Simply Jesse...

Remembering Sec Jesse Robredo

Today, we remember the day that the whole country stood still waiting for any hope that both the pilot and the passenger survived the plane crash near Cebu.  Three days later, tears flooded as both bodies were found deep under the sea.

I remember coming out from my introduction to political science class and heard everyone talking about the crash. At first I did not mind it but when I was already inside the taxi, I heard on the radio the name of the people in the plane that crashed. I was so shocked that I had to ask the kuya driver to increase the volume of his radio.

I was privileged to have an up-close personal experience with Sec. Jesse when he was still the mayor of Naga City.  I was then with a funding agency and we would meet with him for their project proposal.  He was not a typical local chief executive. He knows what is good for his people, knows what his people wants, and more importantly knows that he doesn't have to impress funding agencies because his outputs would speak for themselves.

I remember that he was the only local chief executive that welcomed us without an appointment in his crowded room. No red carpet treatment and no pretentions. We even took a tricycle to his office!

I remember the worldbank report on M&E tools for public service delivery that I co-wrote and was launched by our office three days before the plane crash.  He was our guest of honor and I remember his saying "hindi sapat na matalino ka, dapat may puso ka din".

Sec Jesse was different. People are now saying that he "could have been the president" that can truly give us the 'matuwid na daan" with his tsinelas governance but...

In my own little way, I want to spread how good this man was; how he initiated reforms in the government and how he continuously gives me hope for a better Philippines.  That is why, I volunteered to do a storytelling of the book, Simply Jesse by Yvette Fernandes and illustrated by Nicole Lim.

Simply Jesse is narrated by Jillian, Sec Jesse's youngest daughter.  She spoke of how great her father was and how much he was loved by people because of his humility, sincere heart and capacity to deliver results.  She also talked about how Sec Jesse was, simply her Papa; the things that they love to do together and how they coped up being distanced from each other.

This is not the first time that I told this story in my daughter's class.  The first time was last year during the "bring me your Mama" class activity in the Kinder 1 class at Kidslab Playlab Pre-school.  That experience was fun and cute.  The kids only remembered the "tsinelas" that Sec Jesse would wear everytime he was out cleaning his city.

This year, with support from our Parents-Teachers Association and my co-supermoms CJ and April, I did it in two sessions. First was with the Kinder 2 and followed by Grades 3-4 classes.

The Kinder 2 kids were energetic! Maybe they got too excited to have 3 moms in their room! They also got concerned about the bird in every page of the book.  They asked me why the bird is there... Which I myself don't know why! Hahaha Questions only kids can think of!

I am not sure if it is because it was too early but the illustrations in the book seem to have made them into one big cookie monster! because they kept on telling me "Tita Ella, we will just eat that bird! umm ummm (pretending to eat!) HAHAHAHA! Despite the physical and mental challenges of doing storytelling with this bunch, I really enjoyed it!

The grade 3-4 class was a different story.  Maybe because the kids are familiar with me, they decided to surprise me when I went inside their room! They automatically called me Tita Ella which is very sweet I think.

This bunch on the other hand was too keen with the illustration of Jill. First, she looks like the cousin of Mark; second, she was wearing a uniform and they cannot imagine wearing one and third, she is small for a 13 year old! Hahaha what an analysis!

It also helped that one of the kids in the class' father is a mayor. He was gracious enough to share what his father has been doing as a mayor and how it is to be a son of a mayor. 

Of course, the kids were surprised that Sec Jesse would wear slippers because their idea of a mayor is rich, with bodyguards, with nice car and shoes, and with personal assistant... Well, I emphasized that.. that is the Jesse M. Robredo way.

As an activity, I asked the graders to draw their fathers and write "why their father is the best" on the hello kitty stationary that I gave them.  After that, I asked them to seal it inside an envelop and give it to their fathers when they get home.

I also asked them to share with the group why their father is the best. My daughter said that "my mom doesn't like my pets because their furs could kill me. My father is the best because he takes care of them". Another kid shared that her father lives away from them for work but he is the best because he would talk to her on the phone. 

I also noticed that this bunch is gender conscious already.  The boys didn't like receiving "hello kitties" but I was able to convince them that they could give it to their younger sister or mom or classmate instead.  Hahaha! My stories can go on and on but I have to stop here or else I might reveal too much and risk bridging my secrecy contract with the kids.

I think that the value added of this activity is introducing the concept of "tsinelas" governance to the kids.  The concept of being humble and compassionate to others' needs. The kids asked why I requested them to be on their slippers when they have lovely shoes! I told them that... that is humility. You can afford to wear nice things but you choose to wear slippers because you want to be one with the people who cannot afford to buy good things. You can afford not to worry about other people and just serve yourself but you choose to serve other people.

Thank you Talent School of Academics and Arts for this opportunity to share Sec Jesse's life with our kids! Thank you to our Parents-Teachers Association for the full support! Thank you to my K2 co-parents CJ and April for the photos and support!

Thank you Sec Jesse for the tsinelas governance!