Civil (Ob)Servant

I remember two of my blogs (in fact I think they’re still posted online)… One was something I wrote around Christmas time, and it was inspired (what else was it) by my disgust with some of the “shenanigans” going on. It was like, “OMG. How utterly shameless of them! Kapalmuks!”

The other one, on the other hand, was inspired by a feeling of… I don’t actually know, but if I remember right, I was feeling somewhere at a “crossroads” of my life, and I was also getting fed up with questions on why I’m working in the Philippines, land of my birth, when others think I could actually be earning more slaving for foreign masters.

This time, I would like to share what I have learned so far, being a civil servant. For that matter, many of these, I’m sure people also learn in their own workplace.

1. I learned to be careful of speaking out on the subject of religion. Even in a predominantly Catholic country like the Philippines, there are so many other “religions” or at the very least, religious beliefs out there, so it’s not far-fetched that you may offend someone else. In fact, it’s getting kind of tricky refusing those who are pestering you to shift or adapt to their beliefs. I, for one, have always believed that one needs to respect other beliefs, therefore, I do not impose my own on them.

2. Now this is a sad fact when it comes to working for our government: the big bosses always have the right to utilize funds according to their own caprices. This is what they call, “discretionary.” This is soooooo frustrating especially when you’re expecting the office to disburse funds for some activities and they say that there’s no money, but there’s always some money for the big bosses’ activities, no matter how insignificant or irrelevant or unplanned they are.

3.  Still, when you’re one of the bosses (though not as big as those in # 2), it is your right and your duty to use funds judiciously. Don’t let the system eat you! Don’t become one of those “big bosses” no matter how tempting it may be.

4. Sometimes someone you don’t like eventually ends up as your boss no matter how incompetent or unqualified that person seems to be (to you or to other people). Is this “what goes around, comes around?” In our government, bosses are always reshuffled, so it’s definitely a very big possibility that you’ll be ending up rubbing elbows with him/her soon.

5. When you are given the opportunity to become a boss (even if it’s not as big as those in # 2), enjoy the perks of being a boss, but never at the expense of others. Always remember that some good things never last, and you were put there for a reason. Treat your subordinates as you would like to be treated by your boss. You may even treat them as friends, but have the skill to discern who among them know better than to cross the supervisor-subordinate relationship (read: healthy respect, even if it’s just for the position). 

6. If you’re a supervisor, lead by example! Learn the ropes; learn what your subordinates are doing so that you do not become totally dependent on them. Remember: you may not be a boss forever.

7. Have a private life, something that your staff isn’t privy to. This prevents you from becoming the subject of office gossip. And believe me, there’s plenty of that.

8. Even with “flexitime,” coming in early for work has its advantages. You avoid traffic. You have time to relax before everyone else. You may even have time to put on your makeup or curl your hair before the first clients come. Plus, you have the option to quit early once you've clocked the required number of hours, or extend your time a bit and get more done.

9. If you do come early, don’t look like you’re just watching the clock! Hide your packed up things, and don’t make a mad dash for the door once you see the clock hit your 8^th hour of work. Put in a few minutes more, appearing to be busy, and walk leisurely out when you finally think it’s okay to leave.

10. Some of the best and brightest minds work for the government. It's just a sad fact that our government employees are branded as corrupt, inefficient, lazy, et cetera. But workin inside gives you a chance to know that there are so many who have really studied and worked their way to the top, and you will marvel at those who have the credentials to get a job overseas that earns a lot more, but they opt to stay here to serve the people.

Have YOU ever worked for our government? What have you learned so far?

Why I like my job

I'm not writing this blog to try and convince myself or anyone else. I just want to share what it is about this job that I like. So, the title would give away how many reasons I have...

For those who don't know, I currently hold the position of Information System Analyst II for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region IV-A (CALABARZON - that's mainland Southern Tagalog region, covering the provinces of CAvite, LAguna, BAtangas, Rizal and QueZON), and designated as the chief of the Human Resources Development Section. I worked for more than six years for the private sector - the first three occupying different positions for a computer software consultancy, then as a Business Analyst for the Information Systems Department of a savings bank in Makati City. I actually liked my job there. But then, that's another story.

