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Lex Tupas
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| With Idol, Senate President Jovito R. Salonga in Century Park Hotel during the Inter Parliamentary Union Dinner |
Sons and daughters of politicians can be the most misjudged people. They are subjected to public scrutiny that can either destroy or uplift their parents' political career. Thus, they are also pressured in maintaining an image for the people, just like the movie stars. On other times they are compared to their parents or roughly anticipated to use their social status in getting what they want. These maybe true for some but not for the youngest son of governor Niel D. Tupas, Sr. and Hon. Myrna Causing–Tupas, Nielex Tupas. “Growing up in a family of politicians maybe complicated but we were reared to value integrity, honesty and credibility. These are also things that tatay taught me. ”
Lex is 26 year old and currently teaches World History (3 rd year) and Economics (4 th year) in School of the Future, Iloilo National High School, Lapaz Iloilo City since August 2005 to the present. He is also the Owner/Managing Director of a Local Apparel Distribution Company, MYSTYLE Ventures from January 2005 to present. It may be ironic for a man like him to teach despite graduating in prestigious schools like La Salle (elementary and high school), Ateneo de Manila University where he finished AB Economics. “Everybody were also surprised that I teaching but I've learned so much and I'm enjoying it. It is about molding young minds to become good leaders. Teaching will always be a noble profession.”
The Leader
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| 5th KALIPI National Congress in Roxas City, Capiz, elected and unopposed as National Vice President |
As a young boy growing in a family of politicians, the needto excel in so many things is but normal in the Tupas' home. Lex as often defied by his older brother Jun-jun and would expect so much from him. “You couldn't do this and that…” are phrases which made him strive for more. “I took everything as a challenge and it became somehow a yard stick. And that I would strive to perform more than what I think I couldn't.” The challenges became his stepping stones as well as areas for decision makings. And true to his consistency in taking every step at a time, he excelled both in academics as well as leadership. “Tatay would always say, ‘quitters will never be winners because in the very beginning you've already lost because you've given up.' These are things that made me pursue everything I wanted.” Imbibing this in his heart, achieving his goals then were never difficult.
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| Oathtaking Ceremony as National Vice President of KALIPI infront of Senate President Frank Drilon and Manila Mayor Lito Atienza in Club Filipino in San Juan, Metro Manila |
Leadership is always set on a much higher goal. And as responsibilities increases, rights decreases. Good leaders must live by higher standards than their followers. This is exactly opposite of most people's thoughts concerning leadership. Good leaders can give up anything except responsibility, either for themselves or their organizations. Like Lex, he makes sure everything under him is organized. “I would normally call the attention of someone who's not performing his tasks. It's because I could never be fair with the others. And I can't keep quite about something that is against my principle.”
With all his achievements, he's not just leading his flock but also advocating good leadership. It was proven when he ran in the Kabataang Liberal ng Pilipinas (KALIPI) organization as National Vice President for Students where he won unopposed and having the least campaign expenses. KALIPI is an organization composed of young patriotic leaders aged 15 to 35 years old --community youth, students, professional, entrepreneurs and women. The National Assembly, the highest policy-making body of the organization, meets every three years to elect its officers, enact the General Program of Action of the organization, amend or revise the constitution, and approve resolutions for adoption by the organization. “When it was my time to speak, I only told them of the realities never promising on anything. Maybe it was because I was just being real to them…I think It's the reason I was elected.” He was also chosen as Ambassador of Goodwill for the youth.
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| During the KALIPI Congress in Roxas City, group meeting in Formulating Plans, Policies and Agenda for the Organization |
On the lighter side, he is just Lex, someone who enjoys reading books like The Alchemist and his favorite, The Purpose Driven Life. Other than these, he is a Burger Machine lover and would normally eat his heart out with a burger. He also enjoys going to the internet station, playing games, watching films and others. As a yuppie he shares: “Education is a priority because whoever you are, no matter how rich or powerful you are…without education …it will always be a setback. And yes our dreams start to be real when our heart is there.”
