HUMAN INTERESTS
BY LUCELL LARAWAN

Redemption and tribute

IF there is someone I appreciate and admire most, it is my good friend, Hon. Erico Aumentado, the governor of Bohol. He eloquently embodies the premise of public administration scholars Osborne and Gaebler: “The government only stirs and does not row.” This is illustrative of the government being the inspirer, motivator and stimulant towards development instead of doing all the tasks for the society it is governing (which is impossible).

Aside from being a good motivator, I also find awesome Gov. Aumentado’s ingenuity to redeem a significant loss to the province – the Loboc Jumbo bridge. This bridge used to catch the attention of tourists because it leads to a historical landmark -- the town's church (the reason why it was not completed). The notorious bridge received a Kalabasa Award years ago.

Yet, through the governor's leadership, it is now a nice promenade named after its donor-foundation headed by the late Alfonso Uy (a Boholano). The Uy Foundation spent P4 million to finish the promenade out of the unfinished bridge.

I was privileged to attend the unveiling of the promenade's marker on December 26, 2008. I traveled 30 minutes from Tagbilaran to Loboc with Nong Erico (the governor), his wife Greenie and secretary.

Among those who were present during the unveiling were Richard Uy, chairman of the First Consolidated Bank (FCB); Mariano Uy, deputy mayor of Tagbilaran; Paz Uy, widow of Alfonso; Loboc Mayor Leon Calipusan; and the town's local government unit family.

“This is a glorious and historic moment for Loboc and the province...I commend the late Uy and the heirs who run the foundation. What is enduring to me is the corporate social responsibility that has been shown,” said Gov. Aumentado.

Mariano Uy, who represented the clan, said it was Alfonso, his late brother, who told them that they should be honest and helpful. Indeed, the clan continues its philanthropic projects like the Botika sa Katawhan and the Loboc music foundation, among others.
***

I thought of giving tribute to a good friend’s genuineness of soul, so I made a terra cotta bust and wrote a poem for Nong Erico.

ON MAKING YOUR PORTRAIT
The mixture of earth and sand
Will tell of your story:
Once in the primeval times or even before
Your glorious years were already etched
As chronicles in tablets of stone
Like the unfathomed wonders
Of His secret alchemy working here
That will amaze us all;
From that grand plan
Hands begin to mold tenderly
To thrill us of form to exciting form
As if by hope’s persistence;
Clay is a humble reminder
But out of it the Grand Artist
Told the angelic spectators:
“Watch what I will do with this one”
True enough, your splendor
Incrementally came to be;
The goal of patient endurance
Makes one to wait
Even amidst seemingly random
Adding and subtracting of elements;
The heart knows what perfection comes
With faith’s constant assurance
Of the end’s reward—
The masterpiece giving joy to the Maker
With a hilarious delight;
When all is done
Here comes the immortalized version of you. (For comments, email lucell_cpu@yahoo.com)/PN