Francisco Ada
Encyclopedia
Francisco Castro Ada was a Northern Mariana Islands
politician. Ada served as the first Lieutenant Governor
of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands from January 9, 1978, until January 11, 1982, under Carlos S. Camacho
, the territory's first governor.
Ada is credited with spearheading the construction of much of the modern infrastructure
in the Northern Mariana Islands, including Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport, the Commonwealth Ports Authority, and the Northern Marianas College
.
in political science
from the University of Hawaii at Manoa
.
. This was the highest ranking office in the Northern Mariana Islands at the time.
Much of Ada's efforts as an administrator focused on the potential of air travel
as a tool of economic growth
in the Mariana Islands. He laid the groundwork for the modern Saipan International Airport by acting on the advice of airport consultant
Leigh Fisher
and accepting grant
s made available through the National Airport Airways Development Act.
Ada spearheaded the creation of an "airline technical committee," which promoted cooperation between the government and the private sector to promote the creation of the new airport. During this period, Ada established the Mariana Islands Airport Authority, which is now called the Commonwealth Ports Authority.
Ada next became the deputy resident commissioner to the Northern Marianas Islands in 1976. He also served as the delegate for the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
government to the South Pacific Commission, assistant district administrator, a member of the Saipan Municipal Congress, and a member of the Mariana Islands District Legislature.
in political union
with the United States
, resulting in a new constitution and an elected governor's office. In 1977, Carlos S. Camacho and Francisco Ada were elected the Northern Mariana Islands' first governor and lieutenant governor respectively. Governor Camacho would later call Ada "a good man" and "very loyal" during their tenure in office. Ada served as lieutenant governor, leaving office on January 11, 1982. He was succeeded as by Pedro Agulto Tenorio
.
of Triple J Enterprises Inc.
On October 14, 2002, former Governor Juan N. Babauta
signed Saipan Local Law 13-10, which renamed Saipan International Airport
as Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport in honor of Ada. At the time of the signing former Governor Babauta praised Ada's contributions to the airport saying, "There is no doubt that due to the Honorable Francisco C. Ada's tireless contributions in the planning, development and completion of the Saipan International Airport, the Commonwealth's economic future was forever transformed." The new, modern airport was dedicated and renamed in honor of Ada in 2005. Ada told the NMI media during the dedication ceremony, "But the name was secondary to what the effort stands for, which is working together with the federal government [to achieve our goals]."
Francisco Ada died on March 2, 2010, at Commonwealth Health Center in Garapan
, Saipan
, at the age of 75. Ada had suffered from a lengthy illness. He was survived by his wife, Ines Seman Ada, and their seven children, many of whom have held positions in CNMI public life. His children are - MaryLou Ada, former director of the former Commonwealth Development Authority; Eloise Furey, former member of the Northern Marianas College
Board of Regents; Lillian Tenorio, an attorney
; Esther Ada, internal auditor of the Northern Mariana Islands Retirement Fund; Frank C. Ada Jr., chief of classification and compensation for the commonwealth's Office of Personnel Managemen; Dr. Norma Ada and Luciana Schubert.
Ada received a state funeral
, which is required for all top government officials, including governors and lieutenant governors, by the Constitution of the Northern Mariana Islands. Ada's son, Frank Ada Jr., told the Saipan Tribune that a state funeral was "fitting for what my father contributed to the government of the Northern Marianas and Micronesia
." Lieutenant Governor Eloy Inos
stated that Ada's state funeral was "in recognition of his dedicated service to our people as our first lieutenant governor." Inos also ordered all American and Northern Mariana Islands flag
s lowered to half staff
.
Both the House of Representatives and the Senate adopted separate resolutions prasing Ada's contributions to the political and social sectors of the Northern Mariana Islands since 1976, when it became a commonwealth.
Ada's state funeral was held on Wednesday, March 10, 2010, at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe
, Saipan
. The funeral was attended by four of the Northern Mariana Islands' governors - Carlos S. Camacho
and his wife, former First Lady Lourdes Camacho; Pedro P. Tenorio, and his wife, Sophie; Juan N. Babauta
and current governor Benigno Fitial. Other dignitaries included judges, mayors, Cabinet members and local officials.
Afterwards, a Roman Catholic Requiem Mass, officiated by Bishop Tomas Aguon Camacho
of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa
, and nine priests was held at the Mount Carmel Cathedral in Chalan Kanoa
. Burial took place at Chalan Kanoa Cemetery.
