MikeLigalig.com

By Roque P. Vaño

CARLOS C. TINIO, JR., A Vision That Lives Forever

There are persons who leave a lasting imprint in our lives. In life but more so in death. Carlos C. Tinio Jr. died an untimely death at 63. It sent shockwaves to his family, friends, and the whole town of Anda, Bohol. He was a public figure in his hometown.

2006. I met Caloy in San Diego when he accompanied his oldest son, Arjhun, who participated in the world junior golf championships. He came back the following year along with his daughter, Siri, who played at the girls division in the golf championships.

Yes, it was golf that we chanced to know each other and it was golf that we last communicated. When I moved back to the Philippines in 2010, we reconnected and kept playing the game. Caloy always paid for the green fees. It was then that I knew him more deeply. His visions and dreams, his family, his business, and of course, his golfing activities at Eagle Ridge Country Club in Cavite where he is a member.

Caloy came from a large family in Virgen, Anda, Bohol. While studying in Tagbilaran in 1984, Nitang, the strongest typhoon yet to hit Bohol, struck the province. Coming home when the disaster subsided, he found almost all of their coconut trees on the ground. This practically wiped out the family means of livelihood and threatened schooling. Beating all odds, he managed to become an electrical engineer, quite feat for a boy growing in a small barangay in Anda.

Caloy was in Saudi Arabia working as an engineer when the US invaded Iraq in 2003. He left the war-torn Middle East, settled in Manila, and along with his brother, established an electrical company catering to Japanese clients. Their business boomed.

While he was doing well in Manila businesswise, Caloy didn't forget his roots. Foremost in his mind was to help his hometown get out of poverty and corrupt leaders. Upon knowing that his barangay folks were asked by politicians to sell their beach lands with a promise to turn them into a golf course, Caloy opposed the idea and became the sore thumb in the local leaders' quest for more money into their pockets. Who else in Anda would know better about golf business except the golfer himself. But his townmates never listened. They went on selling their real properties for a price so cheap that in those days, was tantamount to giving the land for peanuts. True enough, the politicians were eased out of power and the golf development company folded. By that time, the residents already signed the deeds of sale and could no longer enter their houses since unknowingly, they did not figure out that the lands where their houses were built were included in the contract. Who did they turn to? To Carlos C. Tinio, Jr.. Caloy could only shrug his shoulders and said, "It's too late now."

But the sight and thought of his people wallowing in poverty never left Caloy's mind. To help his hometown, he entered local politics. Whether it was a good or a bad decision was only clear later on in his life. He ran for mayor three times and lost three times.

We were in the fairways enjoying a round of golf that we chanced to talk seriously about his political career. I asked him to rethink his involvement in politics. I pointed out that: 1. His views on leadership cannot be understood by ordinary Andahanons. He was now a city boy. Anda voters are largely provincianos. 2. His kids were still in school and would be adversely affected by his work with the town. 3. He cannot win an election if his campaign manager is a priest because priests do not cheat nor kill. Late Fr. Victor Rubia was his manager. 4. It will affect his business and drain his finances. "So give that a thought," I said.

He probably listened. The next elections, he refused to run as mayor. But the mayoral candidate and his leaders wanted him to run as kagawad to raise their chances of winning. He refused but they still included him in the kagawad list anyway. He won but his mayor lost. He never ran again after that.

The slowdown in economy affected Caloy's business. No more Japanese and foreign investors pitched tent in Manila. His clients slowed down. Eventually, Caloy was forced to close his office. He went back to Anda where his wife was the rural health doctor. There he got involved again in politics but not as a candidate but as campaign manager. "Money and goons if you want to win," I said. Well, his candidate won to the surprise of Andahanons. He was appointed as LGU engineering consultant.

After a few months, he sent me pictures of water pumps, water tanks, water pressure boosters, and videos of the formal opening of the water faucets. It was state of the art. It put my own town's new water system to shame since it looked like a system built by high achool students rather than hydro-engineers. I messaged Caloy thus, "You see, you can do much for the community without the trappings of power and glory. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely." "Tama ka, Padre,"  (You are right, Father.), he replied. Before this, Anda could not improve its water system despite a 29M peso loan which the town is still paying today.

I sent Caloy a selfie from Pradera Verde Golf Club. I was with our golf buddy, Arnel Agustin, golfing at the Bong Pineda's Cup. When he asked where is Pradera Verde, I sent him the photo of the golfer's ticket showing a Toyota land cruiser and Ford raptor as grand prizes in Lubao, Pampanga's annual golf classic. His message was, "Bring home the bacon, Padre." Two hours later, I got a call from his wife, Dra. Rosario Tinio, tearfully informing me that Caloy passed away. I was sad not because I came home without a trophy and expensive vehicles but because I lost a dear friend. More important than any trophy, more expensive than any vehicle.

With Caloy's demise last Dec. 20, 2023, Anda lost one of its rare gem. But not completely. As I told one of his faithful supporters, "Caloy's voice rings louder in death than in life." Carlos Tinio, Jr. is not only a man with a finite body that turns to dust in time. He is a vision that lives forever.

May he rest in peace. #

Fr. Khing Vaño
Dec. 24, 2023
Carmen, Bohol

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