LEADERS IN THE EYES OF THE HOI POLLOI

I have never really appreciated how the masses feel when their leaders mingle with them and identify with them until an unexpected lunch in an ordinary eatery in Kidapawan City’s Overland Public Bus Terminal last Jan. 1.

After our weekly radio program over DXND and DXMS, I and my staff had a problem on where to have our late lunch because almost all of the restaurants were closed on New Year’s Day.

We made the rounds of all the restaurants in the city and finally decided to proceed to the bus terminal where we knew the eateries would be open.

I saw the big surprise in the face of the eatery owner when I started opening up the food containers in the carenderia to check on the food available for lunch.

As I and my staff proceeded to eat using plastic plates, in hard-plastic tables and monobloc chairs, the eatery owner started inviting her neighbors to her place and announced: “Si Governor nagkaon sa akong karinderya.” (The Governor is having lunch in my carenderia.)

I found it funny at first that so much fuss should be made over my presence in the carenderia.

But later on I understood that my presence in a place where a former Governor is not expected to eat was a special event for her.

It made her feel that she was important and that the man whom she considers her leader is somebody she could touch and talk to.

I learned an important lesson from that incident and that is the presence of the leader among the masses make them feel that the man understands their feelings, their dreams and aspirations and is one of them.

This is a lesson that I will always remember.