Engr. Leodegario Labao: A man with a golden heart By EDALYN ACTA Operations Manager The Capiz Times, Roxas City Many people may not be aware of it, but those who are close to him can very well attest to the fact that Engr. Leodegario is a man gifted with a “golden heart.” In particular, he has a soft spot for the poor and never gets tired of helping them. Engineer Labao knows whereof he speaks. He came from a poor family and grew up as a poor boy in Barangay Bato-Bato, Mambusao, Capiz. Thus, having experienced what it is to be poor early in his life, and an perhaps the tragedy that comes with it, he promised to himself that once he succeeds in his chosen field of endeavor, he will help those who are in need of material things. NOBLE PURPOSE Armed with this noble purpose in life, luck did smile at this 1983 Civil Engineering graduate of Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion. From his humble beginnings, earning P8 a day while working as a casual clerk at the Department of Public Works and Highways in 1979, Engineer Labao today is considered one of the big-time contractors in the Philippines. He would recall every now and then to friends how he would shuttle from his DPWH office and school on foot because his income was not enough to cover his fares. During his high school days, this youngest among six siblings took up the job as a tricycle driver served as a farmhand and shepherding a Carabao just to augment his income and to cover their family expenses. His father was an “agsador” of a farm owned by the Martelino family in Mambusao town. LOVE AMID HARDSHIP During his college days, when he and his classmates had an excursion in Libas, Roxas City, Jun Labao introduced by his friend to Luzviminda Antion, who would later become his wife, Antion grew in Libas, Roxas City. After 3 months of courtship, they were wed in a simple civil rite at the Municipality of Mambusao, Capiz. Labao was a fifth year Civil Engineering student. On April 10, 1984, they finally have a church wedding. While temporarily staying at Labao’s parents, the couple was blessed with two daughters, Kirstine and Kathleen. Luzviminda or Luz as her friends call her, also work to augment her husband’s earnings. First, he worked in the Municipality of Mambusao as a contractual employee assigned as a ticketing person in the market with a daily salary of P10. As their children grew up, Luz had to find ways on how to make extra money. Every night she did 150 pieces of Ice Candy and brought these the following day to the farm and exchanged them with rice and others were sold to the market. She also sold charcoal and mangoes along the road while performing household chores and attending the needs of her husband and children. Since the couple shared their house with Labao’s parents, the latter decided to give way. Their house was a bamboo shack which is easy to deteriorate, Labao had to repair and renovated it into plywood. AS A CONTRACTOR While working at the Department of Public Works and Highways. Labao met Federico Buenavista, who would later, become his business partner. Buenavista was become the financier while Labao did the paper works. They started to bidding small projects such as school building and road concreting. After successfully completing their first project, Labao acquired his first vehicle, an owner-type jeep. With their daughters, then becoming teenagers, they decided to move out, from Mambusao and relocated to Roxas City. They rented a house first at NHA, Tiza, Roxas City, and lastly in Barangay Dayao. It was through Labao’s second project he that he was finally able to own a house. It was when Labao and his partner close more deals and contracted more projects that they started to earn more. Eventually, he sold his owner-type jeep and bought a black L-200 pick-up. KIRSKAT WAS BORN When Laboa parted ways with his business partner (Buenavista), he found again a new one. And, in the course of contracting more projects, Labao’s business was able to save enough money for his own capital. Eventually, he has put up his own firm, the Kirskat Venture. it was during this time when he met former Congressmen Atty. Fredenil Castro. Labao has earned Congressmen Castro’s trust,and he has bagged more project nationwide with the latter’s help. Today, Labao, with his steady income from the Projects –worth billions of pesos—of his contracting firm, the Kirskat Ventures, is looked up to by people from all walks of life to solve their financial woes. and, as his resources can allow, Engineer Labao would never turn his back from a friend, a relative, or even a stranger who asks his benevolence. This is the pledge he made in his life: he would be helping the less-privileged, the needy, the sick, and the poor as long as he has the capacity to do so. He stressed that whatever amount he shells out from his pocket, it comes from his personal fund. LAW-ABIDING CITIZEN Engineer Labao also lives up to his image of a law-abiding citizen by regularly paying his taxes in the government. He dared his critics to file Tax Evasion Cases against his if they think he is guilty of such act. In fact he is one of the highest taxpayer in Capiz, third in Western Visayas, and fifth in the country. EMBRACING POLITICS Why did he choose to enter politics? “Simple,” Labao said. He wants to help his fellow countrymen. Engineer Labao is now an active member of NUP (National Unity Party) a local opposition party. He is visible during Barangay consultations and meetings. Labao wants to lead a healthy citizenry and wants to see all roads in far-flung barangays will paved. He also wants to give free licenses to all pedicabs in their town. And, being a farmer himself, he wants to set his sight on the agricultural sector. Labao sees his involvement in the politics his way of :giving back” to the community the blessings and goodness that the Good Lord has given him and his family. As of now, Labao has donated a Mini-Gyms in the Roxas City School for Philippine Craftsmen, and in Brgy. Ibacca Pres. Roxas, Capiz. He has also helped in the beautification of the Mambusao Plaza by donating soil. He is also helping his constituents in some barangays in Roxas City and in different towns in the province. Engr. Labao has also donated unit of CT scan for the Capiz Emmanuel Hospital and has helped continuously diabetic patients who cannot afford their dialysis treatment. Engr. Leodegario Labao has also donated units of multicabs each for the Panit-an PNP, Brgy. Aranquel in the Municipality of Pres. Roxas, and St. Catherine Church, and continuously sponsors medical mission in all barangays of Mambusao. And now Engr. Labao is the Mayor-elect of Mambusao Capiz. He won over 5,008 votes over his Sharon Martinez-Martelino.
Posted on: Thu, 20 Jun 2013 15:52:36 +0000
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