MANILA, Philippines\u2014How better to cement Jesse Robredo\u2019s legacy in Philippine history and society than to teach to the next generation his humility as a government official and his passion in serving the public.
\nAround 80 elementary students in grades one to three from Pasig City learned about the former secretary of the interior and local government when he was mayor of Naga City during a Philippine Daily Inquirer Read Along with Khalil Kaimo and Paolo Valenciano.
\nThey read the children\u2019s book \u201cThe Public\u2019s Servant\u201d by Didith Tan Rodrigo, which tells about Robredo\u2019s simple and down-to-earth acts as mayor of Naga. The book is part of Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation\u2019s \u201cGreat Men and Women of Asia \u2013 Children\u2019s Series.\u201d Robredo was an awardee for government service in 2000.
\n\u201cWe need more people like [Robredo] and what better way than to start with the kids when they\u2019re very young,\u201d Valenciano said in an interview with Inquirer after the Read Along.
\nThe book is told in simple \u201cInternet chat\u201d style between two friends, Chris or \u201cXtnXtra\u201d played by Kaimo, who is in New York, and Matt or \u201cMattDude2000,\u201d played by Valenciano, who is on vacation in his parents\u2019 hometown of Naga City.
\nMatt chats with Chris about his personal encounters with \u201cMayor Jesse.\u201d The first time when Mayor Jesse was playing basketball on the streets with locals and wearing regular T-shirt and shorts.
\nThe second time, Matt goes, was when he saw Mayor Jesse go out to the ricefields in a bicycle to bring back a girl who ran away from her parents. And the third time was when a typhoon hit the city and Mayor Jesse led the rescue team in saving people from the devastation.
\nThroughout the chat sessions between them Chris and Matt express awe and surprise at Mayor Jesse\u2019s acts and behavior that were contrary to the common perception of a government official.
\nThe biggest surprise that Matt found out about Mayor Jesse was when he saw the latter sweeping the streets on his own after the mess caused by the storm.
\nValenciano said he found that part of the story having the most impact on the children. \u201cI could see some of the kids were also like \u2018What? He was sweeping the [streets]?\u2019\u201d he said.
\n\u201cI think subconsciously we\u2019re teaching them humility, and right now it\u2019s what the country needs,\u201d Valenciano said.
\nKaimo expressed his wish that there would be more government officials like Robredo. \u201cThey [should] lead by example rather than [boast] \u2018I built this [and] I built that.\u2019 How many of them do you actually see sweeping streets and cleaning up their city?\u201d Kaimo said.
\nWhen asked what significance Mayor Jesse could have on children, Valenciano said, \u201cHe wasn\u2019t really doing great things, he wasn\u2019t really building bridges. He was just a simple guy doing honest work. That\u2019s what\u2019s good to teach to children.\u201d
\n\u201cIts good to let the kids know about people that have [made a significant impact] just by doing what\u2019s right,\u201d he added.
\nKaimo said that it was because Mayor Jesse led by example that he became significant to the people of Naga. \u201cThe people at the top start it, then the people under them will see it and they\u2019ll start doing it. The domino [effect] doesn\u2019t start at the bottom, it should start at the top.\u201d
\nDuring the story-telling, the kids were so engrossed that when Kaimo and Valenciano tried to provide explanations, one kid spoke out and requested that they continue with the story already.
\nNear the end of the book, Chris expressed disbelief in Matt\u2019s stories about the mayor of Naga. \u201cSo this mayor plays basketball with anyone, rides a bike to save a child, and sweeps the streets after a storm? Dude, that\u2019s not a mayor!\u201d Chris said in disbelief.
\n\u201cThat\u2019s\u2026 I don\u2019t know what that is,\u201d he told Matt.
\nMatt replied simply: \u201cWell, that\u2019s Naga\u2019s mayor!\u201d
\nThe 80 students who heard and read the story of Mayor Jesse hopefully have found a new hero to look up to and emulate.<\/p>\n