Jose Y. Dalisay

His colleagues called him “the pitbull of Congress”—not without some affection—knowing that once he had latched on to a cause, Enrique “Tet” Garcia Jr. would not let go, no matter the political fallout.

Serving both as congressman and governor of Bataan, Garcia transformed the province into a national model in such areas as health, education, and business development. He defended Bataan’s interests, threatened by opportunistic elements, arguing on Bataan’s behalf before the Supreme Court even if he had no law degree. But beyond Bataan, he has addressed national issues, uncovering a scam that has defrauded the government of untold billions of pesos, and leading a campaign to give local governments their due from national revenues.

This book is the biography of an extraordinary public servant, living proof that right-minded, God-fearing leaders still exist among Filipinos today, who are passing on their values, experience, and hopes to a new generation.