A GOOD fruit from a good tree, and if we uplift that to an excellent fruit from and excellent tree, it might excellently describe the new president of the Benguet State University. In fact, he is the Sixth and Centennial President of BSU if we choose to give him a unique moniker to remember him by.
But whatever the accolade given to the new BSU president, who was solemnly invested into office last Tuesday, May 17, 2016, what matters is what I sifted from all the proffered speeches and insinuated as in a parable in the title of this article. It was most emphatically contained in how Dr. Fortunato Aglibut Battad, first president of Benguet State University, featured him verbally to a listening mammoth audience. I, too, listened because I knew Dr. Battad is one who says what he means and means what he says, especially in public gatherings. In his exact words, he said, “Dr. Feliciano Galvez Calora, Jr., comes from a family of science.” He uttered that right after thanking the Board of Regents for choosing such a man for the present leadership of BSU. Battad described Calora, Jr. as a scientist leader sired by another scientist, Professor Dr. Feliciano Banaag Calora, Sr., of Lady Delia Almario Galvez both based in a prestigious educational center that is Los Banos, Laguna, particularly UPLB. In other words, our subject is the worthy progeny of a worthy family tree, who finally got the nod of the meticulous evaluators from a group of other, for sure, worthy applicants.
Dr. Calora, Jr., therefore, did not come suddenly like a thunder from a blue sky. He was nurtured in mind and character in a character family and who, to his merit, responded well, much well, to that nurturing. We can only imagine the sweat and care that that nurturing entailed and how the youngster, as did the other Calora broods, imbibed the parental challenge and cooperated to bring it to successful fruition. What a model family relationship really!
Another notice that I drew from the reactions of now President Calora during the occasion was that he did not forget to remember people in his past environment who influenced him unto good in one way or the other and helped him to attain what he is now. At first, I was sort of getting bored when he went on enumerating name after name of student or organizational brods and colleagues, never mind the relatives, but then in afterthought I realized a feeling of edification by his sincere sense of indebtedness and gratitude for good influences received in life’s journey. How different from what a former student of mine manifested after he passed his board exam. For this one came and crassly said, “Cas-ano itan? (How now?), you are a professional and I am now a professional?’
Fortunately that uninspiring recollection was supplanted by that of the better attitude of another former student who does not fail to still give us the honoring classroom address “sir” even though he has been repeatedly mayor and congressman of the city that he represents; in fact, still is the re-elected mayor thereof. Do not Ilocanoes say, “Ti agdumdumog nga dawa ti pagay, nabagas.”? (The bending palay is well grained.} Yes, this another one has retained his adeptness not only in logic then but in psychology and, above them, ethics. Simple good manners and right conduct are means to success and happiness. Gratitude is admirable, surprising even biblically, because only one-tenth of beneficiary mankind is giving it to whom it is due.
Adding the possession of humility and integrity and thirst for seeking for excellence in objective and means that man Calora, Jr., has consistently shown since his student days and satisfactorily proved during his college mentoring and administrative stints, speaker Battad urged the BSU constituents and clientele and LGU officials to give full support to the former’s leadership in order that the University can "contribute to world civilization within the coming,” prophetically, "eight years."
In lighter mood, the officers with the rank and file members of the BSU Retirees Association were overjoyed to realize that they had already manifested their advance reaction to Dr. Battad’s appeal when they sang during the pre-investiture ceremonies the BSU-RA Hymn composed by yours truly as president, particularly when they came to the repeated climaxing line.
“BSU service forever!”, which incidentally is the motto of the Association. Without scheduling it, they could even trip the floor lightly led by ever participative Retiree Edna Chua and irreplaceable Secretary Jane Avila. At 10:00 a.m., May 26, 2016 (Thursday), the members of the BSU-RA Board of Trustees and other officials, led by Chairperson Dr. Caroline Dimas and President Bienvenido M. Balweg gave a courtesy call to the new BSU President, who thanked and assured them, “We cannot afford to be isolated.”
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On Saturday, May 28, 2016, the Cordillera Mutual Aid Program, Inc. (CMAPI) will conduct its regular elections for members of the Board of Trustees. The venue will be the Ben Palispis Function Hall at the Benguet Capitol Building at Capital Town La Trinidad. Voting starts at 9:00 a.m. and will last until not beyond 3:00 P.M. The result of the elections is hoped to enable CMAPI to work more handily with other mutual aid service providers, like the Barp, the Saranay, and upcoming others and ultimately be able to render much improved social service to its members and clientele. All members of CMAPI are enjoined to sacrifice to come and vote wisely for the good of the Program. The independent Election Committee and the Board of Inspectors are expected to do their job well.
According to CMAPI President Fernando A. Edeco, a short but substantial program will introduce the elections. Thank you to all concerned or involved.