REYNALDO “REY” MAGNO TEVES, member of the board of directors of the Development Bank of the Philippines, and executive director of the Technical Assistance Center for the Development of Rural and Urban Poor (TACDRUP), died of severe pneumonia at the break of dawn last Saturday. Born and raised in Davao City, Rey turned 65 only last August 9.
His untimely demise marks the passing of an outstanding social development practitioner, consumer activist, network facilitator, peace advocate and man of substance.
Great dropout
Earlier, his peers admired if not idolized Rey for being an outstanding campus personality—he graduated high school valedictorian and started college studies at the Rizal Memorial Colleges and was an AB Political Science dropout from the Ateneo de Davao University. Considered an egghead, he was editor-in-chief of the school publications and president of the student governments in both schools, and excelled in elocution and the performing arts, particularly singing and guitar-playing. Later, although a dropout, he would receive two Ateneo awards — for public service and for leadership.
To be sure, he could have received more awards and reached heights of political power, were it not for the fact that his idealism—and penury– seemed to always place him on the wrong side of politics as practiced in this country.
Advocacy journalist
As a socially-oriented journalist, and later editor of The Mindanao Times and the defunct Davao Sentinel, he pioneered in investigative reporting in these parts at a time when the debate over advocacy journalism was still raging.
Many of his reports would be datelined in places where strikes and other labor and social ferments occurred. The same altruistic disposition would show when he was regional director of the Philippine Information Agency and urban poor sectoral representative in Congress.
Dreamer
By his advocacies, actions and writings, it was clear to his observant peers and the thousands whose lives he had touched that Rey dreamed of an egalitarian society. He was the moving spirit and brains of the so-called Konsumo Dabaw, who, together with plucky, like-minded men and women, fought the high and the mighty in business for the rights and protection of consumers.
It was in line of this dream that until the end, Rey was a pillar and staunch advocate of the federalism movement in the country.
Indeed, Rey is a great loss. As we commiserate with wife Mila, his children and other loved ones, we submit that it is doubtful if anybody can fit in his shoes. Rey Magno Teves was a tough act to follow.
