Simply Jesse

WHAT did he have to possess such an intense charisma? Yes, he was a politician -- but a high-caliber of sorts.

He may have been an ordinary citizen to some, but a pillar of good governance to many. Former Naga City Mayor and Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Jesse Robredo grabbed the limelight for the last time, but on a sad note. It was his last tour of duty as the ill-fated plane he was on crashed into the deep seas, causing his death and that of the two pilots manning the Piper Seneca.

I was out of the country when I read the news via an international paper that the plane where the low-key, low-toned Secretary was on board went missing. The first thing that came to my mind was the slim chance that air travelers have when on board aircraft. Of course, I was hopeful that they might have bailed out of the plane and survived considering the possibility that the twin-engine plane they were in developed technical problems while in midair.

What really happened to the plane gnawed on my mind during the time I was away, as I did not get any fresh news about the mishap. What I know is the fact that we are in the typhoon season and that bad weather conditions might have been the culprit.

I know for a fact too that in the country, some light planes do not receive much maintenance and that a number of them have suffered the same fate. Airplanes, whatever their size, should always be given periodic maintenance and a lot of checks. We have to take note that when they develop trouble while airborne, it usually results in a disaster.

Another possible cause of the accident that I was thinking about while I was away was human error, but the fact that a Secretary was on board dispels the possibility. An ace pilot I believe piloted the plane.

Air travel, by statistics, is considered the safest mode of transportation. There is the slightest possibility in fact for the crew and the passengers to meet death through a crash, perhaps one in a million (again according to statistics).

With my thirst for more information, I found myself inside an airplane too bound for the Clark International Airport. I had a rough flight on my way home aboard an Airbus, backdropped by the thought that Robredo had died on a plane crash.
As soon as I touched ground, I scoured the airport for any newspaper to look for any development on the fate of the missing Secretary until I saw a tabloid that broke to me the news that Robredo was confirmed dead and his body was already recovered.

Although not many know the demised Secretary personally, he was well-known for his advocacy for good governance and for all his accomplishments while he was still chief executive of Naga City. He gained fame in the Bicol region until his appointment as DILG Secretary which made him more known for his reforms and the style of supervision among our local government units.

We cannot discount the fact that he has detractors too but he didn’t reach the peak of his government service career without his exemplary performance as a local official of Naga City.

Although I am not a Bicolano, I have been a witness to the transformation of Robredo’s city from a once sleepy countryside unit to a flourishing urban territory when I frequented Bicol region then.

His management style is different in the sense that he was strict and straight when it concerned his work. Being a workaholic, he always made sure that all tasks were accomplished in due time according to my colleagues who worked with him for years.

What I like about the man is his being a family man, a good father to his children and wife. Many have been told now about his personal life, among which is the fact that he always wanted to be with his family despite his hectic work schedules, which is what I like most. I know some government executives who do love their posh government positions more than their family, giving more time to their functions than their homes.

Secretary Robredo was a simple yet decorated government official who had an unfortunate and untimely death. Many have spoken of him highly because of his excellent leadership. As the nation mourns his death, we cannot help but relive the examples he set for the betterment of our local governments and our country as well.