The Government Through the Eyes of GenY Public Servants (abridged)

by:  Julie Hudtohan

"Promises" by Jaime Gubaton

IF Inang Bayan asks, "What have you done for me lately?" what would you answer? I marched in the streets and kept vigil at the Shrine during the height of EDSA II ? I volunteered for Namfrel during the last elections? I finally passed Philippine History this summer? I sang the "Lupang Hinirang" this morning?

While some of us may have to sift through the memories of past weeks. or even months to answer her question, Julia Abad, Pat Gallardo and Ange Poblador would have no difficulty at all. They do something in the service of the nation every single day as executive assistants (EAs) For different arms of government -- Julia under Secretary Dinky Soliman of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Pat under Vicky Garcia Garchitorena of the Presidential Management Staff and Ange under Secretary Dick Gordon of the Department of Tourism. While other twenty something youths are preoccupied with clothes, gimmicks and high-tech toys these, three worry about helping their bosses run the country well and make Filipino lives better (on top of occasionally worrying about those other concerns, too).

An adventure begins 

As expected, none of these three girls ever answered "public servant" years ago when asked the perennial adult-to-kid question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Pat is first to admit the road to Malacañang was a path she had no intention of taking fresh out of college. "The plan had been to get out of the country as soon as possible," she explains. Things changed when she discovered the opportunity to help the new administration through a friend (Denni Jayme, former PMS EA and Kompil II youth leader) and was hired by Garchitorena after only a three-minute interview! Foreign scholarships were deferred to next year, and Pat now spends her days "writing speeches, dealing with the press, going to cabinet meetings, and processing the thousand and one requests that find their way to PMS. Dati kasama pa events organizing for Sundays at Malacañang," she adds.

Julia, although no stranger to government as a congressman's daughter, also didn't plan on working for the public sector. Her current boss is a longtime family friend, and so she got the call to serve quite literally--and on Oliman's birthday, too. "I came from an alumni meeting. Everyone was complaining about the government. 'Lait talaga. Then one guy from the Department of Justice said, It's like that because good people don't want to join. Tinamaan ako. Tapos, I went home and got this offer on the phone Julia laughs. A week later, she began at DSWD, becoming another Ayala "git to government in the process, following the steps of Garchitorena, her former boss at Ayala Foundation.

Ange, in happy contrast, saw working for Gordon a dream come true of sorts. "I always looked up to him and was really impressed with what he did in Subic. High school pa, I wanted to work in Subic." she recalls. "When a friend told me she got a job working under him, I asked if they were still looking for more executive assistants--and they were!" 

Upon this second mention of a friend working in the same department, it became only natural to ask if there is a sizable number of young people in government nowadays. The three pause as if mentally counting the friends in their heads, then Pat explains, "I'd say more than there used to be. The strong movement of civil society today has really carried on to the youth," She points out EDSA II as an example. "I guess it's all part of the desire to create new politics: young blood trying to change the way traditional bureaucrats have run the system to make it better," Pat concludes.

Hazards of the job

Sounds like a little too much to achieve so early on in life? Pat, Julia and Ange don't pretend it's easy. They know what they're up against, but choose to stay in the ring. "Bago ka pa lang, bata ka pa, wala ka pang alam... Julia rattles off the all too familiar lines directed at young people like them. "It's so hard," Pat confirms. "The system has been like that for years. You can't expect it to change overnight."

And as if discouragement weren't big enough a challenge to get over, there are yet more hazards of the job that these girls battle daily. First off is the logistical nightmare and physical strain, "I go to work at 6 and get home at 10." Julia shares. "And I'm all over the city--or country--going from one place to another with my boss throughout the day."

Then again, sometimes you don't go home at all!" Pat laughs, referring to the days surrounding the May l crisis. And Ange adds that there's emotional strain, too. "You can never satisty everyone: if you do your job it's grandstanding; if you don't syempre they'll get mad, too."

