San Jose Mindoro Occidental-My first Provincial Assignment

My first provincial assignment that took me away from my family was in San Jose Occidental Mindoro. It will take you 12 hours of (night time) travel if you used Ro-Ro (roll on roll off) from port of Batangas. About 30 – 45 minutes if via plane that travels once a day (morning flight) from Manila Domestic Airport. Mindoro is an Island consisting of Occidental and Oriental. ,
Upon dis-embarking from the plane, I immediately tried to call home. My ever-reliable Nokia 606(remember Billcrusher card) failed to connect. I even stretch the antenna to its full potential, failed to connect again. Then our company representative arrives and whisper to me, “Sir, wala hong cell site dito” (“Sir, there is no cell site here”). I am more amused than angry, “Ah! Ok “is my only reply.
Traveling from airport to branch riding a tricycle had me wondering how I can improve the sales. Almost all the school children going to school that we passed by were wearing slippers. Then, I must teach them how to wear shoes. “Great! Isn’t it?” That’s the spirit.
During my first few nights I could not sleep and felt lonely and tears would slowly fall from my eyes. The first month seems to be too long. I thought of resigning to be with my family. But thru constant prayers and some landline call to my love one somehow eases the pain of being separated with my family.
The work:
One personnel had an undesirable habit that everybody despises about. Nonoy is his name. He would not owe to any mistake that he committed even somebody saw him. He has master the art of reasoning so much so that he can lie while looking at your eyes. Practically everybody hated him.
I almost give up on this one. I believe that I have the talent of making personnel under me to change for the better and became productive. I am good at personnel handling. But this one is different. A simple misunderstanding will become a big conflict. One time he challenges Raul (his co-stocker) for a fight due to a minor incident. A lot of “Notice to Explain” had been given.I started to observe and see his more human side. I tried as much as possible to understand him. To cut the story short, after a few more months, the transformation is so great that everybody though it is just for show. But it is real. The moral of the story is every one of us has a soft spot that needed only to be touched. I reach out to him and he reciprocated positively.
Then one by one I started to know our personnel better. They became (as if) my long lost relatives. They open their homes to me. Their relatives also became my relatives. What you really give to your personnel is what you reap. When I am sick, somebody would bring me food; medicine and from time to time they would check my condition.
My Family:
Then December came and my family became whole again even for that Christmas break. Every morning we would walk a few steps from my rented home to reach the shoreline. Seawater is so clear you can see some small fishes swimming. Sand is so fine. Bringing coffee and bread, we would eat our breakfast while swimming. My wife could cook fresh seafood on a very cheap price.
One time she tried to cook a live crab but made the mistake of removing those strings that bound their claw/chelas. She panicked when the crab, feeling the heat from the stove scampered on different direction and were able to jump out of wok. I, and the children were shouting and jumping and didn’t know what to do. Luckily for us one of our neighbors heard our shouting and expertly showed us how it is being handled.
My family enjoyed so much their short vacation that they eagerly anticipated the coming summer break. Again, we were together during the school break of 1999.
There were many happy moments that reminded me and my family of the place called – “San Jose”. In my heart there is a special place for these memories. “Tocino”, “longganisa”, “sisig”, “kalderetang kambing” and the rice – all seems special there. Maybe this is the place when they coined the word” Special place for special people.”
Thank You:
And when the time had come that I must say goodbye, I didn’t tell them the exact time of my leaving. But they caught me by surprised when on my last day; they presented me with a huge cross-stitch painting. Then one by one, they started talking with tears falling from their eyes. Telling me how I have touched their lives. I must have cried a river too because before I knew it, my handkerchief is so wet with tears I have to use my T-shirt to wipe away some tears. The next day, my eyes were swollen.

part of missing file. Posted 2007

(Some files still missing)