A Dinner with the Officers

Some side notes — I was trying to locate my personal anecdotes in Facebook Notes from way back 2011 and for some reason, the notes themselves are very elusive. Was the Facebook notes section archived or deactivated? I was not even aware of this shift, really. In the meantime, I shall copy and paste whatever transcript that I can find.

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Last friday the incumbent officers of the MBA Society met with their Adviser to talk about various issues and concerns of the Students, as well as plans and programs for the term. Nakakalungkot nga lang that everyone did not commit their attendance due to their reasons that even the attendee do not really understand.

At dahil jan, hindi ninyo naramdaman ang minsang dinner brought to you by the Auditor herself... dahil napagtripan ni Madam President na kumain, pinakain siya... at dahil gutom na ang lahat, sinama na rin—since kaunti lang naman kaming kakain...

The dinner was enjoyable, but the talk from the Auditor was at least bearable to the listeners (sina PRO Egai, Asst Treas Cy, VP-Int Juz and Pres Maylen)

Dinner Session - before the talk was done

Ella, as some says, is a wild dreamer. She talked to them like she will be the next President of the Country. She started assigning tasks and directives to the fellow officers, as if she can lead her constituents with a snap. Natatawa ang mga co-officers niya when she asked for the desired position nila, asking anong suitable government function ang bagay sa kanila. At least she assigned people to the following (in random order, lists are tentative):

Presidential Speaker

BSP Governor

DOF Secretary

SSS President and CEO

PDIC President and CEO

PICC / CCP President

Presidential Management Staff Director-General

PAGCOR Chairperson

National Disaster Coordinating Council Director-General

DPWH Secretary

Treasurer of the Phils (Bureau of the Treasury)

Internal Revenue Commissioner (Bureau of Internal Revenue)

Customs Commissioner (Bureau of Customs)

Nagtataka na ang mga officers - bakit nag-aapoint ng mga tao si Ella, at mga kaibigan pa nya. Is it how politics goes these days, tanong ng isa. She just answered that this is how politics works since time immemorial. If you are the president, the frontliners should be the first people that you have trust and confidence with. It does not mean that you cannot delegate others / give chance to others - she will appoint the "nextliners" that have the stunning credentials, magandang exposure at mas matalino sa kanila - so that they will be challenged at gumawa nang matino.

At dahil naguluhan sila, dinaan na lang sa extra kanin ang lahat. But Ella won't stop talking, in between chewing barbeques.

Dinner Session - kunyari stolen...

Then may nagtanong ulit, tackling about the Government Corporate Sector - aka the GOCCs. Sharing thoughts about how the executive have their salaries that are very much higher than the highest person in the land, one asked - why not abolish these corporations? why not make everything be privatized?

Ella, since nagtatrabaho sa department na may oversight functions over Government Corporations, started the talk. She pinpoints that today is not a perfect time for abolishing entities, rather this is the perfect time to rehabilitate them. Nagtanong na ang isa about the situation of SSS, bakit ganon na lang ang capability nila. She just said that based on Senator's Drilon's statement - kaya nariyan ang Legislative. Kaya may hearing not to accuse them, but to formulate policies that would straighten up the Corporation (since I believe that SSS is a GOCC). Kaya nga may Senado, to propose laws that are feasible enough for the Heads of the Corporation to act in accordance with their authority, and not to exceed them.

Tapos may follow-up, about the NFA case... bakit ganon na lang raw ang NFA? hindi ba pwedeng i-privatize yan? Ella, believing that the GOCCs are one of the important sectors of the country, disagrees to the proposal. She just shared that the NFA's function should be changed - NFA should only be a regulatory function. NFA was created to lose, kako niya - it is meant to be the importer of rice and other important goods to make the market healthy, through joining in the competition. Nariyan si NFA para bumaba ang bigas - hindi para tumaas ito.

But when he asked Ella that if she is the President - what will she do with these corporations?

Ella answered - REORGANIZE. Believe me or not, they do not need private sector to buy them out - this is the time that the National Government should take action. Bakit sila ganyan is because they have politics as a way of life. They believe that kapag ang iba ay ganyan at hindi nahuhuli - why not join with the flow. This is the societal cancer - this is what needs to be cured.

She further added that the people should be continuously vigilant in taking notes what is happening to the nation. May angst si Ella sa mga taong mahilig mag-comment, but do not channel their spontaneity to at least contribute to the change. If they continue to criticize the wrongdoings, sana gawan na rin ng action. I am a little person working for the public, she says, but at least I am willing and able to do something to our nation, how much it would cost to me. She wants to enlighten everyone that we should love our nation, changing its negative views. Gisingin dapat ng mga tao ang dugong makabayan sa kanila. Sino pang tutulong sa sariling bayan kundi tayo rin lang?

[The facebook note is created from a first person perspective and a third person perspective. Kaya n'yo yang unawain.]

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(inputted in facebook notes last 17 October 2010)