BLESSINGS IN MY LIFE AS AN EDUCATOR

As I mentioned earlier, I resigned from my position as Office Manager of the KCFAPI in 1964, and ventured into the teaching profession.

From 1964 to 1966, I taught at the Finance Department of the College of Business Administration of the University of the East. From Dean Santiago de la Cruz and co-professors, I learned the ropes of an effective classroom management.

At the start of school year 1966-67, Ateneo de Manila University offered me some teaching loads at the Graduate School of Business Administration. Considering this a challenge to advance in the teaching career, coupled with a very substantial increase in pay, I readily accepted the offer. Here I really had to do much research work and spent a lot of time preparing for my classes, especially because my students were mostly professionals – accountants, managers, engineers, businessmen, teachers, doctors and even priests. I thank God for blessing me with a special innate aptitude for teaching which enabled me to really help my students in developing their critical thinking and managerial skills. Some of them even when I was no longer connected with Ateneo, came to visit me and manifested their gratitude and appreciation for what they have imbibed from my teaching.

In school year 1967-68, I received another challenge – to start a new College at Urdaneta, Pangasinan, under the SVD Fathers. My role then was to be the Dean of the College Department. It was a hard decision for me to make. Some of my relatives and friends pointed to the alternative cost of losing a very prestigious position at the Graduate School of Ateneo de Manila University. But the opportunity to be of greater service to my fellowmen, and to be in a better position to engage in the task of evangelization, finally made me decide to accept the challenge. For four school years I served as College Dean of the Divine Word College of Urdaneta. Here I gained the friendship of many people – but the closest of them all were Mr. and Mrs. Felipe Chanco, who became like surrogate parents to me. They treated me like a son, and generously shared whatever they could to make me and my family enjoy life in Urdaneta. God really blessed me with their loving concern and generosity.

At the start of schoolyear 1971-72, a friend, Engr. Jose Hipolito, persuaded me to accept the College Deanship at St. Louis College of Tuguegarao. The opportunity to be near my folks and serve in my own hometown became the deciding factor in accepting the position. During my stint as College Dean, I engaged my students in extra-curricular activities. Hence, we got involved in the campaign for clean and honest elections, so much so that I was appointed Municipal Chairman of CNEA (Citizens National Electoral Assembly). Later I also accepted the challenge of CCT (Cagayan Teachers College) for my students to have a public debate on the issue of Cityhood of Tuguegarao. After the debate of the students, there was a clamor for a debate on the said issue among professionals. The late Honorable Mayor Apolonio Reyes, who was then a practicing lawyer immediately took up the cudgel and accepted the challenge to lead the professional debaters on the negative side. The Honorable Justice of the Court of Appeals, Atty. Hilarion Aquino, who was then an Executive Officer of CCT, also accepted the challenge to lead the team on the positive side. The date of the public debate was agreed upon but members of the debating teams were still to be determined. Atty. Reyes eyed on me to be a member of his team. I have never before been exposed to public debates but I readily accepted the offer, relying on my expertise to dwell on the economic aspect for a Cityhood. The debate was held as scheduled. All spaces fronting the Dupaya Stage which served as the venue were filled with eager listeners, and practically even all the streets surrounding the municipal hall were lined with people. There was no judgment on who won in the debate but both sides were wildly applauded. It was considered the “Debate of the Century”. As a kind of by-product, this debate gave a region wide publicity to the existence of St. Louis College of Tuguegarao.


Shortly before the end of Schoolyear 1971-72, Rev. Fr. Roger Tijole, the CICM School Superintendent at that time, called me to a private conference and told me that they plan to close the College Department of SLCT due to a very low enrollment – at that time there were less than 300 students. Wanting to retain my services as Dean he offered to transfer me to a bigger school, St. Louis College of San Fernando, La Union. To further persuade me, he offered to increase my salary and give me some fringe benefits like free schooling for all my children, including their textbooks and school supplies. Since my priority then as a family man was the education of my children, I consented to the proposal. Incidentally, I learned later on that the closure of SLCT College Dept. did not materialize, because the enrollment in the following school year almost doubled, far exceeding the viable number of 300.