Now my dad used to be the Chief of the Administrative Division for where I work now before he retired. What I remembered from his job was that he was able to travel a lot. And, always wanting to learn, I was awed with that chance to go see other places, even if it was only in my own country. And, I've always been interested in nature and the environment.


But my dad, being one of those seemingly "rare" species of upright government employees, refused to help me land a job here while he was still working. Still, he encouraged me to take Civil Service eligibility exams, which I passed with flying colors (he actually bragged about them to his colleagues and our relatives). So, upon his retirement, that's when he endorsed my application... And I passed after going through a written exam about a job I barely knew, and a panel interview.

So my first job here was as Project Evaluation Officer I for the Planning and Management Division. I admit it was kind of a shock to see how limited resources where, seeing that I came from a bank. We would share computer units. Now I was used to having my own. Anyway, I'm sure I came off like something of a snob to my colleagues, heheh... But I learned to adjust. And I started travelling.

Limatik

But of course, the travels were not for leisure. They were mostly business. Being assigned to the Monitoring and Evaluation Section, we were the ones who would validate the projects. Oh, what an experience. I looked forward to trudging uphill to see reforestation areas, yet I hated doing this when everything was so damp because there was limatik (thin thread-like leeches) everywhere. I heard different tips on how to discourage them from sticking to your skin and sucking your blood, and how I listened, after hearing the stories like how a woman peed in the bushes and a limatik got into her nethers and BRED there!

One tip was that you use nylon support stockings - the thread would be so fine that the sharp proboscis (I think) of the limatik would not get through. Pants, even jeans, would be useless then. So another tip, which I followed, was to wear shorts, so that you could immediately see if a limatik was stuck to your skin and immediately peel it away. Actually, you couldn't just peel it away. This leech, when full (of your blood), would be fat enough and just drop away on its own. Otherwise, you'd have to burn it with a cigarette or lit matchstick or a blowtorch. Duh.

Another tip was to walk beside someone who was smoking a cigarette. Apparently, the limatik does not like a smoker. Unfortunately, neither do I. Pfft.

Yet another tip was to cover your legs and arms - basta the exposed skin where a limatik could easily attach itself - with soap. Bath soap would do fine. The rationale was that your skin would be too slippery for the limatik. Now I've tried this... But then every time we had to cross a stream, the water would wash off the soap so once we reached the bank on the other side, we would immediately cover our skin in soap again. It was like you took a bath, forgot to rinse off the soap, then put on your clothes.

And another tip that I absolutely followed was to be at the start of the line and walk fast. (This wasn't a problem for me; I'm a fast walker. Maybe this is because, being only 5' in height, I almost always have to catch up with everyone else who's taller.) Why? Because when you're at the start of the line, the limatik wouldn't be lying in wait to jump at you. Apparently, you would be the one to disturb them while they're resting and before they could say "Hey what wazzat?" you were already past them. So they wait in position for the next person and jump for their next bloody meal.

Limatik aside, being part of a monitoring team exposes you to the different projects, and to different people. Yey! Aside from that, every time a validating team arrives, the host office usually treats them well with good food, good company, and good accommodations. However, this is not to say that we always had good accommodations. Sometimes we would have to make do with a mat, or table tops, or chairs lined up beside each other. We would always bring a trusted malong that would serve as a blanket or a small tent to dress up in. But I didn't mind. As long as there's water for the loo and for my bath.

Travel

There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but free travel is what I have always enjoyed with the job. In a sense, it's free... for me. But of course, the government pays for it. Most of the time, I pay first then have the ticket reimbursed, that's why I always go for the cheaper fare. Also, it doesn't deplete our funds too much. Yup, I still think about giving Juan dela Cruz his money's worth.

