TWO busy unnamed streets in the city Central Business District 2 will be named after two distinguished Nagueño political leaders and statesmen
Based on two separate proposed ordinances authored by Councilor Joe Perez, the street from the corner of Panganiban Avenue passing through the west side of St. Joseph School up to the corner of Boning Sia Sr. Street shall be named Ramon H. Felipe Jr. Street.
The street from the corner of Boning Sia Sr. Street leading to Roxas Avenue (Naga Diversion Road), on the other hand, will be named Raul S. Roco Street.
Ramon Felipe
Ramon H. Felipe, Jr. was a former City Mayor of Naga under whose watch the Naga City Public Market (now Naga City People’s Mall) was built in the 1960s to become the biggest single-roofed public market in Southeast Asia.
In 1945, the young Felipe placed 3rd in the Philippine Bar exams, even before formally graduating from law school. Running as an independent LP candidate, Ramon became the mayor of Naga City in 1963 and served until 1965.
Before he could finish his term, he was drafted by his party to run for Congressman of the first district of Camarines Sur (the province then was divided into only two districts, with Naga City belonging to the first district). In 1969, he was elected House Minority Floor Leader.
When martial law was declared in 1972, Ramon returned to his private law practice.
President Ferdinand Marcos, under pressure to assign an opposition member to the Commission on Elections, appointed Ramon in time to oversee the 1984 Batasang Pambansa elections. He continued to assume the same post under President Cory Aquino until he retired on February 3, 1988.
Ramon Jr. passed away on June 15, 2017, and was buried at the Sto. Nino Memorial Park.
Raul Roco
Raul Sagarbarria Roco was a prominent lawyer whose political career started when he ran and won as the youngest member of the Constitutional Convention in the early 70s. After Martial Law, he won as congressman of the 2nd now 3rd district of Camarines Sur in 1987.
As a senator from 1992-2000, he authored bills that reformed the central banking system, liberalized the local banking industry, strengthened thrift banks, protected intellectual property rights, and created the new securities regulation code.
He was the standard-bearer of Aksyon Demokratiko, which he founded in 1997 as a vehicle for his presidential bids in 1998 and 2004. He was Secretary of the Department of Education under the presidency of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
He died on August 5, 2005 due to prostate cancer.
Written by Jason Neola (CEPPIO)
