THERE'S HOPE!

I had the distinct privilege of joining my boss, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah "Mina" F. Pangandaman during her recent visit to Marawi City, Lanao del Sur, to grace Mindanao State University-Marawi City's 61st Commencement Exercises, where she was also conferred with an honorary Doctorate Degree of Philosophy in Economics (Honoris Causa).

I felt so much pride in our Secretary, who is beautiful, intelligent, and has a heart of gold—a truly admirable person.

Thus, allow me to congratulate Secretary Mina again on this milestone and for inspiring 842 new graduates of this prestigious school.

In her keynote speech, one thing that struck me the most was the message of love Sec Mina shared. Addressing the class salutatorian, Gilbert Baradillo, who dedicated his academic victory to his mother, a solo parent, she emphasized, "higit na pinagpapala ang mga anak na mapagmahal sa magulang."

Indeed, I believe Sec Mina is the perfect example of this very statement.

We always see Sec Mina carry herself gracefully and with authority. This is because, as the head of a national government agency, the weight on her shoulders is heavy. We all know of her brilliant mind, staunch commitment to her advocacy of improving people's lives, and relentless commitment to quality public service.

Yet, unknown to many, Sec. Mina has a more tender personal side—a loving and caring daughter to her parents, Tito Almen and Tita Nancy. We may see her as an impressive leader, but when it comes to her parents, she is the same little girl running to their arms after a long tiring day of conquering kindergarten, topping her class in elementary and secondary school, sharpening her economics skills to find the perfect budget despite the limited fiscal space, and making a difference in the world.

Thus, I am positive that going to her hometown Marawi City on an official trip this February was a special treat for the Secretary.

Truly, despite her busy schedule, she made sure to squeeze in a few moments to be with her parents, especially her mom, who endlessly hugged and doted on her. At the airport, I witnessed mother and daughter holding hands, and exchanging loving glances, silently conveying how much they love and value each other. Even while in flight, I saw how Sec Mina laid a blanket over her mom to keep her warm, and did everything to make sure that she was comfortable.

At her honorary degree conferment, Sec. Mina delightedly shared the stage with her parents who stood tall, beaming happily with pride as their daughter accepted the recognition that few had the opportunity to receive.

Indeed, I believe that Sec. Mina's parents played a crucial role in her success. And, as the Budget Secretary emphasized in her speech, continuously giving back the love and affection her parents devoted to her has made her into the accomplished woman she is now.

As I write this, I find myself empathizing with Sec. Mina's journey.

As a daughter, I have been reflecting on my relationship with my father.

My father is a man of great strength. I found him formidable yet kind, loving, and tender to his children. He is always ready to sacrifice his all for the sake of his children. My childhood memories of him were filled with laughter and love. When I became an adult, he was always there for me, ready to take my side. He was my rock, a staunch supporter, and an avid fan. Thus, I always believed we would be happy together, and that we will be able to share exciting and fun-filled moments for a very long time.

Lately, we found out that Papa has cancer. This devasted our family. As a Papa's girl, I could not bear the thought of him being sick. It pains me to see Papa becoming fragile, his cancer, consuming his body. However, I am proud that Papa is not giving up. Though hard, he is struggling to do his utmost to fight this terrible disease.

I know that with his age, I have limited time with Papa. Thus, I try my very best to be with him, especially during moments when he needs us most—holding his hand as he battled pain, just sitting beside him in silence as he sleeps after his treatments, making sure he knows that he will never be alone. For me, these moments matter the most. And, I promised myself that I would do everything to help him get through this battle, especially when he is most vulnerable.

I believe that the love of a parent is unconditional. Parents give but expect nothing in return. But many children leave their parents, and at times forget.

With this I can recall the words of Paulo Coelho, a Brazilian novelist, "It is not until much later, that children understand; their stories and all their accomplishments, sit atop the stories of their mothers and fathers, stones upon stones."

Indeed, it is only when we mature that we see that our parent’s  love and sacrifices have led us to our successes. They have been instrumental to our very existence.

It is in this light that I encourage everyone to show love for their parents every single day for the rest of their lives.