In memoriam
ATTY PROF EDGAR CHU BASARES Sr. AB, BSE, MPA, LLb, Phd
ATTY PROF EDGAR CHU BASARES Sr. AB, BSE, MPA, LLb, Phd
1947-2008
Atty Ed Basares is dead. He passed away in his house last night November 6, 2008 after a lingering illness. Let us not talk about how he died; rather let us talk about how he lived. In my moment of grief allow me to share with you small anecdotes of my dad.
It was hard growing up under his shadow. He was an overachiever; an academician, a broadcaster, and a lawyer. He started as a classroom teacher even before I entered my elementary grades and by the time I did, he was already the school principal. He moved on to become a College Dean, Director for Student Affairs and VP for Administration spanning four decades of teaching. He capped his scholarly record with two baccalaureate degrees, two masteral including his law course, and a doctorate degree in education. In his short stint in government service he was a recipient of several Certificates of Merit. In the broadcast industry, he was rated number one radio commentator in the province and earned the monicker from his peers as the DEAN OF BROADCAST MEDIA in Sorsogon.
It was hard growing up under his shadow. I was only in grade four when he required me to learn journalism as he imposed on me to read and re-write the news from the newspapers. Reading was a habit he instilled upon me that no book or magazine from his library was missed. Yet he left me alone to learn. No grade in the line of seven was acceptable to him as he monitored mine every grading period. Bad English for him was and is a mortal sin. I finished my elementary grades with honors and he was there. During my seminary years he enjoyed the joy and pride of having a seminarian son as any father is, albeit he does not want me to become a priest. He however acknowledged my identity and duties then as a seminarian as he allowed me to spend days in the parish especially during the Lenten season.
Atty Ed Basares Sr. is a father to his students, he is a teacher to his son. He was my professor in the subject Law on Properties this last semester where always every meeting an oral exam is the only agenda. One day, on the way to school I dropped by his house to borrow a book. He told me “I will asked you about Art. ___.” I said to myself ok ito may leakage. Imagine my shock when during the actual oral exam he asked me instead questions on Art. ___ an entirely different topic. After class he saw me grinning from ear to ear “always be prepared!” he said.
He is a father to his students, sending many of them to school on his account. Even in Manila I would meet some of them grateful for finishing college through my father. Many of his students then and now come and go in his house and he would always welcome them with a smile in his lips and a song on his heart. Many of his students would remember him by his iconic advise of “SARO LANG AN SEKRETO SA PAGTAPOS NOY DAI MAGPUNDO”.
His friends and colleagues remember him for his payting pirit because my dad never gets tired; always on the move and would oftentimes take the cudgel of other people. At one time in 90’s, as a broadcaster, he even volunteered to take into custody a prisoner who wrote dad behind bars confessing he was paid to assassinate my dad and his disobedience caused him his liberty alleging that as a consequence of his disobedience he was framed up and accused as part of the NPAs that raided Irosin town. In his law practice he was branded as the extension office of PAO as many indigents standing accused would run to him and dad never waivered to welcome them rationalizing they deserve the help. Immediately after his amputation he made motions to stand up when told of a client frantically and desperately looking for him for assistance. Our family has grown accustomed to visitors coming in even interrupting his meals or his siesta. We grew up taking the backseat whenever public service beckons.
And today dai na an lamadang. Lamadang was a term he used to described one Police Colonel assigned as Provincial Director in this province whom he lambasted for incompetence and inaction. The Police Colonel, a Tagalog, was so mad at my dad that he asked his staff to research what lamadang means only to find out it was an specie of a fish. The Police Colonel was reassigned, lamadang though stick on to him as a radio monicker. When he led the KBP in this province he initiated a resolution recommending then Col. Fredelino Bautista, who head an army contingent then assigned here, for promotion impressed of the strict discipline the Colonel imposes on his erring men. Col. Bautista was promoted to Brigadier General and before leaving Sorsogon passed by my dad to thank him.
As we spend his remaining days in this mortal wound, we again give him back to the public he loved so much. Join us in his wake as we celebrate his life. As his thousands of students mourn for the loss of a father, I mourn for the loss of my teacher.
