Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo was a rare breed of a public servant, Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said yesterday during a funeral mass offered for Robredo who was laid to rest in his home town in Naga City yesterday.

Leonardia, who was among those who paid tribute to Robredo at the San Sebastian Cathedral in Bacolod City, said Robredo had brought major reforms in local governance, citing the Seal of Good Housekeeping, the full disclosure of government officials and employees in their Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, the seal of Disaster Risk Reduction Management and the Local Government Performance Management System, among others.

The death of Robredo has captured the imagination and adulation of the whole country, Leonardia said.

He was a multi-awarded public servant and was a President Ramon Magsaysay awardee, an award that is not only recognized nationally, but in the whole expanse of Southeast Asian countries, he said.

Leonardia said Robredo's involvement with the Aquino administration with his appointment as DILG Secretary became his natural habitat.

His short stint as DILG Secretary enabled him accomplish a lot, he said.

What made him more human was his love for his family, he added

Leonardia said the compelling reason why he insisted on going home that fated day was a family affair.

“With all his greatness, I salute him as a family man and a great public servant,” he added.*CGS

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