The City Government of Dagupan has commended veteran author and communications specialist Melandrew T. Velasco for his body of work in documenting outstanding Filipino patriots and statesmen in a Sangguniang Panglungsod Resolution No. 72328-2017 dated August 9, 2017.
“Melandrew T. Velasco has long had a storied career having written and published more than 23 books for different publications over a span of over 16 years,” said the resolution’s principal author, Councilor Jose Netum Tamayo.
“The vigor and influence of Velasco’s pen demonstrated in all his works, serves to inspire fellow Dagupenos to highlight the value of patriotism, good works and good service as crucial in community and nation-building,” said bill sponsor Councilor Maybelyn Rose dela Cruz Fernandez.
Mel Velasco is better known in literary circles as the family biographer of former President Fidel V. Ramos. Since 2000, he has authored and published other books on the life stories of the former president’s family members and FVR’s organization, the Ramos Peace and Development Foundation, Inc.
Velasco, a native of the island barangay of Carael West, Dagupan, earned his primary studies at Binmaley Central School, and finished with honors at the Mary Help of Christians Seminary in Binmaley.
He studied at the Christ the King Mission Seminary (SVD) in Quezon City for two years before transferring to the College of Mass Communication in the University of the Philippines, Diliman, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications, major in Journalism degree in 1985.
Velasco has also authored coffee table books on various civic and religious organizations like Rotary International and Kiwanis and the Bukas Loob sa Diyos group, including select cities in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
Among these are “Parañaque: From a Pueblo to a Mega City by the Bay” (published 2016), “Nueva Ecija: A New Era of Peace and Progress” (2016) and “Pasay: A Royal Kingdom’s Evolution to Travel City” (2013). He was a contributor on the “Nadaragupan” coffee table book.
Among his most recent works include “XYZ Files: Anecdotes, Issues and Controversies and Trivia of Fidel V. Ramos” (published February 2017) and “15 Years of RPDEV: A Continuing Voyage for Enduring Peace and Sustainable Development” (published April 2017).
Velasco at present serves as president and CEO of Media Touchstone Ventures Inc., a publishing and public relations outfit that has for almost two decades produced landmark commemorative books and handled corporate and government accounts related to development communications.