary people in marketplaces, sidewalks and parking lots in Capiz and in Metropolitan Manila, without identifying himself a congressman.

By sharing a chat with a market or sidewalk vendor, or with a driver in a parking lot, Dinggoy got first hand knowledge of the pulse of the common Filipino.

Sadly, Dinggoy’s legislative career ended in 1993 when he succumbed to colon cancer. A worthy role model for young Filipinos, Dinggoy could have been on the road to the presidency.

The other nationalist

Like Dinggoy Roxas, the other Filipino nationalist subject of this essay was a dedicated public servant. Unlike Dinggoy, however, this fellow is not in the political spotlight associated with congressmen.

His name is Guillermo Carubio Trinidad, who is also a member of the Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity.

“Gemmo,” joined the Upsilon in 1960, and is a contemporary of Andrew Nocon, his fellow Upsilonian who served as Los Baños, Laguna mayor, and is the father of rising Laguna political leader Neil Nocon, who is also an Upsilonian.

Born on January 23, 1944, Gemmo finished college at the UP College of Agriculture in Los Baños.

He went on to obtain a graduate degree in regional development economics in Rehovot, Israel. Thereafter, he took on a brief career as a college professor.

Gemmo eventually found his comfort zone in the executive department of the government.

After finishing the career executive service course administered by the Development Academy of the Philippines, Gemmo became a member of presidential economic staff of then President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. in Malacañang and, thereafter, as a director for agriculture of the National Economic Development Authority.

During the strongman administration of President Marcos Sr., Gemmo served as regional director of the Ministry of Human Settlements in Cagayan de Oro City.

Gemmo was also tasked with promoting peace in Sulu through the government’s Kilusang Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran social amelioration project.

Toward the final years of the Marcos Sr. administration, Gemmo worked with the Youth Action Development Organization, a quasi-military youth group which operated under the auspices of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Gemmo eventually joined President Marcos Sr. in Hawaii after the so-called 1986 People Power Revolution that allowed Corazon Aquino to seize the presidency.

From 1986 until the demise of President Marcos Sr. in 1989, Gemmo worked as the exiled strongman’s spokesman.

A Marcos loyalist through and through, Gemmo remained a devout supporter of the president.

Gemmo eventually went home to the Philippines.

After a brief break from politics, Gemmo returned to public service as Deputy Provincial Administrator of Laguna Governor Teresita Lazaro, and later as a provincial official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Gemmo, upon his retirement from government service, held the esteemed position of program director for the widely acclaimed radio show, Tagalog Republik on Air in Laguna. Additionally, he dedicated significant time to charitable endeavors throughout Laguna and its neighboring areas.

The endearing Guillermo “Gemmo” Trinidad passed away last October 6. He will be missed by many.