ANICETO "ODONG" G. SALUDO, JR.

A PROFILE

   From his humble beginnings in what was   then Barangay Himatagon, Cabalian and Barangay Ichon, Macrohon, Southern Leyte, the eldest son of the late Aniceto Montederamos Saludo and Crispina Kangleon Galdo, sheer talent and determination have propelled Odong to the hallowed halls of the University of the Philippines, where he excelled in academics, forensics and debating, literary writing and above all, leadership. He was President of the U.P. Law Forensics and Debating Club and a highly prominent U.P. Campus figure.

His impeccable academic record included, among others, his being top of his class from Grade One to High School, Valedictorian of the Himatagon Elementary School and Saint Joseph College in Maasin. He was also a U.P. Scholar.

Admitted to the Philippine Bar in 1961 and as Patent and Trademark Attorney in 1966 he founded, together with Raul A. Daza, now the President of the Liberal Party and Senior Deputy Speaker and the late Ramon L. Ledesma, the Daza, Ledesma, Saludo and Associates Law Offices (now the Saludo, Agpalo, Fernandez and Aquino Law Offices), which has become one of the leading law offices in the country today. Active in national and international law practice for almost four decades, he has ably represented well-known clients in many controversial cases, not the least of which was his successful defense of four Filipinos facing death for gold-smuggling in Seoul, South Korea.

Undaunted by the burdens of the law practice, Atty. Odong Saludo, Jr. was a well-respected member of the Academe having been a Professor and Head of the Law Department at the Asian Institute of Tourism; past professorial lecturer in Business and Commercial Laws at the College of Business Administration in the University of the Philippines, and went on to likewise become the Head of its Law Department. He was also a past lecturer of the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) and a CPA Reviewer in Commercial Laws.

His reputation and achievements in the legal circle has earned him legal consultancy with, among others, the Central Bank of the Philippines, Ministry of Budget and Management, Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, University of the Philippines System, Securities and Exchange Commission, and Institute of Tourism Foundation.

A popular and respected personality in the diplomatic circles, he is likewise legal consultant or legal counsel to many foreign embassies such as, but not limited to, Libya, Canada, United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Belgium, Mexico, Egypt, Turkey, United Kingdom, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the Netherlands.

Active in business-civic organizations, he was at one time a Charter Vice President of San Juan Jaycees. He became the youngest President of the Manila Host Lions Club, the first in Asia, and the Host Club of all Philippine Lions Club. Subsequently, he was appointed Deputy Governor and General Counsel of the Lions Club International. He was a director and past Vice President of the Rotary Club of Manila and Corporate Secretary and first Vice President of the Manila Polo Club.

In July 1995, he assumed the presidency of the Rotary Club of Manila, the first and largest in Asia and the country’s premiere and most prestigious Rotary Club. He holds the singular distinction of the only man in the Philippines to have occupied the presidency of the two most prestigious clubs in the world.

Realizing that he should redirect his energies to the province of his birth, Odong became involved as member of the Board of Trustees of the Leyte Kalipayan Cultural Foundation, Inc. Later he formed the Doña Crispina Galdo Saludo Scholarship Foundation, Inc. to honor the memory of his mother, the late Doña Crispina Galdo Saludo who dedicated her entire life to teaching. The foundation gives yearly awards in cash, gold medal and certificates to all High School Valedictorians from both public and private schools. To firm up his commitment to the education of the youth of Southern Leyte, Odong promised to donate his salary as Congressman to this Foundation in order to help educate the poor but deserving students of the province.

In his own small way, he is contributing to the economic development of the province by putting up the only modern Ice Plant in his barrio, Barangay Ichon. This is capable of servicing the needs of the whole province. His business knowledge and acumen is far-reaching- from real estate development, financing to insurance, to mention a few.

His success in his chosen field has not, in any way, wane his yearning to go back to his roots. All through these years, Atty. "Odong" Saludo, Jr. has always nurtured in his heart the desire to give back to the people of Southern Leyte, his beloved provincemates, the laurels, accolades and bounty that he has amassed through honesty, integrity, hard work and perseverance. For how else can we measure a man except on how much he has shared of himself with his fellowmen and women? What good is the life of a gifted man if he is unable to make a difference to the lives of others?

He honestly believes and this is shared by a vast majority of Southern Leyteños that he has more to offer to the province of Southern Leyte than anyone else. He is not a traditional politician, but offers no apologies. He ably carries the sentiments of his constituents and voices out their concerns in the hallowed halls of the House of Representatives.

The formidable task of formulating the laws of our land, the allocation of scarce resources, the infusion of new capital to help the local economy grow and the distribution of vital social services for the good of the common people must rightfully be tasked to a man known for his honesty, integrity, and sincerity; a man renowned for his leadership and finesse; and more specially a man who wants to dedicate himself to improve the lot of the people of Southern Leyte.

Southern Leyteños should be proud of this man, for true were the words of an old man who said that it would take decades to produce another ATTY. ODONG SALUDO, JR.