A People Who Deserve The Future: Sikatuna Award Response
A People Who Deserve The Future
Sikatuna Award Response
July 22, 2006
DURING THE PRESIDENTIAL TERM OF OFFICE OF DWIGHT EISENHOWER, THE PRESIDENT WAS VACATIONING IN DENVER. HE LEARNED THAT A SIX-YEAR-OLD BOY NAMED PAUL HALEY WAS DYING OF AN INCURABLE CANCER. AND HE HAD ONE GREAT DREAM – THAT ONE DAY HE WILL SEE THE PRESIDENT.
AS SOON AS HE LEARNED OF THIS, EISENHOWER WASTED NO TIME. HE GOT ON THE PRESIDENTIAL LIMOUSINE AND DROVE OVER TO THE HOME OF PAUL HALEY WHO DIDN’T KNOW HE WAS COMING.
THE PRESIDENT GOT OUT OF THE LIMOUSINE AND KNOCKED ON THE DOOR. DONALD HALEY, THE BOY’S FATHER, WEARING BLUE JEANS, AN OLD DIRTY SHIRT, AND A DAY OF UNSHAVED BEARD, OPENED THE DOOR. “YES, CAN I HELP YOU?”
“IS PAUL HERE? TELL HIM THE PRESIDENT WOULD LIKE TO SEE HIM.” EISENHOWER REPLIED.
LITTLE PAUL WALKED AROUND HIS FATHER’S LEGS AND STOOD AND LOOKED INTO THE FACE OF THE MAN HE ADMIRED MOST.
EISENHOWER KNEELED DOWN, SHOOK HIS HAND, TOOK HIM OUT TO SEE THE PRESIDENTIAL LIMOUSINE, AND BEFORE HE SAID GOODBYE, HUGGED LITTLE PAUL HALEY.
THEY SHOOK HANDS AGAIN, AND HE LEFT.
THE NEIGHBORS ARE STILL TALKING ABOUT THE VISIT OF THE PRESIDENT. ONLY ONE MAN WAS NOT ENTIRELY HAPPY ABOUT IT, AND THAT WAS DONALD HALEY.
“HOW CAN I EVER FORGET STANDING THERE DRESSED LIKE I WAS IN THOSE JEANS AND AN OLD, DIRTY SHIRT AND AN UNSHAVEN FACE TO MEET THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES?”
NOT MANY PEOPLE GET A SURPRISE VISIT FROM THE PRESIDENT. OF COURSE, MOST PEOPLE WOULD RATHER FORFEIT THAT PRIVILEGE SO LONG AS THEIR CHILDREN DO NOT CONTRACT CANCER EARLY IN LIFE.
THE POINT IS THAT NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE PREPARED TO FACE THE FUTURE, MUCH LESS RECEIVE THE BLESSINGS THAT THEY ARE PRAYING FOR.
TAGBILARAN IS NOT ABOUT TO COMMIT THAT MISTAKE. UNLIKE THOSE WHO RUSH BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT MOVEMENT, WE NEED TO DETERMINE WHERE WE ARE GOING AND HOW TO GET THERE.
FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, TAGBILARAN DID JUST THAT. WE WENT TO THE DRAWING BOARDS IN AN UNCOMMON DISPLAY OF UNITY AND HARMONY AMONG THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE BRANCHES ON ONE HAND AND CIVIL SOCIETY ON THE OTHER.
THERE HAS BEEN NO DOUBT ABOUT THE PRIORITY, AND THAT IS PEOPLE. WE HAVE INVESTED HEAVILY ON THE FUTURE BY APPROPRIATING FOR ELEMENTARY PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION AND PRE-SCHOOL LEARNING THROUGH THE MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCE APPROACH. AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE MAKING SURE NO CITIZEN OF TAGBILARAN IS REFUSED ADMISSION AT THE GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL SIMPLY BECAUSE HE OR SHE HAS NO MONEY. THIS IS THE RATIONALE BEHIND THE BLUE CARD PROJECT.
