A father’s true son more than Ochoa’s classmate

THIS IS in reaction to Solita Monsod’s May 14 column titled “Favored classmates.”

May I ask Professor Monsod to afford me the proverbial benefit of the doubt as I embark on my new role as a member of the JBC representing the academe. More than just being the classmate of Executive Secretary Jojo Ochoa, I have been in the academe for practically half of my life in my lifelong crusade to make a difference, in my own way, in the lives of others. Until my sabbatical leave last year, I was the chairman of the Commercial Law Department of the De La Salle University and a member of its law school faculty.

I  will not enumerate here the law schools where I taught for the past 24 years but let me assure you that I will not love our country less just because I am not a law school dean. I come from a family of teachers and public servants (my sister Winnie Mejia-Constantino used to work for her in National Economic Development Authority), and I will not betray the memory of my late father who has instilled in us the value of honest work and love of country.

It is with a heavy heart that I will be temporarily leaving my academic home, DLSU, for this new assignment. But as my former boss, Sen. Rene A.V. Saguisag, would always tell us: “Public service is its own reward.”

—JOSE V. MEJIA,

jojovmejia@yahoo.com