Northern Mariana Islands
The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , is a commonwealth in political union with the United States, occupying a strategic region of the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines...
politician. Ada served as the first Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands
The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands has a self governing government consisting of a locally elected governor, Lieutenant Governor and the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature. The current Lieutenant Governor is Eloy Inos, who was appointed to fill the vacancy created when...
of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands from January 9, 1978, until January 11, 1982, under Carlos S. Camacho
Carlos S. Camacho
Carlos Sablan Camacho was the first elected Governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, a commonwealth of the United States.-Biography:...
, the territory's first governor.
Ada is credited with spearheading the construction of much of the modern infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
in the Northern Mariana Islands, including Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport, the Commonwealth Ports Authority, and the Northern Marianas College
Northern Marianas College
Northern Marianas College is a two-year community college located in the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands . The college was founded in 1981 by Agnes McPheteres in a renovated former United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands hospital on Saipan where its main...
.
Biography
Francisco Ada was born on September 26, 1934. He received a bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from the University of Hawaii at Manoa
University of Hawaii at Manoa
The University of Hawaii at Mānoa is a public, co-educational university and is the flagship campus of the greater University of Hawaii system...
.
Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
In 1969, Ada, who was 35 years old at the time, became the district administrator of the Trust Territory of the Pacific IslandsTrust Territory of the Pacific Islands
The Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands was a United Nations trust territory in Micronesia administered by the United States from 1947 to 1986.-History:...
. This was the highest ranking office in the Northern Mariana Islands at the time.
Much of Ada's efforts as an administrator focused on the potential of air travel
Air travel
Air travel is a form of travel in vehicles such as airplanes, helicopters, hot air balloons, blimps, gliders, hang gliding, parachuting or anything else that can sustain flight.-Domestic and international flights:...
as a tool of economic growth
Economic growth
In economics, economic growth is defined as the increasing capacity of the economy to satisfy the wants of goods and services of the members of society. Economic growth is enabled by increases in productivity, which lowers the inputs for a given amount of output. Lowered costs increase demand...
in the Mariana Islands. He laid the groundwork for the modern Saipan International Airport by acting on the advice of airport consultant
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
Leigh Fisher
Leigh Fisher
Leigh Fisher is an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League .Fisher was recruited as the number 46 draft pick in the 2002 AFL Draft from Sandringham. He made his debut for the St Kilda Football Club in 2003 against the West Coast Eagles in Round 18...
and accepting grant
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
s made available through the National Airport Airways Development Act.
Ada spearheaded the creation of an "airline technical committee," which promoted cooperation between the government and the private sector to promote the creation of the new airport. During this period, Ada established the Mariana Islands Airport Authority, which is now called the Commonwealth Ports Authority.
Ada next became the deputy resident commissioner to the Northern Marianas Islands in 1976. He also served as the delegate for the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
The Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands was a United Nations trust territory in Micronesia administered by the United States from 1947 to 1986.-History:...
government to the South Pacific Commission, assistant district administrator, a member of the Saipan Municipal Congress, and a member of the Mariana Islands District Legislature.
Lieutenant Governor
In 1978, the Northern Mariana Islands became a commonwealthCommonwealth
Commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has sometimes been synonymous with "republic."More recently it has been used for fraternal associations of some sovereign nations...
in political union
Political union
A political union is a type of state which is composed of or created out of smaller states. Unlike a personal union, the individual states share a common government and the union is recognized internationally as a single political entity...
with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, resulting in a new constitution and an elected governor's office. In 1977, Carlos S. Camacho and Francisco Ada were elected the Northern Mariana Islands' first governor and lieutenant governor respectively. Governor Camacho would later call Ada "a good man" and "very loyal" during their tenure in office. Ada served as lieutenant governor, leaving office on January 11, 1982. He was succeeded as by Pedro Agulto Tenorio
Pedro Agulto Tenorio
Pedro Agulto Tenorio , who is often known as Pete A. Tenorio, was the Resident Representative to the United States from the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands...
.
Later career
Within the private sector, Ada worked as the general manager and vice presidentVice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
of Triple J Enterprises Inc.
On October 14, 2002, former Governor Juan N. Babauta
Juan N. Babauta
Juan Nekai Babauta is a Northern Mariana Islander politician. Babauta served as the sixth elected Governor of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for one term from January 14, 2002 until January 9, 2006....
signed Saipan Local Law 13-10, which renamed Saipan International Airport
Saipan International Airport
- See also :* East Field * USAAF in the Central Pacific-References:* Dorr, Robert F. B-29 Units of World War II. Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 2002. ISBN 1-84176-285-7...
as Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport in honor of Ada. At the time of the signing former Governor Babauta praised Ada's contributions to the airport saying, "There is no doubt that due to the Honorable Francisco C. Ada's tireless contributions in the planning, development and completion of the Saipan International Airport, the Commonwealth's economic future was forever transformed." The new, modern airport was dedicated and renamed in honor of Ada in 2005. Ada told the NMI media during the dedication ceremony, "But the name was secondary to what the effort stands for, which is working together with the federal government [to achieve our goals]."
