Blue-blooded public servant
an understatement. His only daughter, lawyer Jacky, could only recount this with total amazement. His being a workaholic did not escape even his doctors at the St. Luke’s Medical Center, where he incessantly badgered his doctors when he would be finally be discharged to attend to his work.
I personally witnessed how workaholic Gov. Nesting was. It seems like light years ago when I was covering the World BankInternational Monetary Fund annual meetings in Washington DC Back then, Gov. Nesting was the chief of staff/head executive assistant of BSP Gov. Gabriel “Gabby” C. Singson. I would bug him to remind Gov. Gabby to spare time for an interview. When President Duterte named Gov. Nesting as the successor of Gov. Amando M. Tetangco in 2017, it brought back poignant memories, one of which was a conversation I heard between him and Gov. Gabby. This was in the fall of 1995. Coming from Washington DC, the Philippine delegation went to New York. After dinner, we agreed to meet at the lobby of New York Palace for a walk, enjoyed the chilly weather, and shared a pint of Ben and Jerry’s. I was the designated taskmaster to round up the group. When I called his room, I was informed he was unable to join because he had to work. And from the background I heard the voice of Gov. Singson saying: “Nesting, we’re doing this… you may never know you may be the next governor.” How prophetic those words were!
I’ve heard, up to the very end, his mind was focused on his responsibilities, aware of the undergoing BSP reforms, in cadence with the recent amendments to its charter. His passion for work had put in awe his deputies. “Imagine, he was still able to rate my performance,” in between sobs Dep. Gov. Chuchi said. One could sense the great amount of respect and admiration she has for her late superior.
Indeed, this blue eagle was a blue-blooded public servant.
Gov. Nesting saw the entire proceedings of the January banking reception with the help of technology- live-streamed. I believe he, too, was watching the Monday’s expression of sympathy up there with the cherubim and seraphim on his side.