THE CITY’S INITIATIVES ARE NOT LOST TO THOSE WHO KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR. THE INSTITUTE FOR SOLIDARITY IN ASIA CHOSE TAGBILARAN AS ONE OF ONLY EIGHT PHILIPPINE DREAM CITIES WHILE THE ASIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT POLICY CENTER PICKED TAGBILARAN AS ONE OF THE PHILIPPINES’ TOP 20 MOST COMPETITIVE CITIES AND PINOY CITIES ON THE RISE. THE TWO PRESTIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS KNOW THAT IF THE PRESENT TRENDS CONTINUE, LIFE IN TAGBILARAN WILL IMPROVE.
TODAY, I STAND BEFORE YOU TO RECEIVE THE SIKATUNA AWARD ON THE OCCASION OF THE 152ND BOHOL FOUNDATION DAY. WHEN I WAS INFORMED OF THIS AWARD, I LEARNED THAT I AM BEING HONORED ON THE BASIS OF MY LEADERSHIP THAT PLACED TAGBILARAN AS ONE OF TEN INVESTMENT-FRIENDLY CITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES.
I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY TO ACCEPT THIS HONOR BUT I DO SO WITH A CLEAR DECLARATION THAT I SHARE IT WITH THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF TAGBILARAN. INDEED, THIS RECOGNITION WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE COOPERATION AND SUPPORT OF THE THOUSANDS OF NAMELESS, FACELESS RESIDENTS OF THIS HUMBLE CITY.
THIS COOPERATION HAS BEEN MANIFESTED MANY TIMES. FROM THE RIGHTSIZING OF THE BUREAUCRACY TO THE NEW GARBAGE COLLECTION SCHEME, FROM THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HELMET REQUIREMENT FOR MOTORCYCLE DRIVERS TO THE WIDER CAMPAIGN AGAINST CRIMINALITIES, ALL THESE COULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE COOPERATION OF THE CITIZENS OF TAGBILARAN.
A LEADER IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THOSE WHO FOLLOW HIS LEADERSHIP. IT IS BETTER FOR A SHEEP TO LEAD A PACK OF LIONS THAN A LION LEADING A PACK OF SHEEP. THE RESULTS ARE PREDICTABLE.
I RECEIVE THIS AWARD ONLY IN MY CAPACITY AS THE FATHER OF THIS GREAT CITY. I DO SO MERELY AS A REPRESENTATIVE BECAUSE THIS AWARD WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE CITY AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO CONTINUE TO TOIL AND WORK.
WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED SO FAR IS TO KNOW WHERE WE STAND AND DETERMINE WHERE WE ARE GOING. LIKE A BABY THAT HAS JUST LEARNED TO WALK AFTER TWO YEARS, THE BEST IS YET TO COME.
TAGBILARAN HOWEVER MUST NOT COMMIT THE MISTAKE THAT DONALD HALEY MADE, AND THAT IS NOT HAVING THE FAITH THAT WE WILL REAP THE REWARDS OF OUR LABOR. IT IS EASY TO BE CYNICAL THESE DAYS NOT JUST BECAUSE THE FUTURE LOOKS BLEAK BUT BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE ARE DESPERATE.
THE CITIZENS OF TAGBILARAN HOWEVER ARE NO ORDINARY PEOPLE. WE HAVE DECLARED OUR DESIRE TO RISE TO THE CHALLENGE AND GO AGAINST THE TIDE. INSTEAD OF BEING DISCOURAGED, WE ARE OPTIMISTIC AND BULLISH ABOUT THE FUTURE.
I THANK THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT LED BY GOV. ERICO AUMENTADO FOR RECOGNIZING OUR EFFORTS AND FOR ITS OWN STRIDES FOR PROGRESS. WHILE TAGBILARAN IS SETTING THE PACE, IT HAS NOT FORGOTTEN ITS RESPONSIBILITIES AS THE BOHOLANOS’ BIG BROTHER. WE’RE IN THIS TOGETHER.
RALPH WALDO EMERSON ONCE SAID THAT THE REWARD OF A THING WELL DONE IS TO HAVE DONE IT. WITHOUT GROWTH, OUR TASK IS NOT OVER.
I PROMISE YOU, THE LITTLE CITY WITH BIG DREAMS WILL NOT SLEEP. IT’S NOT OVER UNTIL IT’S OVER. WE ARE A PEOPLE WHO DESERVE THE FUTURE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND MAY GOD BLESS US ALL.
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