rig ation "; ▁first ▁National ▁Ir rig ation ▁Administration ▁( N IA ) ▁Ass istant ▁Administr ator ; ▁Original ▁owner ▁of ▁the ▁Mer c ado ▁An c est ral ▁House ▁in ▁Br gy . ▁B ong a ▁Men or ; ▁the ▁government ▁created ▁a ▁statue ▁for ▁him ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁a ▁memor abil ia ▁for ▁him ▁and ▁his ▁contributions . ▁ ▁Con rado ▁Mer c ado , ▁Jr . ▁- ▁most ▁successful ▁B ust osen yo ▁in ▁the ▁aspect ▁of ▁arts ; ▁famous ▁metal - sc ulpt or ▁and ▁painter ; ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁greatest ▁artists ▁produced ▁by ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Santo ▁Tom as ; ▁en list ed ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁U ST ' s ▁Al umn i ▁P erman ent ▁Roll ▁of ▁Honor ; ▁gained ▁the ▁Out standing ▁Thomas ian ▁Award ▁in ▁the ▁field ▁of ▁arts ; ▁hon ored ▁by ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁Man ila ▁with ▁the ▁Pat n ub ay ▁ng ▁S ining ▁Award ; ▁founded ▁the ▁Philipp ine ▁Association ▁of ▁Figure ▁Art ists ▁and ▁became ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁Society ▁of ▁Philipp ine ▁S cul pt ors ; ▁his ▁art works ▁are ▁placed ▁in ▁the ▁Par ais o ▁ng ▁m ga ▁B ata ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁Ak lat ang ▁Bay an ▁ng ▁B ust os ▁being ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁B ust os ▁Heritage ▁Park . ▁ ▁Minister ▁Jesus ▁H ip ol ito ▁- ▁former ▁Minister ▁of ▁Department ▁of ▁Public ▁Works ▁and ▁High ways ( DP WH ) ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 0 - 1 9 8 6 . ▁