Next, they contend with people who expect special treatment or favors. Or those who simply refuse to accept the limits of government offices or officials. And those. who are just plain makulit. "There are people who say, but I'm Don whatever from hacienca whatevér... They refuse to line up for papers," Julia relates. "Other people try to schedule an immediate meeting by saying, but I was her classmate in grade school, we were friends so-and-so years ago," Pat adds. "Sometimes, they even want positions in government offices!"

But Ange's story still wins hands down: "At the height of the Dos Palmas crisis, some people couldn't understand why Dick Gordon couldn't be a guest at their association's general meeting. There are people who don't see that there are other priorities - like national security," she sighs.

Lastly, there is a whole caboodle of other smaller challenges to face: a whole assortment of things ranging from the funny to the scary. Things like the floodwaters in Manila and the prospect of being stranded in the office overnight, the recurring temptation to flash the Malacañang ID when in a traffic jam (Pat emphasizes the term "temptation"-she swears they don't wield their power even if many times they're positively itching to do so) that throw shoes weight and size of their trademark EA bags last abundance of unsolicited often over age admirers and the lack of more likable younger ones.

Reasons to Stay

When the laughter from these anecdotes dies down, Julia beats me to the draw. "We rant and rant, and yet we stay," she begins. She is momentarily interrupted by another round of laughter as they realize the irony of it all, then the three get serious. "There is so much work to be done. There are so many people to help, especially for us at DSWD," Julia says. "Community organizing at the grassroots level, children, the urban poor"... the list goes on as bad picks up from where Julie leaves off: "...even basic things that you'd expect to have already been given like livelihood projects and irrigation systems. Maiiyak ka talaga pag nakinig ka sa mga tao pag nakipag-meeting sila sa'yo."

But Pat's next comment clearly shows that in their own ways, these girls make sure that part of that work gets done daily. They can see how they are making a difference so that the lives of the people they encounter improve. "As executive assistant, I sit in these meetings and actually

recommend decisions on issues. I handle requests: segregating the more important ones for immediate attention, or sending them to the right department or agency. I can expedite the process so that people get what they need sooner," she explains. "And that very well could be a life-and-death situation for some people across the country," Julia adds.

Another reason for staying seems to be one these girls do not really say it directly-perhaps for fear of sounding overtly cheesy. They all seem to have found great mentors and teachers in their bosses, not to mention good examples of good governance and sincere public service. There's a lot of respect and fierce loyalty when they talk about the people they work for, and

even genuine concern and affection if you listen to them carefully. Julia recalls seeing her boss so hungry during a long meeting. "I remembered we had oranges in the bag, so I wrote her a note asking if she'd want one. But no one else was eating, so she said no," Julia recounts, "During the break, she followed me into the bathroom and said, 'Where's that orange?!"

Message to peers

For Julia, Pat and Ange, when they think of their work in government they think of the hands-on learning, the bonds established, the fulfillment from service, the comic relief-- and everything else in between. And for them, there are no regrets. So confident are that the experience of serving in government has been good for them, that they even recommend it to other young people. 

It will give you an opportunity to see your country as it really is, see how the masa works, how the palace and officials work," Pat points out. "Combined with what, you already know about the private sector, you'll really see the synergy," Ange further emphasizes the service aspect of the job. "Instead of just complaining about how our country isn't the way it should be, actually being in government yourself ins a way of contributing very concretely to the solution."

And if you think you can get away by saying you think you're too young, Ange has only this to say in response: "Your years as a young person are actually the best time to give something to your country. You're not yet too jaded as adults are; you have the idealism the system badly needs." "Besides," Julia adds, "how many other jobs will give you the opportunity to change the lives of millions of Filipinos with the work you do each day?"

After spending an afternoon with these three girls, seems to me that though it's been more than a hundred years now, the spirit of that fateful June day in Kawit, Cavite still lives on.

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