Twenty years after FPJ

Twenty years since FPJ's passing, it's been so heartwarming to witness Filipinos, from all walks of life, keeping Da King's works, values and aspirations alive.

- BRIAN POE LLAMANZARES

This past Dec. 14, my family and I were humbled by the outpour of love for Papa Ronnie. We had the great privilege of holding holy mass for him and celebrating his life and legacy at the inauguration of the FPJ Ecopark in San Carlos City, Pangasinan, his hometown.

Two decades is a long time. Back in 2004, our country's population was estimated at 84.2 million. The Philippines' poverty rate was at around 33 percent, or one out of three Filipinos, or about 27.79 million. 62 percent of Filipino families (or two out of three) rated themselves as poor. Child malnutrition in the Philippines was said to be so bad in certain areas and sectors that it was comparable to North Korea. The first iPhone didn't exist yet, and Nokia phones were hegemonic. The internet penetration rate in the Philippines was only a tiny 2.6 percent. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) weren't even existing yet; instead, there was its precursor, the Millennium Development Goals, which also sought to eradicate poverty. I, for one, wasn't even a teenager yet, but I understood that Papa Ronnie had long been quietly helping his countrymen through philanthropy, and fiercely wanted to transform his dreams of success for the Philippines into reality.