NO, YOU can’t keep time on a Monday with Gov. Lilia “Nanay” Pineda. You can only keep pace, hardly at that, with the swirl of activities around her. July 21 was typical.
Flag rites segueing to the handover of 29 mini dump trucks to 29 LGUs for their waste management efforts. An ambulance turned over to the Pampanga Police Provincial Office.
A short walk to Benigno Aquino Hall for the graduation of 200 cabalens who completed the SKILLS Program of the provincial government in partnership with TESDA and local schools. The governor assuring them of work or livelihood startups.
Walk back to the Capitol passing by the hundreds seeking medical assistance, attended to by staff from the different provincial offices led by the PSWDO.
The Office of the Governor with a stream of callers going all the way to the staircase. First come, first served.
More medical and/or financial assistance seekers – for surgery, major and minor, dialysis and radiation treatment. Corresponding action taken.
A cancer-stricken child of 12 prompting immediate personal calls to specialists. Funeral assistance sought for an IP mother who died in the delivery room while the newly born infant lives sent a flurry of directives to comfort the bereaved kin and ensure proper care for the orphaned infant.
Judges and fiscals paying courtesy calls.
Officers of the Army Reserve Command setting up linkages with the Capitol for programs and projects from rescue operations, relief giving, to tree-planting.
Two deaf-mute high school students presenting the medals they won in under-25 lawn bowl championships in Singapore — or is it Malaysia? – thanking the governor for her support.
Dismissed workers of a smelting plant in San Simon town thanking the governor for the legal support the Capitol extended them resulting to the payment of their back wages. Nanay Gov providing each a sack of rice and some cash to help make ends meet.
Fresh graduates seeking work recommendations.
Barangay officials with project proposals for the Capitol’s consideration – from computers and printers, road upgrades, barangay hall rehabs, relief goods, to “panambak.”
New Mabalacat City Mayor Atty. Geld Aquino with some councilors dropping by after their 13th cityhood anniversary celebrations sharing some “kakanin” and getting in return some words of wisdom on good governance. “Start with rehabilitating your dilapidated city hall which demeans your very status as a city,” Nanay Gov tells the mayor, even as she commiserates with the officials over the fiscal fix the previous administration left behind. “I got your back,” she assured them.
Happy IPs from Floridablanca bringing some upland produce and holding aloft the symbolic key to the dump truck handed over to them earlier. “Gusto lang po naming magpasalamat muli, at muli sa ating butihing Nanay sa walang sawang tulong at malasakit sa aming mga katutubo,” hailed their tribal leader.
A half dozen of Nanay Gov’s high school classmates just to say hello and give thanks for their maintenance meds.
Lest I forget, all these while going over and signing official documents and issuing directives to her staff.
Then, too, the customary photo ops with the governor of everyone who comes a-calling. All smiles. Walang uuwing luhaan.
Way past noontime and the regular Monday meeting with the provincial chiefs of offices already twice moved back for the day in no way commencing soon.
The stream of callers though somewhat thinned still flowed.
With a “mano po,” I bade Nanay Gov goodbye mid-afternoon to file stories with Punto.
Just about to close shop for the day with the last story to upload at 7 p.m. when an email dropped from Pampanga PIO – a press release of Nanay Gov leading relief distribution in flooded Sasmuan town with DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, acting Vice Gov. Fritzie David-Dizon and Mayor Lina Cabrera.
Into the night and Nanay Gov was still at it. To think that she spent the day before – a Sunday – braving the floodwaters in Pampanga’s waterworld of Masantol and Macabebe to deliver relief goods to the residents.
A mother’s day is never done – aye, that cliché instanced in all reality here.
Not too long ago, I asked her how she managed to cope with such a heavy load of activities public servants much younger than her would not even dare contemplate.
She said: “I draw strength in caring for others, especially those most in need.”
Only Nanay.
