COTABATO CITY—Deaf and aged, 70-year old Kado Esmail still
literally shakes a leg to become the model worker of the Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), topping over 40 thousand other employees of the
regional bureaucracy.
Esmail was awarded a certificate of appreciation in paper, as well
as on tarpaulin to immortalize his “lifetime achievement,” keeping the ARMM
capitol grounds here clean and green in over three decades.
In addition, he received a cash reward from money contribution raised
by regional officials led by ARMM Officer-In-Charge Governor Mujiv S. Hataman.
Hataman did not announce how much did he hand over to Esmail in
brown envelop during the awarding ceremony. But Esmail’s family later disclosed
the amount to fellow workers.
“For his exemplary service through exceptional trait of sheer hard
work, the present administration hereby recognizes his contribution in the
field of public and civil service,” reads the certificate of appreciation in
Filipino that Hataman and top officials of the Executive and Legislative
Branches of ARMM government handed over to the 70-year old Esmail.
Hataman said he wanted all ARMM employees and officials to emulate
the honesty and hard work that Esmail and 21 other utility person-awardees have
exuded in the name of public service.
It can be recalled that the President had extolled Hataman for
successful graft and “ghost-busting” on spurious teachers and non-existing schools
during his Third State of the Nation in July.
Esmail, noted consistent to work as utility person sweeping a huge
part of the 20-hectare capitol ground, was once caught in a photo sweeping the
grounds amid heavy rain, by Myrna Jo Henry, a senior employee of the ARMM’s
Bureau of Public Information, who quickly posted it on her face book.
The FB photo of Esmail by Henry spread fast among residents and
ranking officials, including Hataman himself who met his immediate staff in the
thought of awarding the old man.
Still physically strong at his age, Esmail who only speaks
Maguindanaon, couldn’t say anything but “salamat” and “sukran” (Arabic for
“thanks”).
Esmail said he keeps his family's hand-to-mouth existence by working
with a “job-order” appointment which entitles him to up to P 9,000.00 monthly
earning, depending on the “compassion” of leaders at the helm of the regional
government.
He said he could not retire even at his age, lest he suffer
frequent body aching, and that he would have nothing to reap in terms of
retirement benefits, just the same. Normally, housing or government insurance policy
contributions are not deducted from government or private workers on
“job-contract” appointments, said administrative officer Jane Pelaez.
From his meager earning, starting with P 15.00 daily wage, Esmail
had sent to school his now adult and married children—and is still helping bear
school expenses for his grandchildren and great grandchildren. He was
profoundly thankful, saying in Maguindanaon that the P 50,000.00 cash reward
was a big help to his family.
Assemblypersons, including Speaker Rasol Mitmug Jr. of the ARMM
Regional Legislative Assembly, joined Hataman in paying tribute to the region’s
22 lowly workers, who were also given awards recognizing their labor. Most of
the awardees have worked on their job during the past 20, or 30 years from the
tenure of ARMM’s forerunner—the Office of the Regional Commission and Lupong
Tagapagpaganap ng Pook in the 1970s.
Hataman said his administration will continue the awarding system
to cover other departments, offices, bureaus and commissions under the regional
government.
He appealed to workers, officials and visitors of the regional
capitol to observe cleanliness and to help keep the ground clean even by
refraining from littering around.
Hataman warned that in the same manner, the ARMM government will
also give humiliating “awards” of sort to most littering officials and
employees.
Aside from Esmail, other awards recipients were Marcelina
Gomez-Vasay; Domin Manayol; Jasper Villamor; Faisal Gaos; Guiamad Abubakar;
Isidro Zafra; Abdulnasser Ibrahim; Peter Morales; Erlinda Flores; Solaiman
Gaos; Mama Kasuyo; Tito Beloy; Narlito Flores; Nguda Ali; Sali Moldin; Simeon
Ulama; Nida Salva; Wahid Atin Manguda; Email Manial; Ebrahim Abedin, and Lester
Najiv Ahmad.
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