Cesar Buenaventura and his generation

The passing of Cesar A. Buenaventura, or CAB as he was known in the business community, bears the weight of a generation coming to an end.

- IRIS GONZALES

This is the generation that witnessed the dictatorship unravel; some of them fought and resisted it, and in the post-Marcos Sr. period that followed, helped to protect the country's hard-won democracy.

I was privileged to have known CAB, regarded as the grand old wise man of Philippine society, having played, through the decades, invaluable roles in our country's continuing journey.

I can't remember exactly how I met him, but for sure, it had to do with his younger brother, the late Paeng Buenaventura, former BSP governor, whom I covered as a rookie reporter assigned to the banking beat.

The BSP reporters had a secret moniker for CAB back in the day. Without him knowing, we referred to him as "Kuya Cesar" - in the literal sense because he was Gov. Paeng's kuya.

It was a nickname borrowed from well-loved radio broadcaster Cesar Nucum of the famed AM radio love advice program "Dear Kuya Cesar."

But actually, CAB, in a way, had become society's big brother, a watchful guru and sage.

Below is an excerpt of what I wrote about him on Feb. 24, 2024, when he published his informative, gripping and entertaining memoir:

"The first Filipino CEO and chairman of Shell Group in the Philippines, CAB is a nonagenarian but he is far from retired and his memory is still very sharp. He is still very much active in business circles and on the golf course - nine holes usually, twice a week.