From Region V, we move on to Region II, also a victim of Typhoon Peping.
Long holiday break! Time to implement good projects to divert our focus from the routinary office work we have been doing for more than eleven years - sitting, reading and typing. Unless we develop our talents on our own and do other things we enjoy that could help others , we'll get burned out. Move on.
At present, many are not aware that the seed we planted somewhere in Isabela more than a year ago is now slowly gaining its ground. Like what has happened in Bicol, kindness reciprocates kindness. We would like to thank those who helped us in Cauayan City build : "One Barangay, One Chapel, One Community, One Church . . ." to spread Christian communities.
One of the most Patriotic Law ever passed by the Philippine Legislature, which mandates a government establishment to implement was: Republic Act 9242.Its declaration of policy alone, provides : "it is the policy of the State to instill patriotism and nationalism among the people, especially public officials and employees, who shall at all times be loyal to the Republic and the Filipino people, promote the preferential use of locally manufactured goods that utilize local resources, adopt measures that help make them competitive and thus generate wider employment and greater benefits to the country".
The law further provides, that "the Civil Service Commission, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry, and in consultation with the concerned private sector, shall promulgate the rules to implement this Act consistent with the viable development plan for the sector".
It took two (2) years for the CSC to pass its Implementing Rules, i.e, CSC MC No. 11 series of 2006 only to inform the public that R.A. 9242 cannot be implemented due to the lack of tropical fabric. In 2007, CSC MC No. 10 was enacted: "the implementation of R.A. 9242 shall be on voluntary basis because of limited supply". In 2008, no circular was passed regarding the matter. Does this mean that the CSC is unpatriotic? NO.(Acting Chairman Cesar D. Buenaflor delivering his message during a Christian Life Concert, in celebration of the 109th Founding Anniversary of the Civil Service Commission last September 2009., sponsored by life.com, a Christian fellowship organization at CSC.)
We have been advocating for the revival of the fiber industry more than two years ago, in support of this Bill and the CSC MC concerning the matter.
Right after Typhoon Ondoy and Pepeng, Cecile Soriano, the Administrator of Fiber Industry Development Authority, on October 22, 2009 - organized an International Gala Show at SMX Mall of Asia to promote Philippine Fibers. Close to 80 of the country's talented fashion designers showcased the Philippines' Pride:"The Manila Hemp"- which first achieved worldwide recognition as the preferred cordage or rope used by sailors and even by the US Navy. Imagine how proud we are as Filipinos in those days? The warships of the most powerful nation in the entire universe depended on the ropes made from the Philippines. Let us revive the glorious past! Let us revolt once again and lead a change to make a difference.
The problem in implementing R.A. 9242 is the limited supply of tropical fibers because it takes time to produce tropical fabrics, especially when we are talking of supplying over a million uniforms to be used by government officials and employees. We should not, however, stop from there.
With the present trend, we are hoping, praying and advocating that a day shall come for us to see fashion designers, models, artists, weavers and people from within and without the government all over the country to converge and move as one with Cecil Soriano of FIDA, MON FAVILA of the Fashion Artists Foundation, among others, to watch models doing a catwalk to showcase clothes made of Philippine Fibers - to attract the private sector to invest in mass production of Philippine Tropical Fiber to be used by government officials and employees - with the Civil Service Commission now, in the forefront. The Philippine Government is the largest employer in the country with over a million in strength. The CSC was mandated to implement said law and it has the authority to promulgate subordinate legislation. After all, the legislature, may provide funds for that matter. What is needed is to organize, plan and continue institutionalizing the advocacy. After all, this advocacy has an internal economic rate of return with multiplier effects as it shall not only instill nationalism but, could create jobs as well. The General Appropriations Act yearly provide funds for clothing allowances of government officials and employees. Government officials and employees likewise enjoys allowances for clothing when travelling abroad. We can make a difference, it is just a matter of faith and perseverance, like Cecile.
We have been advocating for the "Fiber For Life" as early as 2007 to revive the Fiber Industry not only because of our cultural heritage as a people, but in order to help our countrymen and the Philippine economy per se to recover from the ravage of disasters. From the Tinalak weavers in Mindanao and the Cordillera, the Piñas in Camarines Norte, Ililoilo and Aklan, the Raffia in Bohol, these multi-cultural Philippine Fibers symbolizes our pride as a people in times of peace, in war and, now, in disaster! The Raffia symbolizes the cloth used by the Katipuneros at Inabanga, the cradle of the longest revolt against the Spaniards by Franciso Dagohoy, in Bohol. Cecile Soriano took the opportunity to promote Philippine Fibers with the Philippines ' Department of Agriculture, under Secretary Arhtur Yap. The Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA) hosted the three-day joint meeting of the Intergovernmental Group on Hard Fibers (IGHF) and the Intergovernmental Group on Jute, Kenaf and Allied Fibers as part of the celebration of the International Year of Natural Fibers.