Francisco Ada died on March 2, 2010, at Commonwealth Health Center in Garapan
Garapan
Garapan is the largest village and the center of the tourism industry on the island of Saipan, which is a part of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands ....
, Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
, at the age of 75. Ada had suffered from a lengthy illness. He was survived by his wife, Ines Seman Ada, and their seven children, many of whom have held positions in CNMI public life. His children are - MaryLou Ada, former director of the former Commonwealth Development Authority; Eloise Furey, former member of the Northern Marianas College
Northern Marianas College
Northern Marianas College is a two-year community college located in the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands . The college was founded in 1981 by Agnes McPheteres in a renovated former United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands hospital on Saipan where its main...
Board of Regents; Lillian Tenorio, an attorney
Attorney at law
An attorney at law in the United States is a practitioner in a court of law who is legally qualified to prosecute and defend actions in such court on the retainer of clients. Alternative terms include counselor and lawyer...
; Esther Ada, internal auditor of the Northern Mariana Islands Retirement Fund; Frank C. Ada Jr., chief of classification and compensation for the commonwealth's Office of Personnel Managemen; Dr. Norma Ada and Luciana Schubert.
Ada received a state funeral
State funeral
A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honor heads of state or other important people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements of military tradition...
, which is required for all top government officials, including governors and lieutenant governors, by the Constitution of the Northern Mariana Islands. Ada's son, Frank Ada Jr., told the Saipan Tribune that a state funeral was "fitting for what my father contributed to the government of the Northern Marianas and Micronesia
Micronesia
Micronesia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It is distinct from Melanesia to the south, and Polynesia to the east. The Philippines lie to the west, and Indonesia to the southwest....
." Lieutenant Governor Eloy Inos
Eloy Inos
Eloy Songao Inos is a politician in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Inos, a member of the Covenant Party, currently serves as Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands. He was nominated by Governor Benigno Fitial to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Lt....
stated that Ada's state funeral was "in recognition of his dedicated service to our people as our first lieutenant governor." Inos also ordered all American and Northern Mariana Islands flag
Flag of the Northern Mariana Islands
The flag of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands was adopted on July 4, 1976.In common with other states of the Pacific, such as the Marshall Islands and Nauru, the flag for the Northern Mariana Islands shows a blue field and a white star...
s lowered to half staff
Half-staff
Half-staff is the American term for to describe a flag flying a flag below the summit of the flagpole . The rest of the English-speaking world uses the term half-mast. Technically the flag should be flown one breadth lower to allow for the invisible flag of death...
.
Both the House of Representatives and the Senate adopted separate resolutions prasing Ada's contributions to the political and social sectors of the Northern Mariana Islands since 1976, when it became a commonwealth.
Ada's state funeral was held on Wednesday, March 10, 2010, at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe
Susupe
Susupe is a village on Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. Susupe is also known as Susupi. As of 2000, its population is 2,083.-Education:Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Public School System serves the town...
, Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
. The funeral was attended by four of the Northern Mariana Islands' governors - Carlos S. Camacho
Carlos S. Camacho
Carlos Sablan Camacho was the first elected Governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, a commonwealth of the United States.-Biography:...
and his wife, former First Lady Lourdes Camacho; Pedro P. Tenorio, and his wife, Sophie; Juan N. Babauta
Juan N. Babauta
Juan Nekai Babauta is a Northern Mariana Islander politician. Babauta served as the sixth elected Governor of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for one term from January 14, 2002 until January 9, 2006....
and current governor Benigno Fitial. Other dignitaries included judges, mayors, Cabinet members and local officials.
Afterwards, a Roman Catholic Requiem Mass, officiated by Bishop Tomas Aguon Camacho
Tomas Aguon Camacho
Tomas Aguon Camacho is the first Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Chalan Kanoa in the Northern Mariana Islands. He served as bishop from 1984 until his retirement in 2010....
of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa
Roman Catholic Diocese of Chalan Kanoa
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Chalan Kanoa is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. It comprises the Northern Mariana Islands and is a suffragan of the Metropolitan Province of Agaña...
, and nine priests was held at the Mount Carmel Cathedral in Chalan Kanoa
Chalan Kanoa
Chalan Kanoa is a settlement in Saipan, in the Northern Mariana Islands. It is located in the southwest of the island. The village contains the island's central post office, as well as the historic Mt Carmel Catholic Church. Mount Carmel School, Home of the Knights, one of the best schools on...
. Burial took place at Chalan Kanoa Cemetery.