Goodbye and good night dad! Res in pacis. And please do not worry I shall see you again soon.
Atty Ed Basares is dead. He passed away in his house last night November 6, 2008 after a lingering illness. Let us not talk about how he died; rather let us talk about how he lived. In my moment of grief allow me to share with you small anecdotes of my dad.
It was hard growing up under his shadow. He was an overachiever; an academician, a broadcaster, and a lawyer. He started as a classroom teacher even before I entered my elementary grades and by the time I did, he was already the school principal. He moved on to become a College Dean, Director for Student Affairs and VP for Administration spanning four decades of teaching. He capped his scholarly record with two baccalaureate degrees, two masteral including his law course, and a doctorate degree in education. In his short stint in government service he was a recipient of several Certificates of Merit. In the broadcast industry, he was rated number one radio commentator in the province and earned the monicker from his peers as the DEAN OF BROADCAST MEDIA in Sorsogon.
It was hard growing up under his shadow. I was only in grade four when he required me to learn journalism as he imposed on me to read and re-write the news from the newspapers. Reading was a habit he instilled upon me that no book or magazine from his library was missed. Yet he left me alone to learn. No grade in the line of seven was acceptable to him as he monitored mine every grading period. Bad English for him was and is a mortal sin. I finished my elementary grades with honors and he was there. During my seminary years he enjoyed the joy and pride of having a seminarian son as any father is, albeit he does not want me to become a priest. He however acknowledged my identity and duties then as a seminarian as he allowed me to spend days in the parish especially during the Lenten season.
Atty Ed Basares Sr. is a father to his students, he is a teacher to his son. He was my professor in the subject Law on Properties this last semester where always every meeting an oral exam is the only agenda. One day, on the way to school I dropped by his house to borrow a book. He told me “I will asked you about Art. ___.” I said to myself ok ito may leakage. Imagine my shock when during the actual oral exam he asked me instead questions on Art. ___ an entirely different topic. After class he saw me grinning from ear to ear “always be prepared!” he said.
He is a father to his students, sending many of them to school on his account. Even in Manila I would meet some of them grateful for finishing college through my father. Many of his students then and now come and go in his house and he would always welcome them with a smile in his lips and a song on his heart. Many of his students would remember him by his iconic advise of “SARO LANG AN SEKRETO SA PAGTAPOS NOY DAI MAGPUNDO”.
His friends and colleagues remember him for his payting pirit because my dad never gets tired; always on the move and would oftentimes take the cudgel of other people. At one time in 90’s, as a broadcaster, he even volunteered to take into custody a prisoner who wrote dad behind bars confessing he was paid to assassinate my dad and his disobedience caused him his liberty alleging that as a consequence of his disobedience he was framed up and accused as part of the NPAs that raided Irosin town. In his law practice he was branded as the extension office of PAO as many indigents standing accused would run to him and dad never waivered to welcome them rationalizing they deserve the help. Immediately after his amputation he made motions to stand up when told of a client frantically and desperately looking for him for assistance. Our family has grown accustomed to visitors coming in even interrupting his meals or his siesta. We grew up taking the backseat whenever public service beckons.
And today dai na an lamadang. Lamadang was a term he used to described one Police Colonel assigned as Provincial Director in this province whom he lambasted for incompetence and inaction. The Police Colonel, a Tagalog, was so mad at my dad that he asked his staff to research what lamadang means only to find out it was an specie of a fish. The Police Colonel was reassigned, lamadang though stick on to him as a radio monicker. When he led the KBP in this province he initiated a resolution recommending then Col. Fredelino Bautista, who head an army contingent then assigned here, for promotion impressed of the strict discipline the Colonel imposes on his erring men. Col. Bautista was promoted to Brigadier General and before leaving Sorsogon passed by my dad to thank him.
As we spend his remaining days in this mortal wound, we again give him back to the public he loved so much. Join us in his wake as we celebrate his life. As his thousands of students mourn for the loss of a father, I mourn for the loss of my teacher.
Goodbye and good night dad! Res in pacis. And please do not worry I shall see you again soon.