So in school year 1971-72, I found myself in another CICM School at San Fernando, La Union, serving as Dean of the Commerce Department. My whole family came along with me and so we had to rent a house near the school for our residence. My wife then was also taken by the school to teach Home Economics. Things were going very well as we readily adjusted ourselves to the new environment. Unfortunately, on September 21, 1972, President Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law. Classes in all schools throughout the country came to a sudden standstill. A few days after this standstill situation of schools, our School President, Rev. Fr. Gerard de Boeck, called us to a meeting and said : “If classes will not be resumed, this will be your last pay check.” We countered: “What about our contract?” And he replied: “The contract does not hold water any more.” We, therefore, further inquired: “Does that mean we are now free to seek employment elsewhere?” And he answered: “Yes, you are now free to be employed anywhere.”

With a big family to support, and residing in a town where we had no relatives to run to for help, I prayed to the Lord for His providential assistance for our survival for we had no savings at all and the money we had then was just enough for a one month budget. At this crucial moment I again experienced the loving care of God. Hardly a few days have elapsed after that appeal for help, Rev. Fr. Ambrosio Manaligod, SVD, the President of Divine Word College of Laoag, visited me at our residence in San Fernando, La Union. The College was in need of someone with an MBA degree to serve as Dean of the Business Administration Department. Having been informed of my qualification as an MBA degree holder, he sought to engage my services. Aside from my usual monthly remuneration, he offered to give my family free housing accommodation including light and water as well as a reimbursement of all school expenses for all my children. He even offered to repay, in full, the loan that I got from St. Louis College of San Fernando. The offer was too good for me to deny, and so I committed myself to transfer to Divine Word College of Laoag by the start of the second semester of that school year.

Fortunately, classes were resumed by the first week of October 1972, and I was now with my family in Laoag City. The whole family enjoyed our stay at Laoag City from 1972 to 1975. We were housed at a former Home Economics Building adjacent to the Cathedral. Practically everything was near our reach – the church, the school, the market and business establishments. We were readily accepted by the community and were invited to participate in social gatherings. When the Holy Spirit Academy of Loaog presented the play “The Sound of Music” to the public, I was asked to take the role of Captain Vontrap. This added to my popularity and widened the horizon of my influence in the academic community of the city.

In March of 1975, I received another call. The then Governor of Cagayan, Hon. Maria Teresa Dupaya, was scouting for someone to head a new department that will take charge of the planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating of development projects for the province of Cagayan. Cagayan was chosen as a PDAP Province and funds were offered by USA for its development projects. Due to the urgency of the need and my desire again to serve my Co-Cagayanos, I responded to the call and had to transfer again with my whole family to Tuguegarao at the end of SY 1974-75.

My stint as a Provincial Development Coordinator was short lived. The maneuverings of politicians in the higher ups caused me to tender my resignation after the expiration of the one-year contract.

So, at the start of SY 1976-77, I was back in the field of education – this time at St. Paul College of Tuguegarao. Sister Nathaniel Rocero, Spc, a contemporary of mine during the Japanese occupation, introduced me to the President of SPCT, Sis. Benjamine Ponce. The college was in need of an MBA graduate to head the Dept. of Business Administration. After a perusal of my credentials, I was offered the position. Two years later (1978) SPCT opened an MBA program at the Graduate School, and I was tasked to serve as an Associate Dean of the Graduate School with the MBA program as my area of responsibility. Through this program, the opportunity was opened to several government employees as well as personnel in the private sector to obtain a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, and thus enhance their capability to be promoted to higher positions.

In 1978 SPCT presented the play “Thirteen Daughter” and I was chosen to be a member of the cast with the role of “Chun” the Chinese father of the 13 daughters. This play was a hit and considered among the best plays ever presented by SPCT.

In 1988 there was a felt need, especially among the maintenance personnel, for a lending agency that could offer them some financial assistance with a low interest rate. Together with Sis. Adel Bonzon, Spc. who was in charge of the maintenance, we proposed the formation of a Credit Cooperative. Having been engaged in the organization of cooperatives when I was connected with the Knights of Columbus Headquarters in Manila, I offered my services to orient them on the principles of cooperativism and the mechanics for organizing and managing a Cooperative. With only P3,000 as paid share capital, Sis. Ma. Angela Barrios, SPU President, (SPCT became a University in 1982) voluntarily offered a loan of P10,000 without interest, so we could start the ball rolling for a Credit Cooperative. This year, 2004, sixteen years after its establishment, SPU Multi-Purpose Cooperative has a Paid-Up Share Capital of more than ten Million.

In October of 1988, after twelve years of serving as an Educator at SPU and having reached the age of 60, with no more financial obligations for the education of my children, I opted to apply for retirement and spend the rest of my productive years in the field of evangelization.