62 and much to celebrate

While big birthday bashes are usually reserved for those round-number milestones like 40, 50, and 60, it makes sense that Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos would want to celebrate turning 62 on July 19.

Typhoon Carina hadn't happened yet at the time, by the way, and it was a thank-God-it's-Friday night on the week before President Bongbong Marcos' third State of the Nation Address (SONA). All this means that survey results, not only on the President's performance but of all his men as is tradition, were coming out — and the birthday boy just happened to be on top.

Just as the President enjoyed high trust and performance scores ahead of the SONA (as reported by the independent, non-commissioned survey by RP-Mission and Development Foundation Inc.), so did his Interior Secretary at an impressive rating of 93 percent, officially making him the top-performing cabinet official of the Marcos administration.

It so happens that Sec. Benhur also topped the scores in the first quarter of the year, just like he did through 2023 and within the short months following his appointment to head the department in 2022. What person wouldn't want to celebrate such a feat, right? More so, a public servant whose high ratings only mean he's truly helping better people's lives.

MMDA Chairman Don Artes, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista and Secretary Frederick Go

Mayor Joy Belmonte and Quezon City Representative Franz Pumaren

Senator Nancy Binay

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos and his wife Mandaluyong City Vice Mayor Menchie, with their guests of honor, President Bongbong Marcos and First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos.

The author and her husband, Je Arriola, enjoy a rare treat with First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos graciously taking a selfie with them and the President.

Regal Films’ Roselle Monteverde and Senator Loren Legarda

Heart Evangelista-Escudero

Pangasinan Representative Rachel Arenas

Bigwigs for Benhur: Toasting the birthday boy on stage (from left) Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation Chairman and CEO Al Tengco, Senator Loren Legarda, Speaker of the House of Congress Martin Romualdez, the First Lady and the President, and (from right to left) Senate President Francis Escudero and wife Heart Evangelista, and, of course, Abalos’ better half, Mandaluyong Vice Mayor Menchie Abalos.

No wonder then that the President himself and his wife, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, graced the secretary's jam-packed birthday party at Edsa Shangri-La Manila in Mandaluyong City, where the Abaloses proudly hail.

Of course, other topmost government officials were on hand to toast the secretary too, namely Senate President Chiz Escudero and actress-wife Heart Evangelista and a spattering of fellow senators like Loren Legarda, Nancy Binay and Bong Go; Speaker of the House Martin Romualdez and many of his members including representatives Sandro Marcos of Ilocos Norte, Richard Gomez of Ormoc City and Rachel Arenas of Pangasinan to name a few; mayors from all around the metro such as Quezon City's Joy Belmonte with her husband businessman Raymond Alimurung, Makati's Abby Binay and San Juan City's Francis Zamora; and of course, fellow cabinet officials like Transportation Sec. Jimmy Bautista, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco, Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go, and then newly appointed Education Sec. and former senator Sonny Angara.

Of course, business leaders were also present to celebrate Sec. Benhur, among them, Philippine Airlines President and COO Captain Stanely Ng and Megaworld President Andrew Tan, and — believe it or not — even a sprinkling of showbiz personalities, thanks to birthday boy's successful series of cameos in the recently concluded GMA Network hit action series, "Black Rider," starring Ruru Madrid. Sec. Benhur starred as himself in the show, doing what he does in real life and come to the aid of the oppressed.

Snippets of Sec. Benhur's episodes in "Black Rider" were, in fact, shown on the big screens around the Isla Ballroom that night and so effective he was as an actor that the President himself noticed — as he said in his speech — actor-politician Richard Gomez springing from his seat to congratulate government's newest export to the teleserye scene for a job well done.

Mind you, among the showbiz folk who attended the budding talent's party, were noted producers headed by Regal Film's Roselle Monteverde, Quantum Films' Joji Alonso and the Idea First Company's Perci Intalan.

But while it seemed acting may soon be in Sec. Benhur's future, what was crystal clear that night from the speeches of the President and the other dignitaries who called to the stage for messages that evening, is this: Given the birthday boy's to-the-roof trust and performance ratings and their complete faith in his leadership skills and heart for public service, Sec. Benhur Abalos will most likely celebrate his 63rd birthday as Senator of the Republic next year. The bigwigs were the ones who said it themselves.

Albeit quite belatedly, happy birthday to the Interior Secretary from The Manila Times.