Truthfulness in reporting

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

March FIanza

While everyone perspired inside the sardined-packed gym with no air-conditioning, loud speakers blurted contemporary love songs as poker-faced Presidential Security Guards shepherded the crowd to their “corrals” like well-behaved cows.

Apayao residents, barangay officials and government workers were apparently ushered in to fill the Bienvenido VerzolaJr Memorial Sports Complex to the rim and provide an impression of support to PNoy.

President Noynoy Aquino was unprepared but was ready to accept whatever was in store for him last Wednesday morning during an informal program prepared by public officials of the Province of Apayao and their staff.

While people waited for PNoy, Provincial Secretary James Gullayan who was the Master of Ceremonies for the whole program used the time by asking those who have roles to present to practice their parts on stage.

To me and some others, it looked funny because the energetic emcee instructed the program participants through the microphone to practice their entry and exit to the stage, including their poses when having their pictures taken with PNoy. At last, after two and a half hours of waiting, President Noynoy and party arrived.

PNoy’s arrival, however, was not what relieved us from the long wait and perspiration inside the oven-like closed gym. Not even the briefing on public works and the promise of hundreds of millions of pesos of infrastructure projects gave the crowd the much needed comfort, but the speech of a 6th grader from San Isidro Norte Elementary School. 

The ever-smiling elementary pupil Leslie G. Columbano caught the attention of President Aquino, Public Works Sec. Rogelio Singson and Health Sec. Janet Garin with the frankness of her words and honesty of her body language.

“When I was in Grade Five, we shared a room with Grade Six pupils that made it hard for us to study. We can hardly hear the voice of our teacher,” she said in Tagalog. “When I was in Grade Five, the roof of our classroom always leaked when it rained. I am now in Grade Six and our roof still leaked everytime.”

Young Leslie’s openness made PNoy and the crowd laugh to their hearts’ satisfaction. The short and simple words from the mouth of an innocent girl that ended with the line “sana maayos po ninyo ang eskwelahan namin” made the day for most of us.

There are rewards for reporting truthfully. Surely, Leslie flattered PNoy. She was able to sweet-talk the highest official of the land to do something about her school. The crowd noticed that the young girl’s words were enough to woo PNoy into bending over to his panel seatmate and “order” him to construct additional classrooms for the school.

As expected, Sec. Singson announced that San Isidro Norte Elementary School will get the necessary improvements as soon as possible. No more classroom sharing. No more leaking roofs for Leslie.  

  

According to Mayor Josephine Menor-Bangsil, it was the first time for a Philippine President to visit Luna town in Apayao province. She took the opportunity to thank the President for the genuine support her town has been receiving. The attention Luna and Apayaohas been getting is PNoy’s “sincere service” to Filipinos, the mayor further said.

“In a span of five years, it was only during President Aquino’s term that we felt the essence of progress or inclusive growth”, mayor Menor-Bangsil said. Her statement was confirmed by Governor Elias C. Bulut Jr., saying, the Aquino Administration has poured in hundreds of millions of funds to develop the largest and youngest province in the Cordillera.

Aside from the inspection of the Far North Luzon General Hospital and Training Center, Sec. Singson reported to the crowd saying P12.3 billion was allotted by this administration to link all roads and municipalities in the Cordillera for one to be able to cross from the Ilocos Region to Cagayan Valley, where at least 138 kilometers distributed in many sections in the region are being concreted.

There are about 335 kilometers of national roads in Apayao of which 98 kilometers have already been paved. Gov. Bulut said, more funds, particularly for infrastructure and social services are coming in despite the fact that Apayao’s officials did not endorse Mr. Aquino’s candidacy during the last presidential election.

But PNoy was quick to respond to Gov. Bulut’s admission. “For everyone, whether they voted for me or not, whether they criticize me, I am still their President and they are my Boss.”