Bolinao's Pride
Direct Money Transfer to Bolinao now possible through Western Union and Bolinao Bank
Feature for the Month of JUNE 1998
Minister and Ambassador Jacobo C. Clave, is easily the most outstanding among thousands of alumni of the Cape Bolinao High School ( CBHS ) as it celebrates its Golden Jubilee on April 18-20, 1996.
Son of farmer-fisherman Ismael Clave of barangay Salud, Santiago Island, Bolinao and Angelita Cabanilla of Tayug and Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, Jocobo in his book "An Open Letter to God and Other Articles (320 pp.);
"My mother, Angelita, disciplined us - my sisters, brothers and myself - to pray and to keep ourselves close to God.
"My father, Israel, did not discourage this labor of our mother. But he told us that no sack rice fall from heaven. Hence, we must all go to the farm, plant rice and corn, to the sea, to fish.
"Hence, my theology" - the vision, the ideal and the hope for the grounding of my life - which may be noted in my work. I find my thoughts expressed below.
Pray to God, continue to row the shore. (Russian proverb)
Clave topped the CBHS Class of 1950 as valedictorian and working his way though college earned his degrees in Bachelor of Science in Education (Cum Laude) and bachelor or laws (Cum Laude) from Philippine Law School, Manila.
From teaching and the practice of law, he labored as diplomatic and political reporter and hard-hitting columnist of Evening News.
Next, he joined the Manila Bulletin as political reporter and served as director of the National Press Club for several terms, now going bigtime on global journalistic assignments.
He was on the winning side when he joined the Marcos presidential campaign which saw the defeat of President Macapagal.
Clave was appointed presidential press secretary, presidential executive assistant, member of the cabinet and Interim Batasan Pambansa, Civil Service Commission Chair, ambassador to Rome and to United Nations Food Agriculture Organization (FAO). In between he was elected vice governor of Pangasinan Province.
Presidential Decree No. 40 titled "Basic policies for electric industry" and Letter of instruction No. 38, both dated November 7, 1992, mandated that national electrification pilot projects included Pangasinan and other 6 provinces. The 8 pilot municipalities in Pangasinan namely Sual, Lingayen, Binmaley, Mangatarem, Labrador, Bugallon, Urbiztondo and Aguilar (now under Central Pangasinan Electric Cooperative) originally comprised the Pangasinan I Electric Cooperative (PANELCO I). Western Pangasinan towns of Agno, Alaminos, Anda, Bani, Bolinao, Burgos, Dasol, Infanta and Mabini were commonly regarded as non-viable.
With the sense of urgency, both Secretary Jacobo C. Clave and Jesus Tanchanco, member of the Board of Administrators of the National Electrification Administration (NEA) succeeded in persuading President Marcos to include instead the Western Pangasinan towns under PANELCO I. The original 6 towns Agno, Anda, Bani, Bolinao and Dasol were registered and incorporated on September 28, 1972 with official coop headquarters in Bani, Alaminos, Mabini and Infanta were added to the Western Pangasinan coverage area in 1974.
Under the able managerial stewardship of general manager Arnulfo B. Cabrera, a classmate of Clave in the Bolinao Central School, the 9 Western towns were lighted up at the same time on December 14, 1975, the first and perhaps last of its kind in the history of Philippine rural electrification.
From the perception of non-viable and depressed status, the Western Pangasinan Electric Cooperative (official name in its franchise) received the "Most Improved Electric Cooperative Award for 1988" from NEA under GM Cabrera and Dr. Alberto G. Guiang, president, a tradition of adequate, reasonably priced, 24 hour electric service maintained by the incumbent GM Rolly Reinoso.
Had the bold move of Clave and Tanchanco failed, Western Pangasinan might still be today in total darkness similar to the time Chinese pirate Limahong landed briefly in the Western shores.
He pushed the construction of the concrete Balingasay Bridge (Bolinao) which links the Bolinao Dendro 1,300 hectare Ipil-ipil plantation, the failed 3.3 megawatt fuel-powered dendro power plant, the archaeological sites, the Bolinao upland barangays and the adjoining barangays of Bani.
Clave provided three Marcos-type pre-fab school buildings to house the Bolinao Museum and had the National Museum assume in 1976 the administration of the National Museum Bolinao Branch from the 12-year stewardship of the NGO Bolinao Historical and Cultural Society under the presidencies of Atty. Vicente Castelo (1964-1974), Ismael E. Pamintuan (1974-1980), Catalino C. Catanaoan (1980-1990), Evangeline S. Calza (1990-present). Clave likewise facilitated the establishment of the UP Marine Science Institute Bolinao Laboratory in Guiguiwanen together with architect Urbano Caasi, Jr. and Dr. Edgardo Gomez, director of UPMSI.
For a few days Clave was acting president of the country when President Marcos was on official business in Moscow, Russia.
Clave with his degree in teaching believes that teaching is the noblest of profession drawing attention to Jesus, the noblest of teachers. He initiuated the Master Teachers Plan (salary progression scheme of teachers) and the Teachers Development Program providing for teacher-training.
Clave believes firmly that knowledge is power. Earning education as a very poor working students he became a teacher and lawyer and as recognition of his life and work, the following universities conferred doctoral degrees honors cause on him: Doctor of Laws, University of Pangasinan; Doctor of Public Administration, Mindanao State University; Doctor of Humanities, Pamantasan ng Maynila; Doctor of Public Administration, Polytechnic University of the Philippines; Doctor of Humanities, Philippine Normal University.
From May 1975 to December 1985 holding office (when free from his Malacanang duties) at District Engineer Gil Valencerina's First Engineering District of Alaminos, his "little Malacanang" he pushed rural electrification of what he calls the "Golden West" and the speedy asphalt-paving of Tarlac- Lingayen, Bugallon-Olongapo and Alaminos-Bolinao road network and the replacement of a dozen wooden bridges to concrete ones completing the infra projects in December 1975 less than two months before the EDSA Revolution in February 1986 which marked Clave's retirement from government service at age 59.
Then Mayor Merito C. Miguel organized the Friends of Jacobo C. Clave Association with him as founding president, Judge William Pascua as vice president in time for the December 3, 1988 Jacobo C. Clave Recognition Day. In his response that day, he said.
"Remember that if there were no Cape Bolinao High School, there would be no Clave. There would be no Clave because Clave was son of a poor family who could not afford to send me to CBHS. god met me in CBHS and guided me all the way"
This was the rational behind the Angelita Clave scholarship which lasted more then 20 years benefitting 30 CBHS Students annually, one from each of the 30 barangays of Bolinao.
In retirement and sickly after surviving a series of strokes, ever faithful in God, he says, "No main et ipatrabaho nan Dios komo, paanrowen naet a biay mo."
He has written about a dozen books, some 500 pages each or more, about his "walk with God" documented by his readings and experience.
He believes in the Biblical decree for man "to replenish the Earth" hence, the urgent task of renewing and conserving the natural resources. He is the senior adviser of the Movement of Bolinao Concern Citizens, Inc. an environmentalist group headed by its president, Margie Celeste.
Jake Clave is the most outspoken advocate for a clean and green Bolinao environment in public forums and in his writings.
We close this write-up by lifting a part of the opening prayer of our parish priest Msgr. Zosimo E. Navata during the Clave Recognition Day.
"Now that he (Clave) is enjoying his retirement, may we ask you Lord also to reciprocate, care for him now and his family. Share with him now his strength, you strength so that he may still be with us for a long time and serve as a torch for the present crop of the sons and daughters of Bolinao".
