The Secretary's cool digs at Malacaņang are certainly a far cry from the tumbleweeds and looming barbed gates of the Muntinlupa penitentiary, where he spent most of his young life. When he was only two months old, his family moved from his birthplace in Quiapo to the fringes of Muntinlupa after his father, Alfredo, was appointed director of prisons. There the Bunye family lived at the prison reservation; his younger brothers and sisters were born in the prison hospital. It was within the secured perimeters of the prison grounds that he grew up and learned about punishment... and a little arithmetic besides.

"Actually, I was tutored by a convict," he volunteers. "He was a professor in math. He was in for physical injuries or something. And I got to know some of the prisoners who were also nice."

It may seem strange for Bunye and his siblings to be socializing with criminals at such a young and impressionable age. But it was their father who encouraged them to find the humanity within each person, whatever his or her past transgressions.

As prisons director, Alfredo Bunye introduced more progressive and humane working procedures to the local penal system.

"When my father started as a young superintendent, it was the practice then to use leg chains on prisoners," Bunye recalls. "But when he became prison director, he said, `No more leg chains.' He was known at that time as the father of modern penology."

Despite raising them in an environment bound by order and restriction, Toting Bunye's parents hoped their children would enjoy all of life's liberties. They knew that, through good education, their kids would have the freedom to exercise their full potential. So early on, despite the sacrifices, Bunye's parents struggled to give them the best education their resources could provide.

"At that time, I had the impression that we were rich," Toting Bunye now recalls. "It was because they did not turn down anything related to education. They sent us to the best schools despite my father receiving only a bureau director's meager salary."

His parents' hard work paid off as the young Toting Bunye eventually graduated valedictorian both in elementary and high school. To help ease his family's financial burdens, he also became a working student, shuffling between Ateneo de Manila where he finished both his AB in Political Science and Bachelor of Laws, and the Philippine Dai/y STAR where he covered the defense beat.

On two occasions, he was sent to South Vietnam in the middle of the Vietnam War to cover the activities of the Philippine Civic Action Group. The eye opening experience led him to write a four-part series entitled "War Vignettes," a first-person account of events immediately after the Tet Offensive in South Vietnam in 1968. He also produced a one-hour documentary broadcast in 1967 over DZMT called "The Other War."

Soon after passing the bar, Bunye served in various executive positions at the Ayala Group of Companies including assistant vice president of the Ayala Investment and Development Corp., and the Bank of the Philippine Islands. He also earned a Master's Degree in Management at the Asian Institute of Management.

Then something happened that changed not only the country but also the course of his career. "In 1986, we had the EDSA revolution and President Cory Aquino at that time was looking f people she could appoint as officer-in-charge for Muntinlupa. Out of four candidates, I was the reluctant candidate, but eventually I accepted it he says.

Apprehensive about the new job, remembered his father's lessons. "I imbibed from my father the value of service to others. But at that time, I dir want to go into government because I noticed how difficult it was financially, especially for my father. My joining politics was by accident, purely incidental."

Bunye settled into the job as officer-in-charge of Muntinlupa, thinking he would serve only six months. But when his term was extended to two years, he knew he was in for the long haul. Confident of the great promise within sleepy municipality, he ran for mayor 1988.

Ultimately, Bunye's corporate background proved useful, especially when trying to streamline systems a^, drastically cut red tape. After careful study of the bureaucracy, Bunye was able to turn the local government’s antiquated system into a well-oiled machine that delivers faster and better results for its constituents. So effective were the changes he instituted that other municipalities went on to copy their ‘one-stop shop’ approach.

Bunye served for 10 years as mayor of Muntinlupa and went on to become its first congressman after it was declared a city. In Congress, he continued to champion the cause of local government, especially in providing them with greater fiscal autonomy. He also served as chairman of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority from 1991 to 1992. Then there was his active promotion of arnis, the Filipino knife sport that has spread throughout the world. He served s the president of the World Eskrima Kali Arnis (WEKAF) from 1992 to 1998, even hosting an invitational tournament for arnis practitioners dubbed the Ignacio "Toting" Bunye Cup.

Perhaps it was fate or just pure coincidence, but in 2002, Bunye was once again invited to serve under a female president’s administration. He accepted President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s call to serve as Press Secretary, this time staying on the job for six months before taking on the sensitive post of Presidential Spokesperson.

"My career came full cirdle," he observes. "I started as a media person and now my work is media related. The only difference is that before I was asking questions. Now I’m answering the questions."

Bunye is the President’s main conduit to the press. On TV, radio and in print, he disseminates the President’s views regarding every issue. It’s not always easy. He is well aware that everything he says will be scrutinized and possibly used as critical ammunition against the President and her administration. That is why he must employ all his resources to help navigate the rough sea of media inquiry and political intrigue.

"As a lawyer, I learned to study all the facts. As a management person, I learned to be disciplined and more systematic in approach. And then my background as a media person taught me how to deal with the press. So all these experiences have given me a broad and deep perspective which enable me to tackle the general requirements of the work."

He constantly reviews the President’s programs, policies and activities – a work in progress, at best. "I read her policy pronouncements. I attend meetings with her. And when in doubt, I ask the President. I say, ‘Ma’am, what is your stand on this?’ But even with the exposure, I would say that about 80 percent (of the time), I deliver an answer that more or less reflects the position of the President on a particular issue.

Bunye explains that simply parroting statements by the President is not what makes a good Presidential Spokesperson. One must be perceptive and attuned to the President’s thoughts, beliefs and opinions on a variety of subjects. And just as with life, it’s about believing in what you say and do.

"I believe that our President is the right President for the right time, at a time when we are experiencing these challenges," he says. "I’m very glad and very honored to be one of the people the President trusts to be on her team."

And a little calculation doesn’t hurt either. "I like the job because I share the vision of the President. It’s like studying math. If you like math, you normally do well," Bunye smiles.