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Salonga launches ‘Not
by Power or Wealth Alone’
Dr. Jovito R. Salonga launched his latest book entitled Not by Power and Wealth Alone last February 3 at SU Church right after the launching and commissioning service of the University Christian Life Emphasis Week. “This book is a collection of inspirational messages, and that’s inspiration enough for me,” said Salonga when asked what drove him to make a compilation of his speeches. The title of his book is from Deuteronomy 8:3 and from a statement of Jesus Christ, as found in Mathew 4:4: “Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” It is a collection of his speeches and messages preserving ‘the timeless quality of the truth.’ Many of the essays, homilies and speeches included in the book had been written over 35 years ago, after his life was almost snuffed out by the bombing in Plaza Miranda, Manila on August 21, 1971. Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno, in his foreword of the book, said that “Not by Power or Wealth Alone richly and powerfully inspires readers to step back, take a long view and search into their innermost selves to find the strength – which comes not from worldly wealth or power, but from the cross on which hung a most loving God in all his frailty and glory – and wield this strength to fight the evils that grip our beloved country and serve the least of our brethren.” According
to Chief Justice Puno, Salonga at 87, continues to hope and carries
on the fight he started as a young man, for he believes that “we
are young as our hopes, as old as our fears; as young as our faith,
as old as our doubts.” The hard-bound book is sold during the launching at an affordable price of Four Hundred Fifty Pesos (Php 450) just enough to cover the printing expenses. For his well-documented exposés against the Marcos administration, Salonga was hailed as the nation’s Fiscalizer by the Philippine Free Press in 1968. He has written numerous books on law and constitution, some used as textbooks in law schools, and later on decided to write books of general public interest after surviving the Plaza Miranda bombing in 1971. Salonga is popularly known as ‘the best president the Philippines never had.’ He garnered the highest number of senatorial votes for three elections and was chosen Senate President during his last term as senator. He sponsored important laws like the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees (R.A. 6713), the Anti-Coup d’etat Act (R.A. 6968) , and the Anti-Plunder Act (R.A. 7080). Other major legislations he authored include the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers and the State Scholarships Law for deserving students. His most recent award is the 2007 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service where he was recognized “for the exemplary integrity and substance of his long public career in service to democracy and good government in the Philippines.” (by Christy Ann Marie R. Cong, with reports from Marie Rochelle G. Bacay) |
