AMADO “LITO” TADENA, AN OUTSTANDING U.P. BETAN
AND MODERN DAY FILIPINO HERO
by Willie “Tatang” Vergara
In the past few years, each time I visit my hometown of Vigan, I always make it
a point to visit the nearby coastal town of Santo Domingo. I go there neither
for business nor pleasure, but to renew my faith in the Filipino… To see for
myself that great things can happen in the Philippines when competent,
dedicated, creative people are elected to the top leadership.
The Tadena Brothers & Brods: Butch UPLB'68 and Lito UPD'61
The last time I visited Santo Domingo, I brought my elder brother Ernie (an Alpha Phi Betan) and my nephew Reggie (a Betan “by heart” dahil utusan raw siya ng mga brods noong araw). Just like me, my brother and nephew have been comfortably living in the US for many years and much of what we hear about the Philippines and Filipino officials are so negative, to say the least. That last visit to Santo Domingo was likewise very enlightening, informative and inspiring to my two relatives. But that’s going ahead of the story.
The Mayor of this town is no other than Brod Amado “Lito” Tadena, UP Diliman,
Batch 61 (Black Jack), and is now on his third and last term. His younger
brother Floro “Butch” Tadena, UPLB Batch 68, was undefeated mayor in three
consecutive elections and, therefore, had technically maxed out his term. So
Brod Butch stepped down to run as Vice Mayor and requested his Manong Lito to
run for the top post, who was then so reluctant to join politics at the time.
According to Brod Lito, he initially agreed to run for just one term.
At that time, Brod Lito had already become one of the most respected names in
the pharmaceutical industry. His successful stint in the private sector is epic,
exceptional and exemplary. He rose from the ranks until he became President and
Managing Director and concurrently Chairman of the Board of GlaxoSmithKline
(GSK), a multinational corporation. He was accorded all the honors and awards an
excellent executive deserved (e.g. AGORA Award for Outstanding Achievement in
Marketing Management given by the Philippine Marketing Association in 1987;
Leadership Award in Orlando, Florida, USA in 2006). Under his watch, GSK became
number one in the Philippine ethical pharmaceutical industry, thus catapulting
him further to higher executive positions with responsibilities over several
countries (e.g. Asia Pacific Operations Team).
With his experience in the industry, in combination with a high need for
achievement and desire to help the poor people, Brod Lito had a vision that
would later make him one of the country’s modern heroes. The ardent reader may
refer to two books where he is featured, namely: (a) Great Filipino Achievers
and (b) Modern Day Filipino Heroes.
MAYOR LITO TADENA OF STO DOMINGO, ILOCOS SUR INITIATED THE COUNTRY’S PINOY
HEALTH PASS WHEN HE WAS PRESIDENT OF GLAXOSMITHKLINE.
President Aquino III approved and signed into law, RA No. 10606, the “National Health Insurance Act of 2013” and marked a milestone in the nation’s social health insurance program. He initiated the creation and implementation of the PINOY HEALTH PASS PROGRAM when he was president of Glaxo Smith Kline (GSK). This program provides health care insurance coverage for the poor that provides health education to 10,000 families each year. For the education component, poor families were taught various concepts of health and sanitation. GSK developed info-educational materials to facilitate learning. Under this program, cardholders and their family members were entitled to free medical services and procedures like room and board, prescription drugs and biologicals, surgeon’s fees, anesthesiologist’s fees, operating room fees and surgical family planning procedures. Members are also allowed free primary consultation and free lab exams, chest x-ray, stool exam, urinalysis and sputum microscopy. free primary consultation and free laboratory examinations for complete blood count, chest X-ray, stool exam, urinalysis and sputum microscopy for tuberculosis suspects and cancer screening procedures, all of which belong to the out-patient benefit package.and signed into law, RA No. 10606, the “National Health Insurance Act of 2013”, and marked an milestone in the nation’s social health insurance program.
THE EXCELLENT ENTREPENEUR THAT IS BROD LITO TADENA.
After GSK, Brod Lito has immersed himself as owner of companies involved in health care and pharmaceuticals. The last time we talked, he and Brod Tony Panajon were going to be co-owners of “Cortal”. He is also into other successful businesses. In his multi-acre residential compound is a large warehouse and several delivery trucks. Brod Lito is among the largest distributors of Coca-Cola in the region. One of his most remarkable companies is called XENO, meaning “Ex Employees Now Owners”. He took in dozens of his GSK colleagues to be part of this company, giving them the opportunity to get rich as well. “My idea of achievement is when you prosper with the end in view of making other people better…. XENO is the culmination of my desire to bring down the cost of medicine…” (quoted from “Great Filipino Achievers”). According to the book, Brod Lito and his colleagues surprised themselves with remarkable performance at XENO’s infancy stage, partnering with reputable global pharmaceutical firms, offering premium products approved by FDAs in the US, UK and all over the world.
