When a great man dies

The search has come to an end. The body of Secretary Jesse Robredo was finally located yesterday morning and was promptly flown off to his family in Naga City. As of this writing, those of the pilot and his co-pilot had also been found, but had not yet been retrieved because of difficulty in disengaging them from the cockpit of the plane where they were reportedly stuck. It is expected that they, too, will be recovered today.

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One cannot help being awed by the response of both government officials and the citizenry to the accident that had claimed the life of Local Government Secretary Robredo. All throughout the country, people he had worked or interacted with, mourned his fate and expressed deep regret at losing him. So seldom have they seen his type of public official, because he was a true model of governance.

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What a coincidence it was that Robredo’s body was recovered on the very day that the country was marking the death anniversary of another exemplary Filipino, Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, whose death had triggered the awakening of our people to their plight under a dictatorial form of government, that was so in contrast with what their Constitution prescribes. Perhaps Robredo’s death will also awaken our people, and especially our officials, to what they could be and what they can be capable of, if they truly want to serve their country.

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Although I did not know him personally, I had long admired Robredo for what I had learned about him. I was among those who actually cheered when President Aquino named him secretary of the DILG. And, from what we have lately heard from other officials he worked with, he was really a model public servant, whose record they should attempt to match. I understand that, up to the time of his death, Robredo’s appointment had not yet been confirmed by the Commission on Appointments composed of politicians. How will they feel now, having done their best to keep such a leader away from public service? Could any of them aspire to have their country mourn them, as it did Jesse Robredo, when they die?

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One cannot help but admire President Noynoy for the concern and fatherly care he showed upon learning of the tragedy. Immediately he flew off to Masbate to personally supervise the search and rescue operations. With him and Transportation and Communication Secretary Mar Roxas directing, it is no wonder that all those involved were so inspired and committed. It was also very likely that this was the reason why there were so many volunteers who joined the search, some of them foreigners.

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However, it has turned out that not all those who volunteered were really equipped, or professionally prepared for the job. In fact a German volunteer diver only caused a delay in the work when he suffered from “decompression” and had to be attended to, halting the operations for a while. Despite what his critics say about him, PNoy proved this time that he does personally care for his co-workers. He didn’t have to stay in Masbate overnight, but he did. He didn’t have to personally go and he be with the family of Robredo when matters seemed to worsen, so that he was with them the bad news came, but he did.

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As for Mar Roxas, he also did a magnificent job in monitoring and informing the public about the progress of the search. I admit I also cried when I saw him holding back his tears as he announced that the body of Robredo had been found. It was a task nobody envied him for – having to pass on the news nobody wanted to hear. Robredo’s family must be greatly consoled to know how admired and loved he had been.

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Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, or CAAP, has announced that it is grounding all Piper Seneca planes. What was that saying again about locking the stable after the horse has run away?*

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