Men at Work - Engineering Series-1-Line Man (Installed light at the Capitol Intersection)

It was in the morning of October 19, 2010, when I posted one of my short blog about the Capitol Ground, Malaybalay City . (click here to see the previous post)

My intention in posting that short blog was just to take pictures of the nice spots, such as the road signs, some old trees like the Acacia, Mahogany and the Pine Trees, that are very much eye-soothing view of some people., especially like me.

One of the highlights in that short blog, was to give some sincere advise to all motorists in driving along the newly asphalt paved road which is slippery when wet during rain showers and even during heavy downpour. I gave that advise because I personally experience difficulties in driving along that lane especially night time. I have noticed also that in that Y-intersection, there was no halogen lights installed in that electric post. So, I really have to take some pre-cautionary measure in driving said intersection.

Today, while on my way to our office, I've noticed that personnel from the City Engineering Office is about to install the street light. Here are my shots, to document their heroism, in saving the lives of motorists in traversing that intersection lane (at night time).

Their heroism will not be acknowledged if not also with the initiative of the person who have read my previous blog post. And of course, I have to acknowledge also the leadership of our City Engineer's Office-my colleague in profession, and the City Mayor Iñaki Zubiri and his Vice-Mayor Engr. Vic Aldeguer of posting their site in Facebook-or maybe this is just a mere coincidence . Nevertheless, most importantly, my plight were answered. This is a simple gesture of heroic response with great impact to a citizen like me.

I may suggest that, Malaybalay's tag line "USWAG MALAYBALAY", will now be changed to "PADAYON PAG-USWAG MALAYBALAY".

I am now pretty sure, that every time I'll pass by this intersection at night, I will now see the islands in there.

Leadership, can also be associated to Good Governance.

The Human Nature-How would you control yourself being as leader in a situation like this?

The Human Nature

by: Engr. Bonzenti R. Panganiban, CE, REA, REB

Posted: October 15, 2010, 8:00 p.m.

“Do not easily be dragged with a negative impulse. Try to balance it with a positive response. As a leader, you must control your emotions on criticisms and negative comments. Look at the other side of the night and try to see the light in the middle of darkness”.

This is the words that I have in my mind during our meeting today.

Actually, I presided that meeting. As President in a school organization, I have to think bigger. I called that as a simple gesture of self motivation.

One of the topics that we have discussed during that meeting was the disagreement of one “person”, and that is not to have an election on the day the school director called-up a General Assembly.

We will call this person as Mr. “S”. Mr. “S”’s disagreement has something to do with a “QUORUM”, the pending projects of the outgoing officers and the finalization of the General PTA Constitution and By Laws. He stressed-out that the pending projects of the outgoing officers and the PTA Constitution and By Laws (CBL) should first be completed and finalized, respectively, before any election shall be conducted.

Before giving my critique, let us first define aQUORUM. A Quorum defines as a fixed minimum percentage or number of members of a legislative assembly, committee, or other organization who must be present before the members can conduct valid business.

In the definition itself, it connotes that the required fixed minimum number must be present before the members can conduct valid business. Mr. “S” may be right or wrong. In the definition of a Quorum, he may be right.

Let me further expound it by considering the kind of service that we could give in a school organization. This may appropriately be called as “VOLUNTARY SERVICE”, in nature.

So, what would we expect in a voluntary service in relation with what Mr. “S” said about a “Quorum?

In my own opinion, a quorum can only or may be satisfied once that “SERVICE” may be paid, or properly compensated like legislative bodies, committees with proper compensation and complete honorarium, or other organization whose members has equivalent compensation. Meaning, if this organization has an incentive to those who will attend the meeting, a 100% of the attendance would be expected to be realized.

In a school organization where service is free and could only be offered only with passion and heart. We could expect that a Quorum cannot be fully satisfied if other parents are so busy with their respective jobs and businesses. Did Mr. “S” considered that aspect? If Mr. “S”, did not considered that , he may be lacked of some understanding that needs to be further understood, or he may be representing that he knows everything.

Let us now move about the draft of the CBL and the projects that needs to be finalized and completed first, respectively, before the conduct of election of a new set of officers.

Facts:

Copies of the draft of the CBL were already disseminated to all Officers for their comments, but were not returned to us on the deadline set in August 2010. We even postponed the deadline in September 28, 2010. The projects were already completed before end of August 2010. But where is Mr. “S”? He did not even bothered or mind to return the drafted CBL for their comments. What kind of a person is he? Is Mr. “S” true with his words? In his action, I can even called him as an irresponsible person. Not a true Gentleman. Or even an arrogant person.

With this negative thoughts, I have in mind that best described him, I then shifted my gear by saying this line, just to motivate myself as their leader,

“Do not easily be dragged with a negative impulse. Try to balance it with a positive response. As a leader, you must control your emotions on criticisms and negative comments. Look at the other side of the night and try to see the light in the middle of darkness”-Bonzenti. I called this line as Balance Thinking.

I have not met Mr. “S” yet, personally. So I gave myself a chance to know him better, before any supposition can be made against him and I called this as a “POSITIVE THINKING”.

By giving a chance, I have set another date for an election on November 05, 2010, just to satisfy Mr. “S”’s means in postponing the election.

As conclusion, and being as their leader, I should be patient, humble, understanding and all other qualities that a leader must have in order to see things in the midst of darkness (negative thoughts/impulse).

My advise to him, Mr. “S”, just be responsible and be a true gentleman because you are also an Officer like me. Just take the following quotation,

"The superior man thinks always of virtue; the common man thinks of comfort".-Confucius