First Cabinet meeting FEELING SMALL BESIDE GIANTS IN GOVERNANCE

By Manny Piñol

You will never realise how small you are until to stand beside giants.

This was how I felt yesterday as I joined the first meeting of the members of President Rody Duterte’s official family.

There I was, the boy from the farm in M’lang, North Cotabato seated in between Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez, whose family owns the Marco Polo Hotel in Davao City and other cities and Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, former justice secretary and congressman.

I was just a chair away from the man who would chart the country’s destiny for the next six years and beyond, President-elect Rody Duterte.

Across the table was Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza who was my first editor when I was a young reporter for the Mindanao Times in Davao City.

Seated around the long table were respected leaders in their own fields.

I almost could not believe that the boy who had to dig holes in a rubber plantation during the summer break in school to earn money for his allowance would be in a table where the men and women who will steer the country for the next six years were also seated.

The boy who only had a pair of “maong” pants when he went to college and could not even buy a bottle of “Coke” for his crush is now part of the team that would take care of the 100-million Filipinos.

When we were asked to stand to say a prayer before the first meeting of the new Cabinet members, I also said a silent prayer.

In my prayer, I thanked my father and my mother for moulding me and my brothers into what we are today.

I thanked by my family, especially my children, for the love and support even during the lowest moments of my life and the people of my province, North Cotabato, for believing in me by giving President Duterte 80% of the votes.

I thanked the millions of farmers and fisherfolk all over the country whose interests and well-being I will be fighting for starting today.

Most of all, I thanked God for guiding me all my life, for caring for me even when I doubted Him and for lifting me up when I was down.

I felt small beside the President and the members of the Cabinet but I am sure that my heart is just as big as theirs.

This is the heart that cares for the Filipino people and care for them I will, regardless of how small I am.

(Photos of the Cabinet meeting released by the Davao City Mayor’s Office.)