Twice a re-electionist to the top post, twice did Mayor Lito persuade his
constituency to vote for his Team Tadena “hook, line and sinker”. Such
overwhelming mandate (100%) is unprecedented in the political history of Santo
Domingo. The latest victory transpired while Brod Lito was in the hospital
before, during and after election day and wasn’t even able to vote for himself.
But he managed to attend his induction for a third and last term…. on a
wheelchair.
Below are some photos with captions I lifted from FaceBook posts.
Brod Lito’s signature achievements as Mayor are as follows (as confirmed by his
Executive Assistant Mary Tadena (wife of Vice Mayor Brod Butch):
1. The public market in Santo Domingo is the cleanest in the province, and
perhaps even in the whole Region 1. There are no insects inside, and the health
standards of food for sale are excellent. Merchandise such as fish and meat are
screened to prevent entry of flies. Even those from Vigan City go here to do
their marketing chores.
2. The Rural Health Unit may be the most modern, largest and most equipped RHU
in the country. Laboratory equipment include X-ray, ultrasound,
Electrocardiogram, Automatic Electronic Defibrillator. Services include
urinalysis, blood chemistry, TBDOTS, and spontaneous delivery.
3. Outside the newly renovated Municipal Hall (done during the time of Mayor
Butch) is a billboard that shows the state of the town's finances - where the
money comes from and where they are being spent on. Talk about financial
transparency. One can find that in action in Santo Domingo.
4. Recent awards given to the town of Santo Domingo are the following: Seal of
Good Housekeeping, Seal of Good Governance, Recognition as Child- Friendly
Municipality. Santo Domingo holds the distinction as the Cleanest, Safest and
Greenest Municipality of the province of Ilocos Sur and First Runner-up in
entire Region 1.
5. Mayor Lito's health program includes free medicines – both curative and
preventative (antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetes, cures for coughs and
colds) and vitamins.
6. Mayor Lito's follows the principle of empowering people, rather than catering
to people's dependency on individuals or the government.
6a. Being a non-traditional politician, he does not encourage
dole-outs. Instead of giving money, he gives them what the people actually need
– whether these are dairy products, medicines or the like. His constituents had
to adjust to this particular style.
6b. He goes by this old adage: "Give people fish and they eat
for a day… Teach people how to fish, and they will eat for a lifetime.” On this,
Mayor Lito established a training center called Agricultural Productivity Center
where farmers learn how to process their produce for value adding purposes. It
is also notable that Brod Lito, the eldest of 6 siblings, lost his father at the
age of 17 and his mother at the age of 21. As a young orphan who was earning a
decent salary as a young professional, he helped all the younger ones to finish
college and prides himself that all of them became successful and are living
comfortable lives.
6.c. He values hard work and perseverance. He is a firm
believer of the “law of the farm”, meaning that there are no quick fixes. With
an experimental farm in his big backyard, Brod Lito certainly knows what he’s
talking about. Trust cannot be built overnight, Brod Lito professes. One has to
earn trust over a long period of time. He leads by example because “When people
see this, it becomes the culture in the office”, he adds.
The reader must be tired by now, although there are so many other great and
wonderful things to say about Brod Lito Tadena. His many achievements are
chronicled in many publications and even in social media. Besides, my 14-hour
flight from SF to Narita to Manila plus 10 hours of waiting time at the airports
signal me to end this article and send it to Webmaster Norman Bituin.
Suffice it to say that the country is so fortunate that this UP Foreign Service
graduate in 1965 has been serving the less fortunate people of the Philippines –
be it in his sterling career in the private sector, in the businesses that he
owns, and in government of which he has served as Mayor for the past six years.
It is truly with much pride and honor that such a quintessential Filipino by the
name of Amado “Lito” Tadena is our fellow U.P. Beta Sigma brother.
Postcript. At this writing, I read over the internet that UP Beta
Sigma International Secretary Ernie “Togi” Igot just announced the unanimous
approval of a UPBSI Board Resolution to grant Brod Lito Tadena “MOST OUTSTANDING
BETAN AWARD” on the occasion of our Platinum Anniversary.
Photo from Eding Hizon
UPD Batch '63 reunion and guests at Eding Hizon residence - Jan. 14, 2016
Seated: Jimmy Yambao, Toti Que and Paking Verano.
Standing: Milton Mendoza, Buddy Garbanzos, Angel de Castro, Jun Advincula, Jet Arriola, Norman Bituin,
Eding Hizon, Nelson Guerrero, Rolly Reyes, Ikeng Agana, Eddie Baguio and Lito Tadena.
Family photos from Lito Tadena
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