“When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you'll never get back. Your time is your life. That is why the greatest gift you can give someone is your time.”
These are some valuable lines in Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For, and this is how DepEd Regional Director (RD) Allan G. Farnazo is loved by many.
He is among the five shortlisted nominees all over the country for the 2023 Presidential Gawad CES Award, a feat rarely experienced by leaders and high-ranking officials. This is a Presidential award that recognizes members of the Career Executive Service (CES) for exemplary performance and significant contributions.
Learners, teachers, personnel, and leaders find it unique to encounter RD Allan, as he is fondly called, up close in any setting, whether with an event or an ordinary day in school.
With more than 20 years in service in DepEd now, he begins his day attending the Holy Mass or saying the rosary and roams around the schools in the region.
He interacts mostly with them and shares not just the plans and policies of DepEd but spiritual insights having been exposed to Passionist formation for almost a decade.
You’ll laugh when he starts sharing, but you’ll ponder in the end because he will leave you with teachable moments.
His leadership in DepEd Davao Region since 2021 has come with a plethora of success at first times.
Some of his accomplishments in his watch include the creation of programs that will make the services easier. For example, he led the creation of online systems to expedite long processes of documents.
The OAS-SHS (Streamlined Online Application System for Private Senior High School) and OASPubS-EC ( Online Application System for Public Schools for the Establishment/Conversion of Schools) were established to have a paperless mechanism to reduce the cost of materials and transact faster.
Through his guidance, the Project SHARE, or School Heads Academy of Region XI was established to expand learning and development opportunities for school leaders and teachers. This is the first in Mindanao.
He came to the region during the COVID-19 times and made sure the Department continued to reach out to the peripheries and share stories. So, an online broadcast was born popularly known as Diri sa DepEd Onse. Another first in Davao Region.
Because of this 54-year-old leader’s unwavering support of learners’ growth and development and constant monitoring, DepEd Davao Region reached notable ranks in national competitions, which shows impressive leaps of success.
At the 2023 National Schools Press Conference (NSPC), the Davao Region claimed the Second Top Performing Region award, the highest victory so far in NSPC.
From 11th place in the Palarong Pambansa, the region went up at the 6th place last year. Thanks to RD Allan’s rigorous but compassionate style of leadership. He established rules for the growth and development of each athlete.
This year, the Regional Office obtained its ISO 9001:2015 certification, an internationally recognized standard for Quality Management Systems.
A loving husband and father of three, RD Allan treats each one in DepEd and the community members as family too. So, as the father of DepEd, he sees to it that he can develop the next leaders.
He encourages and guides those with potential. He inspires those who do not believe so much in themselves so that they will shine. He lits first the light to illumine the dark side.
The unforgettable part of him is when he shares a meal with anyone he encounters. He brings his food, sometimes personally prepared by him, and shares it with teachers and staff when he visits schools. He invites office personnel to join him for breakfast or lunch.
In the middle of all those meals is a platter of laughter and memorable lines. You will always be amazed by his wisdom and humor.
Another line from Warren’s book confirmed why RD Allan has this cheerful aura all the time: “The only really happy people are those who have learned how to serve.”
He has served well. He is the kind of leader everyone wants to encounter. He has lived a purpose-driven life.