As part of the Planning and Management Division, my travels were mostly limited to the Southern Tagalog Region. I usually went to the island provinces of MIMAROPA. Thus, to this day, I get queasy remembering the waves rocking the boat as it approached Romblon, and the shameful act of emptying my stomach's contents even before I reached the restroom. I remember the quaintness of Marinduque as I traveled around the island's six municipalities in three hours. I remember my frustration of not having been able to see much of Puerto Princesa City in Palawan. I remember the limatik and Mangyans of Mindoro. I remember most especially the underwater wonders of the Apo Reef of Sablayan.

But being chief of HRD, and for a while the concurrent chief of public affairs, I saw more of the mainland and many parts of the country. Of course, I would go around the provinces of Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon and Rizal looking for venues for training, workshops, seminars, conferences, etc. And, since I report directly to the Regional Executive Director, I would be sent to attend other national gatherings as well.

Sights

How could I forget the vastness of Davao City? Or Leyte's two-kilometer love-bridge of San Juanico. I could not help but hear that famous line "I shall return" when I saw MacArthur's (and Carlos Romulo's) figures striding in Palo. I was awed by the calm waters of Balanan Lake near Dumaguete City, and could only stare and try to take pictures of those big trees that lined the city's version of Baywalk. I wondered if I was still in the Philippines as I passed through the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx). I gazed in reverence at the old churches of Miag-ao and Jaro in Iloilo.

I would never forget the experience I had at the Our Lady of Peñafrancia Church in Naga City, Camarines Sur. I had been attending a seminar sponsored by the National Anti-Poverty Commission, and with a couple of co-participants decided to go to the church for the first time on one night that we were free.

We got to the church, finding its doors open and welcoming. We got inside, and although my eyes saw some people, my mind registered nothing else but the altar. I dug into my bag for my camera (an instamatic -I had no digicam then) and shot a couple of pictures, dropped the cam back into my bag and knelt at one one of the pews to pray. My companions also knelt nearby to pray.

To my surprise, a nun approached me and asked for my camera. When I asked why, she said that Sr. ___ (I forgot the name, I wasn't familiar with it) did not like having her picture taken. Trying not to sound disrespectful, I told the nun that I did not know whom she was talking about. Then I learned that there was a healing session going on.. Apparently the other people inside the church were attending one, and Sr. __ was the healing nun. So i told the nun who approached me that I could not hand over the camera, and she said would I instead hand over the film. Once again I refused, saying that the film was not empty, and I had used it for other official shots. Giving in, the nun said that I should agree not to publicize or publish the picture of Sr. __ that I had taken. I agreed, saying, with all due respect, that I did not even know the healing nun.

But do you know what happened? When I had the film developed, I excitedly searched for my pictures of the church altar to show to my mom. Eerily, all the pics I had taken of the altar, at that only time that I ever gone to Peñafrancia, were all "black" on the negative.

Food

Do I need to expound that one of the best reasons to go to different places is to taste the food? And that the best time to enjoy them is when people offer them to you out of the goodness of their heart, to welcome you, or to send you off to your home or to your next destination? It doesn't matter that you are warned to be wary of what other people feed you... What matters is you have your own bottled water and that little pack of loperamide always with you.

People

And of course, I will always love meeting different people. I'm basically a shy person, but it's always interesting to know people, even though I forget many names, as well as observe people as they go about their lives in their own corners of the world.

Work

Yet it all boils down to WORK. Yes, I love working. The DENR allows me to learn so much about the environment, and share what I know with others.

The Philippine government is lousy and sucks in providing good working conditions and salaries to its bloated bureacracy. Government employees are collectively branded or seen as corrupt, lazy and inept. How unfair. Many of the brilliant minds this country needs are already in government. Many people I know (including me!) work hard for the money. They may not be squeaky clean, some unwittingly involved in a little hanky-panky, but corruption exists even in the private sector.

Working for the government offers a lot of opportunities, many of which are non-monetary. I may sound stupidly idealistic when I say that working for the government means I am serving my country.

But then, that's why I like my job.