Flashback, ang kwento:
September 30, 2014 ng hapon may division meeting kami. There were missed calls on my phone when I went back to my desk and since unregistered yun number, I thought it was just one of those calls na kung anu-ano ino-offer. Apparently, it was a call from the PMDP program manager pala, as Sheryl, our session manager informed me that night. 10:09PM nang finally nakausap ako ni Ma'am Nanette sa phone. She informed me na kailangan ko magprepare ng class address, because I am graduating on top of the class..blah..blah..blah.. katext ko pa after noon si Sheryl at kinukulit ko siya kasi feeling ko panaginip lang 'yun at hindi totoo. I called Brenda kasi kailangan ko lang ng makakausap...ang ingay ni Brenda sa sobrang excitement kahit nasa mall siya for set-up ng NSM exhibit..ako naman, umiiyak. Ewan ko kung bakit ako umiyak pero, iyakin naman talaga ako eh. Brenda asked me kung sino na ang nakaka-alam, at kung alam na raw ba ni Jay. I told her that she was the first one whom I called sa mga BBs after talking with Ma'am Nanette. After talking with Brenda, I feel like calling Jay too. It was him whom I have been communicating with the past weeks regarding our re-entry projects, and I have been exchanging jokes with him about him getting awards for graduation, so I called him. He congratulated me and I don't know if he was aware that I was crying while talking with him or maybe he was too sleepy or busy to sense it but nonetheless being nice and polite so he picked up my call.
Honestly, hindi ko naman ini-expect yun; I feel like I am just an average student sa class namin, tapos biglang ako raw ang with highest honors and worst, I need to deliver a class address! The following day, I attended a whole day forum called by the Criminal Code Committee about the draft code of crimes that will replace the revised penal code. Unfortunately, there was a thunderstorm in the afternoon and I was stranded in Ortigas since the buses and MRT were full and traffic was on a complete stand still. I went inside Robinsons Galleria, had dinner, then tried to write something for the class address. Kaso, wala akong mabuong paragraph! Sa totoo lang, nakaka-frustrate kapag nag-iinarte ang brain ko at feeling niya may writer's block siya! Around 11 pm na ako naka-uwi sa bahay, I have to pack my things pa since very early ng Thursday ang byahe to Tagaytay for our graduation practice then Friday ang graduation. Halos hindi na rin ako nakatulog, trying to make sense of the thoughts that come to my mind. Kailangan ko na rin umalis at umpisahan ang byahe..all the while I was asking Heavens to enlighten me on what to say. In short, nag-umpisa na ang practice ay hindi pa buo ang speech ko..halos useless rin pala na ininform ako ng medyo maaga, but on the second thought, okay na rin kasi mas calm na ako at hindi na ako umiiyak dahil sa mixed emotions. Nagmukha tuloy akong anti-social at parang napadaan lang sa socials that night kasi nga kailangan kong buuin ang speech ko. Mabuti na lang room mates kami ni Ate Xen, so pinareview ko na rin sa kanya ang draft ko -- there were parts na nag-aalangan ako kung isasama ko so I want to ask at least some of my closest friends sa class. Siyempre kasama rin sina Brenda and Jeena sa mga kinulit ko at ginawang audience sa mock speech delivery ko. 'Yan kasi ang tip sa akin ng aking Faculty Adviser sa project na si Dr. Brian Marson para sa panel presentation. Ayon sa kanya, I have to practice the behaviour, the actual delivery kung baga, para raw confident ako pagharap sa crowd. Jay was also kind to help me enhance the draft that night, may mga dinagdag kami na lines sa part na recall ng lessons sa program. Inabot na rin kami ng past midnight sa pag-edit at finalize ng speech. Natulog muna ako para naman hindi ako mukhang zombie sa graduation. Hehehe.. The following day, graduation na! Hectic lang ng schedule kasi may pictorials pa at dressed rehearsal; in between those at habang nag-aayos ng aming mga sarili sa room, I was practicing my speech habang pinipilit makinig sina Ate Xen, Brenda at Jeena -- haha..sorry dears, spoiler lang, ilang beses na nila narinig ang speech ko bago ang actual graduation, but hey, that's what friends are for! hehehe..
The script, este, speech:
[Honorable Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, -- he already left so this was not included in the actual delivery] D.A.P. President
Antonio D. Kalaw, Jr. and Senior Vice President Magdalena L. Mendoza, Senior
Executives in Government, our families and guests, ladies and gentlemen, on
behalf of PMDP Middle Managers’ Class Bato Balani, good afternoon!
Life is a random series of changes, challenges and chances
wherein, we have choices. Our PMDP journey is no different.
