Ding Roman

Leonardo "Ding" Banzon Roman (born July 9, 1946) is a former Governor of the Province of Bataan in the Philippines. He served the Province of Bataan as its Governor for seventeen years from 1986 to 2004, having won a total of five gubernatorial elections following his appointment as Officer-in-Charge of Bataan during the Presidency of Corazon Aquino.^[1]

Biography[]

Roman was born on July 9, 1946 in Manila to parents, Pablo Roman and Victoria Banzon Roman. His father, a former Bataan Congressman, founded the first free trade zone in the Philippines called the Bataan Export Processing Zone, which paved the way for the construction of a Super Highway from Dinalupihan to Mariveles. His surname, Roman, was first recognized in the Province of Bataan when his grandfather, Sotero, became Pilar's Town Official in the 1930s.

He attended Secondary School at Letran College at Intramuros, Manila. He then took Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Major in Marketing at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America.^[2] Upon graduation from College, he worked in the Private Sector for sixteen (16) years before entering Public Service.

He is married to Carmencita Francisco Roman and has seven (7) children. His eldest son, Atty. Martin Kristoffer "Kris" F. Roman, was appointed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte as Assistant Secretary at the Office of the President in 2017.^[3][4]

Roman is also the cousin of the late Congressman Tony Roman, who is the father of current Congresswoman of Bataan, Geraldine Roman.

Political career[]

Roman started his political career in 1980 when he became President of the Nacionalista Party. He played a significant role in Philippine Politics and History, being an opposition of Marcos’ Martial Law. Together with Cardinal Jaime Sin, Defense minister Juan Ponce Enrile, Gen. Fidel V. Ramos, Roman proactively fought dictatorship and Marcos’ regime.

In 1986, President Corazon C. Aquino appointed Roman as Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Governor's Office of the Province of Bataan. Roman served as such until 1988. Thereafter, he was elected by popular vote as Bataan's Provincial Governor and served the said province as such from 1988 until 1992. In the 1992 elections, Roman lost to Enrique Garcia for the same position. The voice of the people, however, triumphed following a recall election against Garcia in 1993, where Roman won and became the Governor of Bataan until 1995. After this term, Roman ran again for Bataan's Provincial Governor in three (3) consecutive elections, i.e., 1995, 1998 and 2001, won each of the three and served the said province as such until 2004.^[5] For seventeen (17) years, he faithfully served Bataan and its people as their Governor.

Accomplishments[]

Roman initiated the solicitation of sixty seven (67) locators and business investors for the Bataan Export Processing Zone, which used to cater to only sixteen (16) companies before his term as Governor. Roman's efforts led to industrial peace and economic progress in the province of Bataan. At present, people from Bataan enjoy the fruits of Roman's endeavors as the Bataan Export Processing Zone, now called the Freeport Area of Bataan or FAB, is considered by many as the province's greatest asset.^[6]

With respect to infrastructure, Roman completed new road and improvement projects which boosted the flow of major investments in Bataan, including, among others, the Bagac-Subic Road, the Bagac-Mariveles Bypass Road, the Morong-Dinalupihan Road, the Mabayo, Morong-Subic concreting, which led to the construction of prime resorts along Morong beaches, and the Orion and Limay Ports Development. Together with former SBMA Chairman Felicito "Tong" Payumo, Roman was instrumental in the construction of the Subic–Clark–Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) and the formulation of Central Luzon Development Programs.^[7]

Roman was also able to successfully invite Letran, his alma mater, to establish a College in Abucay, Bataan, in order for students from the province to receive quality education without the need to migrate to Manila.^[8] Kalayaan College, a University of the Philippines-based college, founded by Former UP President Dr. Jose Abueva, also established its Abucay campus through the invitation of Roman.^[9]

Roman likewise founded the Bataan Child Empowerment Council, which promulgated the Early Childhood Care & Development Program. The program was used by the Senate of the Philippines and the House of Representatives of the Philippines as a model in enacting a law in early childhood care.^[10] The Bataan Child Empowerment Council is still benefiting countless of children in Bataan until the present.

A known environmentalist, Roman initiated the successful "Kontra Kalat Sa Dagat" which won several awards and received praises both locally and internationally.^[11]

Programs[]

• Environment & Livelihood: Kontra Kalat sa Dagat—A coastal care program with the people of Bataan gathering together at least once a month for a massive cleanup of the province's portion of Manila Bay.^[12][13]
• Bataan Child Empowerment Council—A program enriching the Daycare system and introducing new innovations of taking care of children.^[14]
• Teachers on the move—A new method of teaching was introduced to Bataan teachers through continuous learning of modern English and Math under the concept of “Once a teacher, always a student.”
• Klaseng Ibang Klase—A vocational and technical course for young and old alike where the Vocational School, sponsored by the Local Government and TESDA would go to the barangays for their five-hour/five-day class schedule and provide their students with opportunities for direct employment, either from local or international companies.^[15]

Awards[]

• Gawad sa Makataong Pag-unlad Award (for Bataan having the highest Human Development Index in the country) by Human Development Network with the United Nations Development Programme (1999, 2001).
• Galing Pook Award by Galing Pook Foundation and Ford International (2002).
• Local Government Leadership Award (as an outstanding chief executive of a province) by LGLA and Center for Local and Regional Governance, headed by former Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. and Mr. Jose V. Abueva (2002).
• Anvil Award by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines (2001, 2002).
• 1st Gold Quill Award by the International Association of Business Communicators (2002).

References[]

External links[]

• http://www.dingroman.com/