Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Tuesday hailed the late former Speaker Prospero Nograles, saying that his hard work and friendship as a legislator helped “create a wonderful world.”
“I would like to thank Boy,” Arroyo said in her eulogy at a memorial service at the House. “What a wonderful world you helped to create with your friendship [and] with your work. [Y]our family, the House of Representatives… will miss you.”
An Aquila Legis fraternity brother of Nograles, on the other hand, recalled that he was “a great joker and the life of the party who dressed like the legendary secret agent James Bond 007.”
“During frat gatherings, Boss Nogie was the most boisterous and jovial… the life of the party,” said former House Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II, who broke into tears during the service.
Nograles is survived by his wife Rhodora Bendigo Nograles and children Kristine Elizabeth Nograles-Hugo, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei, Rep. Jericho Jonas, and Margarita Ignacia, who passed the latest bar examinations, the results of which were announced the day before Nograles died.
In jest, Gonzales admitted that Nograles was a “boastful” person, but said his friends and the people around him did not get annoyed “because of his kind heart.”
“More often than not, he used [his boastfulness] to brighten and lighten our fellowship, promote camaraderie and make people laugh,” Gonzales said.
Former Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said Nograles led an honorable life.
“He was a bar topnotcher, successful lawyer, activist, public servant, and a dedicated family man. He was so devoted to his family that in fact, even when many from our generation try to stay in power for as along as they can, Boy made sure that his children would beautifully and seamlessly transition into public life to take over and fill his shoes,” said Belmonte, the current representative for the Fourth District of Quezon City.
Former House Secretary General Marilyn Barua-Yap said “Speaker Nograles set out to transform the House into a House of the People.”
“For the first time—under his watch, the House had a clear legislative agenda per session with specific target dates for various stages of the processing of bills,” she said.
“I thank him for the privilege of serving as secretary-general of the House even after his term. He asked Speaker Belmonte to give me a chance to prove my worth,” she said.
Cavite Gov. Crispin Remulla and San Juan City Rep. Ronaldo Zamora also delivered their eulogies.
Nograles was elected Speaker of the House on Feb. 5, 2008 in the 14th Congress.
He was then serving his fifth term as House member, representing the First District of Davao City. Before his speakership, he was the House majority leader during the 13th Congress.
Born on October 30, 1947 in Davao City, he finished his primary and secondary education at the Ateneo de Davao.
He obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1967 from the Ateneo de Manila University.
He then pursued and finished his Bachelor of Laws degree from the Ateneo Law School in 1971.
Nograles placed second in the 1971 bar examinations.
Nograles was elected to five terms as House member, which spanned 15 years.
His congressional stint covered the 8th Congress (1987 to 1992), 10th Congress (1995 to 1998), 12th Congress (2001 to 2004), 13th Congress (2004 to 2007), and 14th Congress (2007 to 2010).
He was also actively involved in the campaign of Corazon Aquino during the 1986 snap elections.
