NEVER has there been a regional chief in the Department of Agriculture (DA), Region 6 that impressed me more than Regional Executive Director (RED) Larry Nacionales. I wish this is now for good as what some of the DA employees had been praying for.

Our two good friends at the other side of the world may now be happy with the recent development. They are Lino Sustento and Marilyn Esperat, although the later died from the hands of her assassins believed to have been hired by people who were subject of her corruption exposé in DA office in Mindanao.

Sustento, who has been the supply officer of the region until he died, was known for his straight conduct and honest dealing with co-employees and individuals who have business with the department.

As far as I am concerned, he was never implicated in graft and corruption quovis modo – in whatever way or manner. I know the regional employees of the DA subscribe to this. What’s more, he cannot be intimidated by grafters. The man has iron fists and a lion’s heart.

He once called my attention to inform me that their new regional director is a straight-forward man, hard-working and an employee who started from the bottom to know the system of departmental functions until he was promoted.

Lately, as this writer observes, Director Nacionales does not always stay in office. Like DA Secretary Arthur Yap, he took time roaming around the different provinces to know what are the problems bothering the agriculture industry for early solution.

Going back to Sustento, perhaps the man was fed up with superiors having that large propensity to deceit. So he thirsts for a good man to lead DA-6. He was right on target, Director Nacionales metamorphosed to regional directorship by managerial capability – not political expediency.

Like Esperat who was then working here in DA region 6, Sustento helped a lot to expose the wrongdoings of agriculture officials. Consider this, in early 90’s we learned that DA-6 Livestock Division purchased piglets for distribution to farmer-beneficiaries.

There were 1,800 piglets reported to have been acquired from a supplier in the Province of Iloilo. But who would believe that in the 90’s piglets cost was already P9,000 each? The former DA-6 officials headed by the regional director were the culprits in this mess.

There were other projects in billions where millions of pesos went to the wrong pockets. Take the “shallow tube well”, the “multi-purpose drying pavement”, the imported cattle “Brahman Breed”, the “seedlings” and many more.

It was only during the stint of the new director that Sustento had rested from recording unlawful transactions of people who cannot resist the temptation of greed. Now every employee is aware of doing things ultima licitum – beyond what is permitted.

It was only a misfortune for Director Nacionales that God tested his patience. Typhoon Frank has devastated almost all the crops and domesticated farm-animals in the four provinces of Panay Island.

While he has curbed rampant corruption in DA-6, the unscrupulous businessmen selling rice at highly jacked-up prices likewise, distorted his peace. True, vultures breed during crisis. What is somewhat missing in the empty life of these people is to die with dignity!

Another deterrent to the integrity of our honest government employees is promotion or honor. Those promoted may have suddenly acquired the Midas touch in reverse – that anything they touch turn not into gold but smacks for their office!

We can only pray for the soul of honest people in the DA-6. Mr. Lino Sustento and Ms. Marilyn Esperat. Their hard work paid and prayers granted. It is really true, remembering what was lost makes it precious!

I hope they serve as replica to DA-6 employees under the stewardship of Nacionales and Yap. The DA today has been freed from the label departamento de los ladrones – a department of crooks. We salute the new breed of officials and those who passed away but learned honeste vivere - see the title for meaning.

2 Responses to “To live honorably”

• 1
  Dr. Antonio Gestosani
  July 9th, 2008 23:22

  Thank you for recognizing these honorable people who are doing the right things for the right reasons as vanguard of the Nation -we need more of them. Thanks also to mention the legacies of of those who served in public office. My family left politics broke and lonely because they believed in true public service; and when politics got dirty, they lose everything (money and friends). If you have no money anymore, you have no friends. What a shame. What a great nations the Philippines could have been had it not been swarmed by these greedy, selfish and corrupt politicians. Get on the bandwagon and cry for change.
• 2
  Dr. Antonio Gestosani
  July 11th, 2008 05:54

  My kudos to Lapsus Calami of Panay News for mentioning Sen. Drilon’s call for immediate passage of emergency bill to fund the rehab of Panay. I believe he is honest and sincere man and he does not belong to the “trapos”. End the bickering and go for the conservative politician with good moral values. This is one of the many accomplishments of Sen. Drilon that I believe all Ilonggos should be proud of. Good day.

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