The company we keep

The last time I celebrated my birthday on a Maundy Thursday like today was in 2013. March 28 is always within the Lenten season, so my birthday occurs before, during, or after Holy Week. There’s abundance of time for reflection and forward thinking.

In 1964, I began the last year of my elementary education. Ten years later, I had just begun working on my first job as an editor of a company publication. At age 30, I was the father of a three-year old girl. At 41, my wife and I were building our own home. In 2004, my daughter was halfway through her MBA schooling. In 2014, my mother passed away at the age of 89, while I was serving in the Cabinet.

Indeed, marking life’s milestones through the decades is just one way of birthday sense-making.

From a Sunday sermon about a year ago, I gained an important insight. “Which is more important,” asked Big Panda, “the journey or the destination?” “The company,” said Tiny Dragon.

This answer brings one directly to the lyrics of Handog, an OPM song from Dekada 70, popularized by Florante: “Tatanda at lilipas rin ako/ Nguni’t mayroong awiting iiwanan sa inyong alaala/ Dahil minsan, tayo’y nagkasama.” (I will age and fade away/ But there’s a song I will be remembered by/ Because of what we’ve been through together as friends.)

Among “the company” I’ve kept through the past seven decades are: my high school classmates from Don Bosco Makati; my fellow student activists during the pre-martial law era; my colleagues at work; and my fellow Rotarians. As I’ve written previously about my Bosconian friends, I will write, too, about my other lifelong friends.

During the past two weekends, I have been a resource speaker at Rotary training programs. Uncannily, Rotary has adopted the principles of adult learning that formed the core of the teaching and learning philosophy of my 28-year stint as a professor at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) where I also obtained my MBA degree. Like Harvard, AIM adheres to the case of discussion method. Case studies of real-world companies serve as the content core, illustrating the application of management principles. According to a recent survey, friendship is the second most important factor that attracts people to join — as well as stay as members of — Rotary clubs. The top reason is involvement in service projects. In fine, people want to pay forward by doing good — in the company of friends.

This brought back to mind two of the most memorable advertising campaigns of San Miguel Beer, “O anong sarap!” and “Iba ang may pinagsamahan.” Loosely translated: It’s so good to be in the company of friends.

Members of our group of office mates at the former Far East Bank and Trust Company have kept in close touch since the mid-seventies. Through the years, we’ve kept in touch, even though many have since migrated overseas. We once had a reunion in Las Vegas when there was a happy confluence of events involving our children and other close relatives. We had a series of regular get-together events with our balikbayan friends. Sadly, three of our members passed away during the past few years. Due to quarantine restrictions, we had to content ourselves with Zoom reunions at which we offered masses and prayers for our dearly departed colleagues. Three also became widows and we grieved with them, too, as their spouses had also become part of our extended family of office mates.

Tightly knit, too, are the three teams of co-workers who supported me during my six-year service with President Noynoy Aquino.

I am especially grateful to my chief of staff, Edna Sy, who worked with me during my service with President Cory Aquino in the nineties. Edna stayed on and rose through the ranks, to become a director at the Presidential Management Staff. During the days when using landlines was the primary mode of real-time communication, she had the uncanny ability of being able to being able connect me or the President with senior officials. Edna led a lean office staff that ensured my seamless interface with officials and offices that supported our service to the President.

I salute, too, the exemplary professionalism of the men and women of the Philippine Information Agency, that serves as the backbone of the government’s communication network, with field offices in all regions and most of the provinces. In succession, they earned Level 1 recognition from the Philippine Quality and Productivity Movement, as well as an ISO certification. An important role they played was to pave the way for presidential field visits.

My gratitude goes, too, to the important support group that was guided by Maria Vargas Montelibano, who had established Radio-tv Malacañang (RTVM) in 1986. They handled the coverage of important events like the presidential inauguration, State of the Nation addresses in Congress, and the papal visit and special events. They also implemented the modernization of the People’s Television Network (PTV) facilities after Congress increased its capitalization.

Finally, I wish to acknowledge my fellow Rotarians. I joined the Rotary Club of University District Manila (RCUDM) in 1984 upon invitation of my lifelong mentor, the late former Court of Appeals Justice Wenceslao ‘Willy’ Agnir, Jr. My Rotary service has enabled me, too, to gain friends for life and attain fulfillment from being able to help those who are struggling in the margins and are unable to swim in the mainstream of social opportunity.

Indeed, more than the proverbial journey through the ages, it’s the company of true friends that illumine our forward pathways.

More than the proverbial journey through the ages, it’s the company of true friends that light up our forward pathways.