I OFTEN see her Berna during those days when I was still active as the vice president of Organik Na Negros Producers and Retailers Association (Onopra).
Although, maybe I should have addressed her as Ma’am. I am uncomfortable being called “Sir.” So I am with other government officials, including her. It did not matter though that I address her using her nickname.
Somehow she does not exude airs. Despite her mestiza and Buena familia looks, Bernadette Romulo-Puyat is no hoity-toity. I have seen her talk in Filipino and a sprinkling of Hiligaynon to organic farmers and the indigenous peoples of Negros Occidental.
I was with her when we traveled to the mountain village of Patag in Silay. Before our travel, we engaged in small talk. We got to talk commonalities. Knowing she studied in University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, I told her my student number and she told me hers. You get to know a UP student if they can remember their identification number.
While we were in Patag, former Mayor Montelibano provided her with a security escort. Berna unconcerned that she muddied her hiking shoes to go to organic vegetable gardens.
Here is a national official who is ready to mingle with the grassroots. For me, that is how I measure the integrity and sincerity of a person, especially people who are in high places. Berna walks the talk of serving the people.
An active Facebooker, I congratulated her for something. Her reply: “Thank you. Coming from you, that means a lot.”
The last time I met her was on November 25, 2015, during the 10th Negros Island Organic Farming Festival (NIOFF) and the 12th National Organic Agriculture Congress (NOAC) in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.
My friend Ted Lopez “I know BRP when we worked with her at the National Organic Agriculture Board, she has consistently warded off all attempts of graft related to the NOAB funds and took the initiative of investigating anomalous projects that were unduly released by the Napoles network in DA even small acts of corruption were checked by her.”
I might disagree with President Duterte on many things. But this time, his appointment as the new Department of Tourism secretary, I can only nod in total agreement. (bqsanc@yahoo.com)