Growing in Spirit

After Chairman Karina Constantino David’s term ended, a Mass was held at the Civil Service Commission to seek Divine guidance as Senior Commissioner Ceasar D. Buenaflor entered office as the Acting Chairman of the Commission by operation of law. A Mass was also held when Secretary Ricardo L. Saludo took his oath of office as CSC Chairman imploring Divine intercession to guide the Commission, a beacon in government bureaucracy. With Chairman Saludo, Commissioner Buenaflor and Commissioner Mary Ann Z. Fernandez-Mendoza, the Couples for Christ held its first Christian Life Program at the seat of the government’s central personnel agency.

The last time the government adopted a massive moral recovery program with a firm budgetary commitment from the General Appropriations Act was during the beginning of President Fidel V. Ramos’ term. The MRP set the tone of governance to attain the mid and long term plan of FVR’s Administration. It is where government servants, irregardless of rank or status converged to identify their common strength and weaknesses as an individual, group and as government workers; and, their respective roles in nation building. It served as the launching pad to attain FVR’s Vision 2000’ and helped propel economic growth. Our country was then monikered the Cub of Asia. CSC was one of the prime movers of the MRP.

Today, without much adequate budget in place to undergo the same awakening to uplift employee’s morale and integrity, unseen hand seems to move for people in the past to converge once again in a different dimension coming from without unnoticed.

Nobody among us is perfect, although we are trying to be one by practicing the teachings of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Receiving the power of the Holy Spirit alone, however, is not enough. We have to grow in spirit by praying to glorify Him, appreciate the blessings He gave, regretting our sins before presenting our petition and live a Christian life. There is no assurance too - that our prayers shall be answered the way we wanted things to happen as He and He alone knows what is best for us in His time. This is the creed of our faith as Christians and nobody can eloquently express it in words by the way Commissioner Cesar D. Buenaflor conveyed it.

Commissioner Cesar D. Buenaflor mingled with ordinary employees, drivers, clerks, messengers, whom he treated as equal. In fact, the facilitators did not even recognized him at the first instance. It might have been providential that he moved to a tiny group of male from another group of all female employees to share his view. Indeed, we are just but a medium used by the Divine to convey His message. (Inset picture: Senior Commissioner Cesar D. Buenaflor, third from left)

A product of a Jesuit educational institution, the most senior Commissioner of the CSC and maybe among the remaining few sentinel in government who survived five President, humbled himself to plant another seed hoping for it to grow, blossom and bear fruits. It takes a lot of humility, patience and faith. In the words of Bishop Antonio R. Tobias, the last time we met in a gathering somewhere in Camarin: ‘it does not matter how few or how many we are’ what matters most is our faith. Let the Divine intercede. (Inset picture: Bishpo Tobias with NMVSHA Officers)

We are also blessed to have Bro. Andy Palma, former Vice-Governor of Marinduque, who shared with us his baritone voice joyfully singing and strumming his guitar with the CFC Choir at the beginning and the end of the session. Bro. Andy, moved to Quezon City as his place of abode. (Inset picture: Bro. Andy Palma in yellow with the CFC Choir)

It might also have been providential too that Bro. Terrence and Sister Thel Grana, from the House of Representatives and a Doctor of the DSWD, respectively, were called to serve and talk on the topic: Growing with the Holy Spirit. Terrence is from Agusan, a cousin Dem and Precy Grana, former Project Manager of Lower Agusan Irrigation Project and a Manager of the Foreign Loans Assisted Projects of the National Irrigation Administration, respectively, during FVR’s incumbency. The financial system adopted by NIA under its Impress Fund Account during the Ramos Administration under Gen. Orlando Soriano helped a lot to . . . [soon . . .] (Inset picture: Bro. Terence and Sis. Thel Grana)