It has been an honor knowing Cecile Soriano, a friend, more than 15 years ago. Like most of our friends in our advocacies, Cecile rose from the ranks. She has been in government for more than two decades soon to retire, yet the spirit of patriotism in her burns so bright. Mabuhay!
In his Foreward Message, then Chairman Ricardo L Saludo remarked: "Through the years, the resolution of Administrative cases by the Commission, by other quasi-judicial agencies and by the courts, however, has contributed to a wealth of jurisprudence on the definition of administrative offenses and on the acts constituting them. The need to define the administrative offense, taking into account the latest jurisprudence, becomes more pressing as the Commission remains committed in its resolve to provide speedy administrative justice in the civil service".
The last time that the CSC published a manual defining the different administrative offenses in the Civil Service was in 2001, under then Chairperson Corazon Alma De Leon, entitled: "Manual on Definitions of Administrative Offenses in the Civil Service".
(Above inset picture: Dir. IV Ariel G. Ronquillo, Office for Legal Affairs, Civil Service Commission)
The first commandment in the Katipunan Code was: "Respect and love your parents because they are next to God on earth" - Gregoria De Jesus.
The officials and employees of the Civil Service Commission paid their last respect to Ramona Zamora-Fernandez, the mother of Commissioner Mary Ann Z. Fernandez - Mendoza. Among those who appeared were then Chairperson Corazon Alma De Leon, during whose term the "Moral Recovery Program" (spearheaded by the CSC) became the catalyst of change in governance during the Ramos Administration and Chairman Ricardo L. Saludo, who believes that by honoring our past and present heroes patriotism among government officials and employees can be inculcated. Chairperson Corazon Alma De Leon is presently the Executive Director of Transparency International Philippines.
By operation of law, Senior Commissioner Cesar D. Buenaflor becomes the Acting Chairman of the Civil Service Commission effective upon the rejection of the appointment of Secretary Ricardo L. Saludo as Chairman of the CSC by the Commission on Appointment.
Section 15, Chapter 3, Title I, Subtitle A, Book V of the Administrative Code of 1987, provides:
“Section 15.Duties and Responsibilities of the Members of the Commission.Jointly with the Chairman, the two (2) Commissioners shall be responsible for the effective exercise of the rule-making and adjudicative functions of the Commission.They shall likewise perform such functions as may be delegated by the Commission.In case of the absence of the Chairman owing to illness or other cause, the senior member shall perform the functions of the Chairman.”
More than a year ago, we published an article to revisit the government's reforestation program in "SQUIRREL AT CSC FOREST". In October 2008, we created the blogsite "POWER OF YOUR LOVE", to revisit government's program on peace, development and environmental concern. In July 2009, we made this site, "CSCRO No.5: Making a Difference" , for us to remember what has happened in Bicol during typhoon Reming. Today, what we have been afraid to happen more than twelve (12) years ago . . . happened.
More than twelve years ago, our problem was food security because of the La Niña (dry spell) phenomenon brought about by climate change. All of us from within and without the government moved as one to address the problem. Those in government , specifically in NIA, was then espousing to upgrade the Geographical Information System (GIS) of the entire country to provide our decision makers accurate information to predict climate condition and to implement a unified approach in agriculture and urban planning to address water and land use problem because our growing population. In less than three (3) years, the government silently constructed major dams, San Roque, Casecnan, Mal-Mar, Bohol Irrigation Project, among others, to provide adequate water reserve needed by the agricultural as well as the urban sector because of shortages due to climate change. The government has been advocating for the implementaiton of its complementary programs to address environmental concern, drainage and urban planning foreseeing future problem because of the change in climate condition. Nothing can be heard of about corruption and discrepancy in the use of funds to implement millions or even billions worth of projects. We can only imagine its magnitude today.
With the changing of guards, however, priorities seemed to have been changed until what we have been afraid of to happen more than twelve (12) years ago . . . happened. Who then are we going to blame for the lost of lives and billions in property by the recent typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng? We have been adequately forewarned more than twelve years ago.
