James Leonard Tagle Gordon – Ama ng Olongapo

Kilala nyo ba si James Leonard Tagle Gordon? Kung hindi pa, siya po ang tinagurian Ama ng Olongapo. Siya po ang tatay ni Senator Dick Gordon.

Narito ang ilang impormasyon patungkol sa tinaguriang Ama ng Olongapo, at ang kauna-unahang Mayor ng Olongapo na si James Leonard Tagle Gordon:

James Leonard Tagle Gordon (January 17, 1917 – February 20, 1967) was the first mayor who transitioned from a mayor of Olongapo municipality to a mayor of Olongapo City, Philippines from December 30, 1963 to February 20, 1967. He was born on January 17, 1917 of an American Marine father, John Jacob Gordon, and a Filipina mother, Veronica Tagle y Bella.

Unlike his four brothers who took American citizenship and lived in the United States, he chose to stay in the Philippines as a Filipino citizen and raised his children as Filipino citizens. Gordon is the father of former Olongapo Mayor Richard Gordon.

Civil Consciousness

His family orientedness showed in his successful attempts to put up an institution that would take care of orphans and abandoned children. Together with his friends, he put up Boys Town- Girls Home which still exists to this day, caring for around 70 wards. Jimmy Gordon’s widow Amelia J. Gordon continues this tradition of caring by keeping under her care children from very poor families.

In the field of civic work James Gordon led in the forming of groups that worked on community projects. He was one of the organizers of the Olongapo Civic Action Group that worked on beautification projects and in general improvement of the city. He was one of the founders of the Olongapo Rotary Club, which has given rise to four other Rotary Clubs at present. He was also one of the founders of the Olongapo Knights of Columbus- and was selected the second Grand Knight. He organized the Olongapo Businessmen’s Association which then, as now, played a significant part in community life.

Military Rule

During Gordon’s time Olongapo was in a curious situation. The rest of the Philippines had been declared independent of the United States on July 4, 1946. Olongapo, however, remained under U.S. Government jurisdiction. It had been declared a U.S. Naval Reservation soon after the U.S. and Spain signed the Treaty of Paris. As such it was administered by a U.S. Navy officer. In other words, instead of having a Filipino Mayor, Olongapo had as its governing authority an American military official. Residents had to follow strict rules like: always having an ID Card issued by the Reservation office; home lots could not be owned, these could be taken back any time the US Navy needed the area; relatives from out of town can stay only for a few days and had to renew their passes if their stay is extended; only families with working members could stay in the Reservation. These strictly followed rules made the residents angry. But they became angrier when bus passengers going in and out of the Naval Reservation were made to get off the bus for strict searches of their belongings.

Jimmy Gordon led the move to make Olongapo free from U.S. rule. He was well respected by US Navy officials and had many friends among the Americans but he could not stomach the military regulations that limited the movements of people in Olongapo. Jose Balein of the Manila Chronicle interviewed him and in a series of articles from July 3 to 7, . 1955 he exposed the abuses and harassments suffered by Olongapo residents under US military rule

Turnover of Olongapo to Philippine Government

The Zambales provincial officials supported Gordon in this fight to be free of military restrictions. As Vice Governor of Zambales he was in a position to speak for people living in Zambales town north of Olongapo who worked in US Navy installations. Buses carrying passengers from Zambales towns passed through Olongapo and underwent the annoying searches. The concerted resistance to military rule could not be ignored by the U.S. Navy authorities. Talks were initiated to formalize the turnover of Olongapo to the Philippine Government. The American panel was made up of officials from the US Embassy headed by Minister Abbot and officers from the U.S. Navy. The Philippine panel was headed by Pacifico Castro of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Vice Governor Gordon was a member. The US Government was thus compelled to relinquish Olongapo to the Philippine Government after the RP-US panel met several times to discuss the conditions. Olongapo was turned over to the Philippine Government on December 7, 1959. On the same day President Carlos P. Garcia signed the Executive Order making Olongapo a municipality of Zambales.

Source: Wikipedia.Org

Ito ay ilan lamang sa mga mahahalagang impormasyon patungkol sa tinaguriang Ama ng Olongapo. Alam nyo bang hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa din nalulutas kung sino ang pumatay kanya? Noong nakatakda ng magsalita ang bumaril kanya ay napatay ito sa isang riot, na isang kahina-hinalang pangyayari dahil kung kelan ito nagnanais ng sabihin ang lahat kung sino ang nag utos para patayin ang butihing mayor ay saka naman ito nasangkot sa isang riot na ikinamatay nito kaya’t hindi na nalaman pa kung sino ang nag utos sa kanya para patayin si Mayor james Gordon.

“His death is what changed the course of my life. I was already on my way to becoming an executive in a multi-million company. I was 22 years old and the then brand manager of Safeguard, under Procter & Gamble,” recalled by Senator Dick Gordon in a Facebook post.

“Tatlong beses pinagtangkaan ang kanyang buhay dahil sa laban niya sa mga korap at illegal na gawain. Ang kanyang pagkamatay ay siyang nagtulak sa akin na maging abugado, at sa murang edad na 26, naging youngest [Constitutional Convention] delegate,” ani Sen Gordon.