A good name is more desirable than great wealth. Respect is better than silver or gold. -Proverbs 22:1
When a whole nation mourns for the death of one man, you know that it is a great and unparalleled loss. Such is the loss of Secretary Jesse Robredo.
I must admit that I did not know much about the esteemed Secretary until word of the plane crash stormed the news on Sunday evening. I was never a fan of government officials after all. In this politically-troublesome country, it is very difficult to be one. However, his disappearance, the recent confirmation of his death and the crushing realization that this country has lost one of the few decent public servants changed this weary and cynical mind.
For two days, I even found myself praying that he, along with the pilots of the plane, was still alive, probably just laying unconscious on an unexplored part of the shore. Yet, the inevitable came.
We are faced with the reality that even heroes fall down.
One may often fathom why fate will allow such a good man to die when the his family and the country still needs him. One may even say that it is unfair or it is not time yet. We hold on to the thought that everything happens for a reason, yet it is so hard to find any logic in the circumstances of losing someone who could offer so much more.
Just like many dreamers, I entered law school with the thought to become one day a servant of the law. Being in the hustle and bustle of the city and the stress of surviving through the course, we, students, who enter institutions in order to become like him tend to forget the virtues that public servants must uphold. We become exhausted, frustrated and unhinged from the ideals that we used to and wanted to preserve.
For me, the man changed all that. Secretary Jesse, with his humility and unconditional service, was the perfect reminder of what kind of person I, if not most law students, swore to be -- true, just and respectable. He is an inspiration and a wake-up call for people like me who were in a trance and wanted to play safe by standing on the sidelines instead of being on the battlefield.
And for all these and more, I thank you, good Sir. You are and forever will be a legend.
