IN MEMORIAM
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A Leader Among Men Eulogy delivered by Brod Victor O. Ramos in honor of Brod Primitivo C. Galinato, Jr., during the fraternity’s final rites at the Loyola Commonwealth, QC., Sept. 5, 2012
Last Saturday the 1st of September, I woke up late as I normally do on weekends. But when I got out of bed at about 10:30am for some reason it was Brod Jun that came to my mind. He has been in the hospital for more than three months after a stroke. I wanted to know how he was doing. So, I texted his loving wife Cora: “Kumusta na si Jun? I hope he is better now.” I had high hopes he would recover from his ailments because he was a good fighter. But Cora’s answer shocked me from stupor. He just passed away!
Mukhang nagparamdam sa akin nuong siya’y pumanaw. Sabi nya seguro, “Pasensya ka na sir. Hindi na kita masamahan na magretire sa Pangasinan.” We had planned to grow old together in our part of the province. His hometown is only half-hour away from mine.
When I look back to the years when I worked in the DENR, I will remember him as one of two brods that I would classify as natural leaders. They who exuded authority and confidence in whatever position they were holding in the organization. They who liked being tested with tough assignments and challenging tasks. Leaders whose subordinates follow with loyalty and passion without raising their voice or trying hard to please. Delivering results on their mandates were all a natural process.
The other brod was the late Brod Rogelio Baggayan, Sr.. Not surprisingly, both Jun and Baggy were former Grand Princeps of our fraternity in the College of Forestry at UPLB. I consider myself a good judge of character and to me these two brods were exceptional. May they rest in peace with the high esteem that we have reserved for them.
Brod Jun was born in 1946, the second child in a family of six. He is a native of Binalonan, Pangasinan. His father was a forester and mother a public school teacher. He spent his grade school years in the town’s elementary school. He was the apple of his father’s eye. So, when his father moved to Manila he brought him along. That’s how he ended up studying at the Quirino High School in Quezon City. After high school graduation, he enrolled at the College of Forestry to pursue a career following his father’s footsteps -- a son who would do well and make his father proud. He did not disappoint. Against existing rules in 1962, he joined our fraternity as a freshman. But it was in the fraternity that he realized his leadership potentials
From UPLB, he joined the Bureau of Forestry. In no time he became a District Forester, a position he was occupying when I joined the DENR after the end of martial law. I had two opportunities to promote him to higher positions. As Undersecretary for Field Operations, I had no hesitation moving Brod Jun from district to provincial officer. As DENR Secretary, I promoted him again to Regional Technical Director for Forestry. After my term and before he retired, he was further promoted to Regional Executive Director or the top DENR honcho in the region.
As regional officer in Zamboanga, he was part of a team that managed the effective protection of natural resources in the common borders between the Philippines and Malaysia. Their outstanding work with their Malaysian counterparts inspired the Paul Getty Foundation to grant the two countries an international award for providing a model on how common borders in adjoining countries could manage their natural resources. Brod Jun accompanied me to Sandakan, Borneo to receive the award in behalf of our country.
People like Brod Jun spend their lives just doing their work without living long enough to see the fruits of their toil. They plant trees and mangroves, protect marine sanctuaries, restore our watersheds, clean the air and the esteros and provide livelihoods to those who depend on our natural resources. These are generational tasks. It is seldom they get the satisfaction of seeing people enjoy the shades of the trees they planted, or harvest more fish because the coral reefs have remained pristine, or live with higher hopes because they have sustainable livelihoods. They do not see these things. Most often they die and worse,at the end of their days spend all their hard-earned pensions to cover their hospital costs. These are the risks for those who spend their lives for public service. That’s why when one of them dies like this brother of ours, he deserves the gratitude of our people for the multiplier effects of services he has rendered.
Indeed, we are inspired that he is one of us -- a Betan who lived our ideals of service, excellence and leadership.
At the end of his life’s journey, we can say that Brod Primitivo Cerezo Galinato, Jr lived the life he wanted. He has earned the admiration of his father early in life, the respect of his peers and the loyalty of his subordinates during his working years, and the abiding love and gentle caring of his wife and family.
We are proud to call him a brother.
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