A Word from Our Teacher


Vilma Resuma was Mike’s Third Grade teacher in Filipino at UPIS. Ms. Resuma currently heads the office of research and is also a Filipino teacher in the High School Department of UPIS; she is now 64 years old. I recently came across Ms. Resuma. I asked her if I can interview her about Mike for this blog. Here’s how the conversation went:

LC: Ma’am, teacher ka namin sa Filipino nung Grade 3 sa UPIS. Anong naalala nyo tungkol kay Mike nung panahon na yon?

VR: I remember him to be kiti-kiti. Malikot yang batang yan. But even at that early age, his capacity to lead was not lost on me. I recall he was a board leader in class and he was active in several school organizations back then.

LC: Kumusta naman siya sa klase?

VR: Mike has always been bright. He was good in class and he was very articulate and very active in recitation.

LC: Nagkikita pa ba kayo ni Mike?

VR: We last saw each other three years ago at the wake of a common friend. At hindi talaga siya nakakalimot.

LC: Ano naman po ang masasabi nyo tungkol kay Mike ngayon considering na kilala nyo na sya dati pa?

VR: Alam kong madami talagang kaibigan si Mike. When my co-teachers and I talk about him, there’s always a sense na sayang sya. Naaawa din kami kasi parang mali talaga dahil nagkaroon ng mis-association sa kanya kaya nag-iba ang tingin sa kanya ng mga tao.

LC: Kung magkikita po kayo, may gusto po ba kayong sabihin kay Mike?

VR: It is very sad that it has come to this. Kung makakausap ko lang siya, I would advise him to stay away from politics and concentrate on business. I’ve seen his potential and I know that he would be successful in channeling his energy and talent outside politics. I think most of us who know him from way back wish him well and at this point we would rather not see him in politics.

It is not surprising that people who know Mike personally would think he’d be better off staying away from politics. We know that Mike has been unfairly judged in public through mere association with the current administration, which let’s face it, is very unpopular. It’s just a shame that most of us rashly judge public figures by virtue of their political affiliations. We need to be more mature, in this regard. To recall, Mike was very popular as an opposition congressman during Estrada’s presidency. It’s not that he has changed; as a Cabinet secretary, he was doing his role to protect the institution of the presidency and our democratic government, but not the personalities in the government per se. How about we get past the politics of personality and wise up?

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Wednesday, July 22, 2009 | Labels: , , , , |

 

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    Kay tamis ng ating samahan sa lungkot at kaligayahan. Tunay na kaibigan, kasamang maaasahan. Salamat at tayo'y may pinagsamahan. Salamat, tunay kong kaibigan

    (Salamat, by The Dawn)

    Mike has always been dear to us since we were kids. He’s a good friend who came running when we needed him. Mike was the go-to guy even before he became Cong. Mike, and then Sec. Defensor. Many of us knew he was destined for public service. Mike was the consummate politician, a trait he developed since grade school. We thought he would go on to become president, if he didn’t disappoint the fickle Filipino public.

    But it seems he has. So much so that he is vilified by the media at every opportunity. His actions are always placed within the perspective of his relationship with an unpopular president. Justifiable, though harsh.

    So we set up this blog. Some of us have worked with him and have seen him make what we thought were good decisions. But some of us were also there when we thought he made wrong ones. But that is how a man is made -- by the choices he makes.

    As his friends, the best we can do is stand by him and try to help everyone else see things from a different light.

On the campaign trail, the mayor running for re-election walks up to a house of his campaign adviser and rings the doorbell. When a small boy opens the door, the mayor introduces himself, “Hello there, little boy! What’s your name?”

“Little Johnny,” replies the small boy.

“Well, Little Johnny, I’m Mayor Hoffman. I’m running for re-election. Can I speak to your father?”

“He’s in the shower right now,” answers Little Johnny with a giggle.

“Oh! Well, is your mother in the house too?” asks Mayor Hoffman.

“Yes, she is. But she’s in the shower with my daddy,” replies Little Johnny with a snicker.

“Oh I see,” says Mayor Hoffman who pauses a moment thinking of what to say next. Then he smiles and says, “Little Johnny, can you go see if they are through now? I would like to speak to either one of them. It’s important.”

“I don’t think so,” replies Little Johnny with a big laugh.

Surprised to see the boy laughing heartily, the perplexed mayor demands, “What’s so funny, son? Is there something wrong with your parents?”

“Well, when my daddy asked for the Vaseline while they’re in the shower, I handed him the Super Glue.”

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