Most of us came here last November with one dream – the
dream to get the Masters in Development Management degree from the Development
Academy of the Philippines. Here, we were given the rare chance of learning
from the experts in various fields of governance. We sat through long hours of
lectures, workshops and group activities. We were exposed to films, cases and a
pile of reading materials. We went to and lived in the homes of families in the
countryside. We were asked to develop a project for our agencies, consult our
faculty advisers and institutional partners and then defend the proposal before
a critical but helpful panel. We went back and implemented our re-entry
projects in our agencies then report on project results – an experience that
gave us the chance to practice what we learned from the residential phase of
the program.
Eleven months after, we are back in DAPCC, filled with
gratitude to all those who helped us turn our dreams into reality. We thank the
eminent persons and the experts in the PMDP faculty who selflessly shared their
knowledge with us. We thank the PMDP and DAPCC management and staff, as well as
the module coordinators and assistants who made sure that we were taken care
of. Of course, we give our heartfelt thanks to our Session Director, Ma’am Inday
Gavero and Session Manager, Sheryl dela Cruz – the two ladies who patiently and
tirelessly guided and supported all of us since we arrived here in November. We
also thank our agency heads and supervisors who believed in us, and sent us to
PMDP. We thank our colleagues back at work who took on extra loads while we
were gone, and helped us implement our Re-Entry Projects. We thank our families
and friends who endured our months of absence from home and erratic schedules;
your understanding and support are much appreciated.
Admittedly at some points, our journey here has become so
challenging that to many of us, the PMDP dream became a nightmare. Many of us
have hurdled but some are still experiencing challenges in completing our
re-entry projects. But since Class Bato Balani pledged to attract positive, and
repel negative thoughts and deeds, we commit to face challenges head on,
believing that these are changing us; molding us into public sector leaders and
managers with the right education, ideals and attitude to effect positive
changes in our country.
Positive change – it is something that emanates from within
us. I believe that each of us has changed through PMDP. Perhaps aside from
Racqy, Dave, Agu, Marianne and Chuck, some of us are thinking about the
preservation of Filipino culture and values as part of education and
development, each time we remember Turumba. Brenda, Junn, Adi and the others
may be thinking about economics each time they see a bathtub. Although none of
us entered this hall walking backwards, as Apol would have wanted, I think the
workshops and structured learning exercises that we’ve gone through helped us
use our whole brain in thinking, even to the extent of switching the X and Y
axis. Others may even be joining Doc Tya, Jeena, Xen,
Sofie and Luz in recalling the lectures on procurement, human resource
management and public finance and budgeting. Arlene, Dwin, Jerry, Rub, Elna and
others might be thinking of innovative ways for people to better appreciate
statistics, and Riza is behind them saying, “try it!” Edwin, Aleli, Mary and
Jay, along with another group may start analyzing and addressing the impact of
globalization in local enterprise development. Celso, Noemi, Lyd, Atty. Bob and
others may be pondering on the four elements of the State which must be
considered in the protection of national interest, when they write a policy
paper for international negotiation. Amy,
Jane, Ferdie, Joel and some others may be thinking about mining and sustainable
development. Cody, Boyet, Leo, Angie, Gem, Roy and others may pave the way
towards improving law enforcement and protection of citizens’ welfare. I think
all will agree that we have become more prayerful, always seeking divine
intervention, because of PMDP. We all have our “aha!” moments to remember from our
PMDP journey that we can use in effecting positive changes.
But my dear friends, the greater challenge ahead of us is staying
committed to our promise eleven months ago that we will attract what is
positive and repel what is negative. It is living up to PMDP’s vision of
transformational leadership and excellence in public service. Are we joining
the league of PMDP graduates who are leading positive changes in Philippine
Government? Will the bonds of friendship that we have formed in PMDP translate
into convergence or collaboration between our agencies in the days to come? Are
we going to give their taxes’ worth to the Juanas and Juans who financed our
journey through PMDP? Like a Bato Balani, can we stick together in upholding
PMDP’s mission to be world-class Filipino public managers, imbued with the
highest level of competence, integrity, and commitment? Batch mates, the choice
is ours to make; and together, let us say that YES, we can, and YES, we will!
So there, natapos rin and I got positive feedback naman from people (thank you Lord!). I have prepared countless of different kinds of speeches, messages, presentations for my bosses before but really, this one is the first that I myself delivered. Well, as I would often say, there is always a first time, and PMDP is home to my "many firsts" in life. In retrospect, I would say that how the PMDP experience affects the scholars largely depend on their willingness to learn, unlearn and relearn. We are the so-called high performing and high potential middle managers in government so each of us already carries a certain level of expertise up our sleeves -- knowledge, practices, beliefs that were challenged as we go through the program. Perhaps in my case, things just fell into places --
I was looking for changes back then, so when I went to PMDP on the 4th of November 2013, I told myself that I will just enjoy the ride and make the most out of it. Who would have known that I could go this far? Not even me! hehe.. I know the real challenge starts the moment I once again face full time office life. I hope I can do justice and payback what the people invested in me. :-) God, help, guide and protect me po :-)
