THE CHAIRMAN SPEAKS
My dear fellow
Lagronians, this is the 40th time -- and probably
the last -- that I'll speak to you through this column in our community
newspaper, the GREATER LAGRO GAZETTE. We've been together 10 years now, and
soon it will be time for me to go. But before I do, I wanted to share some
thoughts with you, some of which I've been saving for a long time.
With all my heart I wish to express
my deep gratitude to all of you, my fellow Lagronians, for your collective
support, trust and confidence in
bestowing upon me the honor of being the first and so far, the only
barangay captain ever elected to three consecutive terms since our barangay
obtained its status as an independent local government unit exactly 21 years
ago. I really do appreciate the trust you have given me as your local chief
executive to lead our barangay towards genuine development adopting the
principle of “righteous governance” for the past full decade.
Right at the start of my first term
as chief executive of our barangay in
December of 2007, when I implored your wholehearted support and cooperation,
you, my beloved fellow Lagronians, did not hesitate to heed my call. Since
then, you have been the bridge as we took full and collective responsibility
towards genuine development in our community,
thus ushering us rich opportunities as we forged new covenants in the
present and in the future with new values, better education, better health
condition, peace and prosperity under the guiding principle of “righteous
governance”.
Being about to retire finally from
public life, I beg leave to offer you my grateful thanks for the many proofs of
kindness and confidence which I have received at your hands. It has been my
fortune in the discharge of my duties and responsibilities as your three-term
barangay captain, frequently to have found myself in difficult and trying
situations, where prompt decision and energetic action were necessary, and
where the interest of the community required that high responsibilities should
be fearlessly encountered.
It is therefore with the deepest
emotions of gratitude that I acknowledge the continued and unbroken confidence
with which you have sustained me during these trying, albeit eventful and
fulfilling past ten years.
During these years, I can not claim
that my administration has at all times been free from errors; but I have the
consolation of knowing that if perchance mistakes have been committed, they
were made with the best of intentions and not to the prejudice of the community
that I so ardently endeavored to serve to the best of my ability.
It is also my consolation to know
that at the moment when I finally surrender my last public trust, I will be
leaving you, my esteemed constituents in this great barangay, prosperous and
happy and honored and respected by those from other communities, not only in
Quezon City and the whole metropolis but in the entire country as well.
If my humble efforts have in any
degree contributed to preserve to you these blessings, I have been more than
rewarded by the honors you have heaped upon me, and, above all, by the generous
confidence with which you have supported me in every peril, and with which you
have continued to animate and cheer my path to the closing hour of my public
life as your barangay captain.
-o-0-o-
In retrospect, as I look back to
these past ten years, all I could say now is that these years have been happy times -- times where I gave of my
expertise, a time where I imparted skills and some life lessons and aptly also,
a time where I learned a great deal.
I have learned that the barangay as
an independent local government unit is underpinned by a group of duly elected
officials and employees that give selflessly of their time, effort and
expertise in the name of public service.
I have been introduced into a new
world where the governed are supposed to be the ones to be served and the
leaders are the ones who bow to the collective wishes of their
constituents. And I learned to value
these opportunities that I have been exposed to and acted upon accordingly.
I have learned and developed more
empathy for what it takes to run an independent local government unit such as
our barangay -- the strategic financial and operational planning that is required,
while at the same time, keeping all the stakeholders happy. These, in addition
to maintaining the honor and integrity of my personal vision and self-imposed
mission for our beloved community, while still being open to innovative change.
Indeed, these past ten years have
been a significant learning curve for me and one which I undoubtedly learned a
great deal from.
The past few years have also taught
me the value of having a positive and enthusiastic group of co-workers. I have
witnessed colleagues giving tirelessly of their time to enhance the image and
productivity of our barangay LGU.
I take this opportunity, therefore,
to acknowledge what you, my fellow
workers, have all played in making our
barangay LGU a happier and more productive organization to work in. I
have also learned that this is the role that I will strive to emulate in my
future undertakings as a private citizen after my term of office as barangay
chairman shall have ended.
I also need to acknowledge just how
much I have been shaped by my colleagues and friends and the whole of my
constituency. I have a myriad of experiences, too many to mention, that have
impacted on my life in a memorable and meaningful way. What follows barely
scratches the surface of all that I have learned over the years, but bear with
me as I make mention of some of these memories.
I have learned that it takes a group
of very special people to commit to their jobs on a daily basis, even when the
going gets tough. And believe me, we've
all experienced that over these past ten years.
I have learned that our buildings
and grounds and streets are maintained on a daily basis by a group of smiling
and cheerful individuals who choose to be happy.
I have learned that the peals of
laughter I hear resounding from the staff room reflect the vibrant and happy
staff that we are fortunate to have.
I have learned that a cup of coffee
before the day starts with friends can make a difference. It can give you that much needed perspective.
Very importantly, I have learned that
we are exposed to phenomenal opportunities for growth as public servants -- of
that I have no doubt -- and I have equally learned that we may only fully
appreciate this fact as we move on in pursuit of other endeavors as a private
individual.
And finally, personally, I have
learned that happiness and contentment is the consequence of personal effort,
persistence and industry. You fight for it, strive for it and insist
upon it -- always!.
Lastly, I am extremely grateful for
the role that everyone has played throughout these past ten wonderful years of
my term of office as chief executive of this blessed community.
These have been happy years -- years that I will always remember and cherish fondly. -- ### (Renato U. Galimba)
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