We have been advocating for measures to revisit government programs on peace, development, environmental concern and urban planning even before Amando Doronilla wrote his analysis entitled: "Calamities as Catalysts of Political Upheaval", which was published in the front page of the Philippine Daily Inquirer on October 19, 2009.
People in government comes and go. The changing of guards and colors passes as days move on towards another epoch in our history. Those left behind, however, still continues to hope that a leader would somehow emerge to continue the struggle for this country and its people to move as one. Ondoy and Pepeng drastically changed our landscape and our vision towards the future of this nation, which must be immediately addressed before its too late. The way the frequency of calamities hit our country from typhoon Reming, Frank and others, dictates that we have to review our property and document security procedures and manuals to consider calamity not only as a potential but, actual risk. After his appointment as Chairman of the Civil Service Commission was rejected by the Commission on Appointment, Chairman Ricardo L. Saludo gracefully turned-over the CSC Flag to Commissioner Mary Ann Z. Fernandez-Mendoza on October 16, 2009. Among others, it was during the term of Chairman Saludo when the Salary Standardization Law (SSL III) was finally enacted, the Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA) was implemented and the Pamanang Lingkod Bayan Endowment Fund was established, in a year's time.
Senior Commissioner Cesar D. Buenaflor by operation of law is now the Acting Chairman of the Commission with Commissioner Mary Ann Z. Fernandez-Mendoza as member. Like typhoons that comes and go, we have to move on.
It is ironic that the intended beneficiary of this blog project, i.e., Albay and the Bicol Region per se, to help the people therein recover from the havoc caused by typhoon “Reming” - by featuring a CSC Awardee , a driver, who works at BIR RR No. X, Legaspi City, who makes a difference in his community, including the present development in a remote Barangayin Legaspi City without any means of public transport where he used to live – were the very first ones from the among the provinces in the country to organize a caravan to bring relief goods to Rizal, Caloocan and other places in Metro Manila.A lawyer, who is a President of a Foundation consisting of Bicolanos in coordination with Church based organizations, organized a movement to gather donations and transport it by land to the Metropolis.
It is ironic too, that CSC employees and officials in Region I, which sent relief goods to the CSC Central Office for distribution to the beneficiaries, by themselves was hit by typhoon “Pepeng”, specifically, in Ilocos Province.
Tragedy awakens the Bayanihan spirit among Filipinos. We seek refuge to the Divine that the kindness of those who have the heart passes on to those who have faith to move on despite the challenges of time.
We cannot find any images readily available in the internet to feature those who sympathized with us , to touch the lives of other Christians and good Samaritans along the way thru images and the cyber world. We hope that somewhere, somehow . . . there are still many left behind. There is hope, so long as we hold on, so long as we have faith.
Our landscape drastically changed.This is an acid test of faith for our nation and its leaders to formulate a long term plan regardless of politics and to heed the call of the Divine for us tomove as one to rebuild our nation . . .
After the Civil Service Commission, its officials, employees and union (PINTIG), conducted relief operation for its more than 40 personnel affected by typhoon "Ondoy", some employees took the initiative to organize a volunteer brigade. The volunteer brigade was originally conceptualized and organized in 1994 during the term of Chairperson Corazon Alma De Leon, who is now the Executive Director of Transparency International Philippines, to instill the spirit of volunteerism among government personnel. It was during the term of Chairperson Corazon Alma De Leon under the Ramos Administration , when the spirit of volunteerism was promoted in the hope of institutionalizing volunteer brigades in government agencies. It was an epoch in our history when we enjoyed peace nationwide, a period when government and its people moved as one . . .
With the help of some seminarians and priests the donations gathered by the volunteers from among the officials and employees of the CSC were distributed to typhoon victims at Barangay Burgos, Montalban, Rizal, an isolated Barangay hardly hit by "Ondoy" not yet reached by relief operations by other sector. We learned later that GMA 7 Foundation conducted relief operation in the same area after three days, augmenting the limited relief goods distributed by the brigade.
It's touching to see old women and children wondering about their future.
The Spirit of Volunteerism:
(Juris De Leon is a MassCom graduate from Far Eastern University. She was the Director of "The Rubrics", which won an award at FEU's Indie Film making contest in 2008. Recently, she directed "Carl", which won the Best Story and Best Actor Category at GMA Cine Indie. She has been with Alimukon Advocacies for quite sometime developing her skills in freestyle video production.)
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