All in a day's work

Essay 

By 1Lt. Alexandre Cabales, PMA Class 2008

                I had some interesting talk with my troops after we had our usual meetings to plan out our future activities. As what I usually do, I spend time explaining to them why we do what we do if only to inspire more commitment in the kind of work that they deliver to the people that we serve. Anyway, our discussion came to the various activities that we have been doing in the barangay - from the Water System Project that we turned over to the local residents on March 12 to the cooperative that we are in the process of organizing in the same barangay.   I narrated to my men the incident that happened that morning. Well, at least allow me to share the story including its background.

                Last Thursday, I decided to go to Davao City and try to learn some more about organizing a cooperative. I have been toiling for this project in the past weeks and after reading almost all available material on the topic I can find from the Internet, it was just time for me to ask the experts. I went to the regional office of the Cooperative Development Authority in Davao City. I was impressed by how accommodating they were plus an enchanting conversation with one of the staff whom I had the terrible mistake of not asking who she was in the Office (she just might be the BOSS). Well, I came out of the office with more vigor in really pushing through with the project although I also made some realization as to how difficult it would be after I was "formally schooled" about the actual problems they have encountered.

                Armed with my new knowledge, I was looking forward to a wonderful meeting with the potential cooperative the other night only to be met with a disappointing attendance. I was able to overcome being hysterical about it, thinking that it was normal since I was actually trying to introduce something new to the community. In the end, we were able to come up with a working plan on how to move forward with the agreement of fixing our attendance problem.

                I made a call to the Muncipal Cooperative Development Officer of Lupon, Davao Oriental. Although it is still too early to pass judgment but this is how the conversation happened:

Woman: Hello?
Me: Yes ma'am, ako po si Lt Cabales of 28IB, I was referred by a personnel from Cooperative Development Authority in Davao City and I was told that you are the one to be asked about my concerns.
Woman: Ano po ba yun sir, kung information lang po ang kailangan nyo maganda po kausapin nyo yung taga CDA talaga.
Me: Galing nga po ako ng CDA ang sabi nila kayo raw po ang makakatulong sa akin
Woman: Ano pala gusto nyong gawin, Sir?
Me: Nag-oorganize nga po ako ng cooperative and I want to know on how do I make arrangements for a pre-membership seminar for the group that I am organizing as a cooperative.
Woman: Hindi kasi ako, Sir, ang nagbibigay niyan. Tanong kayo sa iba.
Me: Kayo naman po kasi ang ni-refer sa akin, I'm sure kung hindi kayo dapat meron kayong marerefer sa akin kasi I was told that you were the point person when it comes to cooperatives in the Municipality.
Woman: Ay sige sir kailan ba ang plano nyo?
Me: Yun nga eh kaya I really need to talk it out kasi po itong grupo na ino-organize ko ay mga habal-habal drivers (motorcycle drivers) so wala po silang time to have the seminar during the day kasi oras po yan ng paghahanap buhay nila.  Gusto ko po sana gabi.
Woman: Ay hindi pwede yan sir after office hours na 'yan.
Me: Yun nga po kaya gusto kong makausap kasi naman para naman pong mali na hindi natin kaya silang i-accomodate ng ganung oras eh gusto nga natin silang tulungan tapos kailangan pala huwag silang maghanap buhay para lang matulungan natin sila.
Woman: After office hours na kasi yan, Sir!
Me: Ma'am di ba po taga gobyerno tayo, para namang sinasabi natin sa kanila na huwag na munang kumain yung pamilya nila para maka-attend sila ng seminar na kailangan nila para matulungan sila ng gobyerno. Ang tingin ko po dapat tayo ang mag-adjust kaya nga po sana pag-usapan natin.
Woman: Wala na kasing trabaho niyan, Sir.
Me: (By this time if she was in front of me I would have slapped her) Ganito na lang po, Ma'am, punta na lang po ako dyan para mapag-usapan po natin ng maayos yung concern ko.
Woman: Sige sir. (then immediately puts the phone down).

                I was able to finally connect to the Provincial Cooperative Office who was in fact more accommodating and I think is more professional. Again I am not passing judgment on her (God Bless her Soul) but if only our government workers put some form of commitment in what they do maybe we have less problems. For me now, I will go on, move forward, in the end all of these things are just part of a day's work.