Saturday, December 08, 2007 ‘A life of learning’ By Grace L. Plata
HE WAS once a taxi driver, a welder, then a teacher. Now he is in government service. But the newly appointed Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) Regional Director Dr. Silvano Maranga says the learning process is far from over.
Maranga was appointed to the post October 2007 replacing Dr. Gaspar Gayona who was recently promoted. Prior to his assignment in Southern Mindanao, Maranga was already serving as regional director of Tesda-Northern Mindanao .
Born and bred in Cebu City, Maranga finished elementary at Labangon Elemtary School in 1964 and high school at Don Bosco Technical School in 1968. He graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from South Western University in Cebu City in 1972 and pursued a masters degree in Public Administration which he finished in 1996.
Maranga only got his doctoral degree in Technology Education from the Mindanao Polytechnic State College in Cagayan de Oro City two years ago while serving as regional director of Tesda-Northern Mindanao from October 2001 to September 2007.
Prior to being with Tesda, Maranga became an engineering instructor at the University of Visayas, Chief of the Technical High School and National Manpower and Youth Council (NMYC) Regional Manpower Center in Cebu City.
His advocacies include training rebel returnees and educating indigenous people.
In fact, Maranga was baptized as "Datu Mambubulig-Iliyan" of the Hingaonon tribe of Northern Mindanao for his work in tribal communities, which included putting up water systems aside from giving technical skills trainings.
Maranga is fondly called "Bebs" by friends and colleagues. He calls everyone including the clerks as "Ma'am" or "Sir."
"Humble gyud si RD (He's is very humble), he is also very fatherly having three kids of his own," Tesda -Southern Mindanao Information Officer Mafel Negrido-Gamale said.
But people would be surprised to know that behind Maranga's fatherly demeanor is his love for target shooting.
Tesda staff, however, say they never saw him lose his temper.
"Bawal na ang magsulti ug (We are not allowed to speak) hurtful or negative words because RD believes this invites animosity na maka-affect sa work (It can affect our work)," Gamale said.
Maranga, according to Tesda employees, puts people at ease, a gift that has earned him lots of friends.
