SEEMINGLY nowadays, every Juan will always say that they have to come up with a brilliant idea. Most, if not every Juan, will always take credit for something. But when things go array or south, no Juan will pick up for it. Soon after those who wish for credit earlier on an idea will now point to some Juan else instead of, I.
I guess that is just all of us, not just, I. Today we start anew, a New Year, new hopes and new dreams. I have. I have also come to a realization that I doesn't matter anymore. I have a family, I now dream for them more often than I would mine. I have Joy and her school. I have my Mom and Dad still with me. I have a bank where I work. I have a newspaper and just a large foundation in Jaime V. Ongpin to look after. I am father to the Police in the Cordillera and Boy Scouts in all of Northeastern Luzon up to Batanes. There is no I anymore.
New Year and its resolutions won't be personal anymore. No place for it. I am who I am and I don't think I will need more of it. There is no I.
I will now only think of what is best for a whole, a family, parents, the bank, the daily newspaper, the foundation, the Scouts and the Police. The ideas will all be good, all for them.
Resolutions are something that has lived with me from work. I worked with the City Council in Legislation with 14 other colleagues for nine years. Six as a councilor and three as the Presiding Officer and Vice Mayor. In all this years I have also come to realize that I needed every Juan of the 14 with me. Again, I will never be. It just has to be, us.
In the things we did there was never an I, I will realize. Resolutions passed all had to be as a whole, I, will never work. Trust me on this. If there was a good idea of a resolution to be passed, it had to be understood by all. When I had one good idea, I know that it will only pass if I involved all others. No matter how good it was. Even that is a matter I will soon realize to be a bad idea after I listened to the others.
It must never be a contest on who has passed the most resolutions or ordinances. It is more on what the resolution or ordinance stand for. Will it be good for all? We knew what class legislation was and when we had to kill one. Not all good ideas passed. I would rather be a part of a good legislation for the good of all. As co-author I was always content.
Legislation passed must first involve all others, especially when it involves all of the citizens in the city. I have come to notice a few issues pertaining to legislation in the city because I feel it did not involve, all. I will not blame any Juan. Maybe this is just the time when Juan would like to take credit for something especially when election is near. That's natural I guess.
But in all those years with my fellow legislators I will admit I could not have gone far from where I started if not for them. I knew nothing compared to all of them. We were always a team. We fought, we argued, we laughed and cried many times, all the time. But we were always one. We travelled always together, had so much fun, well I did because I was just in my 20's then and in such glorified company. Their ideas were the best! I, was nothing.
Great names, great people from great families of public servants in Baguio. The Vergara, Tabora, Balajadia, Ortega, Tenefrancia, Palaganas, Yaranon, Yangot, Carino, Aliping, Weygan, Tabanda, Claravall and Farinas. There are many more for sure but I have worked with these families and saw their passion for serving the public. Their grandfather, their father and for some, their mother, brother and even their spouses in one way or the other even in the Barangay, they serve. There are more but just like I, I have been fortunate to have had my Grandfather, Lolo Tatay and Tito Des also serve, I, third generation.
While I was the youngest every time, for a long time, I did admire every one of them with the wisdom they shared. I have nothing really. Most were lawyers, next were the engineers, an accountant, a city prosecutor and a university president. Wow is all I could say. I was in perfect company. This was a dream team of sorts.
Anyway it is another year and my only resolution for this year is to just find out what every Juan needs and that will work for sure. This has always been my secret to my success. There never was an I in an idea.
I ask for the same for every Juan. Will it be good for all? Or just for yourself? I know what Juan will say, it has to start with yourself, but yourself can only be with that which is for the good of all and surely it will make Juan happier and contented.
Happy New Year every Juan and all the best this 2019. Resolution resolved.