All in a Day's Work

I had some interesting talk with a few of my troops after we had our usual meetings to plan out or future activities. As what I usually do, I spend time explaining to them why we do what we do if only to inspire some 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 just turned over to the local residents this afternoon up to the Cooperative we are in the process of organizing in the same Barangay. I told them the incident that happened just this morning. Well at least allow me to tell the whole 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 accomodating 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 difficult it would be as I was formally schooled about the actual problems they have encountered.

And so, armed with that new knowledge, I was looking forward to a wonderful meeting with the potential cooperative last night only to be met with a disappointing attendance. I was able to overcome being hsyterical 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.

Today, 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 and I was told that you were 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 wante 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 nag bibigay nyan, tanong kayo sa iba

Me; Kayo naman po kasi ang rinefer 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 inoorganize 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 hwag silang mag hanap buhay para lang matulungan natin sila

Woman: After office hours na kasi yan sir

Me: Ma'am diba po taga gobyerno tayo, para namang sinasabi natin sa kanila na hwag 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 nyan 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 nating 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 accomodating 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 one, move forward, in the end all of these things are just part of a day's work.