february december filipino journalist politician held high ranking positions executive legislative branches philippine government including senate president secretary death perceived leftist nationalist onset career public service final years vocal supporter allowing limited united_states military presence philippines american initiatives war terror including invasion iraq enduring role nineteen years secretary later minister labor employment administration president philippine labor laws overhauled enactment labor code philippines helped author early life career born february repaired boats wife graduated grade school class invasion philippines japan world war secondary schooling teenage joined movement fought del regiment founded finished high school studies worked degree liberal arts manila graduation pursued career journalism desk editor daily_mirror author tales column twenties youngest newspaper era established public relations consulting firm soon known nationalist views founded organization frequently spoke issues nationalism social justice 1950s joined president movement volunteer group supporting presidential campaign heading working candidates election joined government special assistant secretary labor technical assistant labor affairs secretary labor appointed commissioner president appointed secretary labor employment position renamed minister labor employment resigned briefly run unsuccessful campaign election appointed post retaining position time appointment perceived leftist nationalist leftist credentials enhanced founded philippine soviet friendship society labor secretary instrumental framing labor code philippines codified labor laws country introduced innovations prohibiting termination workers legal cause instituted labor policies technical education workers initiated program overseas employment filipino workers tenure labor created obtained recognition stint labor minister elected president 60th general assembly filipino hold post organization awarded close adviser president later associated corruption government perceived corrupt created international headlines december admitted press stricken point unable major initiatives president illness placed philippines kind responded days later chest cabinet television cameras rumors seriously ill undergone surgery elected interim representing central reelected presidential elections served political campaign manager president running shortly outbreak people power revolution dispatched washington lobby american government behalf president outbreak revolt advised secretary state resign publicly reiterated support american media week member following success installation presidency relieved cabinet post returned philippines immediately attempted position leader political opposition nonetheless accepted offer president serve drafted new philippine constitution congressional elections ran second time banner nationalist led grand alliance democracy coalition defeated attempt returned private life serving chairman policy research institute senator philippines ran senate elected year term senate served chairman senate president won election senate resignation ill president senate capacity key proponent visiting forces agreement philippines united_states allowed american forces enter philippines short term training exercises yielded senate presidency later year sat senator judges trial ally president votes trial successfully voted block opening envelope believed contain proof corruption charges public anger senate vote triggered leading accession vice president presidency secretary july president appointed member political opposition senate secretary cabinet appointment controversy weeks earlier hand picked vice president resigned secretary voicing disagreement plan philippine united_states governments allow american troops help combat islamic terrorist groups war terror earlier vocal supporter visiting forces agreement perceived plan addition left wing labor activists denounced appointment citing era role promoting overseas employment filipino workers said resulted abuses inflicted filipino workers abroad stint secretary forefront negotiations led deployment american military forces inside philippines insisted american troops participate combat missions watch american filipino governments signed agreement provided immunity citizens facing charges international vocal supporter iraq war pushed deployment small filipino contingent iraq predicted november baghdad transformed symbol brutal new shining symbol human freedom sacrifices invested liberation iraq significant contribution fully time death months prior death longtime chain suffered ill health attended international conferences wheelchair night december difficulty breathing lost consciousness aboard flight tokyo flight diverted international airport taiwan rushed nearby hospital initially pronounced dead arrival given medical treatment nonetheless efforts revive futile death sunday december announced family president architect philippine foreign policy finest tradition pragmatic diplomacy secretary state hailed pivotal figures late twentieth century philippine history critical secretary general leftist coalition called political tried pass nationalist pro american nonetheless acknowledged consistent brilliant politician recalled skill political survival trademark extraordinary eulogy said height washington reported manila president support reagan administration falling responded asking reach contacts soviet government rebuffed time noted declined help philippines soviet colony years berlin wall fell buried president named daughter employment
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