Photo Release

March 8, 2023

Honoring former boss, Roberto Ongpin: Sen. Pia S. Cayetano extends her profound sympathy and sincere condolences to the family of her late former boss and former Minister of Commerce and Industry Roberto “Bobby” V. Ongpin, who passed away in his sleep while on Balesin Island on February 5, 2023 at the age of 86. In her co-sponsorship speech Wednesday, March 8, 2023, Cayetano remembered Ongpin as a tough boss, but “inside, he was a softie.” If there’s a lesson that she learned from her late boss, Cayetano said Ongpin taught her that there was no such thing as saying no. “I also learned from him never to say no. That phone call that I mentioned was really just one of the many discussions we had wherein I learned from him to keep on trying, to never leave any stone unturned, to keep on exploring how you can get the job done,” Cayetano said. (Voltaire F. Domingo / Senate PRIB)

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