( Third in a Series of “I Had a Dream”)
By: Prof. Janet Raymundo-Valdez, PhD, FRIEDR
OIC College President, Bulacan Polytechnic College SY 2023-2024
Change was inevitable.
There was an energetic push which motivated me enthusiastically with the routine work-home, home-work monotony. It never exhausted me as I saw the Way, the Truth, and the Light. The Mass readings and reflections guided me daily as to the Way. My feet were guided and constantly raced with each other towards the door or room of the main campus where work had to be done. The signs were so clear as the Truth opened up and Light transcended ethereal brightness before my very eyes. That’s when I knew, there was a need for change.
The first knock was on the dusty and cluttered computer laboratories where unnecessary plastic and metal cabinets and bins for cleaning materials and computer wares were cluttered on the far side of the room. I started getting the rugs and brooms for a great clean-up; there, you felt the willingness and cooperative hands of its head, instructor, and volunteer students as they started getting into the grind with confused, but, smiling eyes.
From classroom to classroom, students and instructors united their hands to see what would physically become of the campus. There was a need to roll up my sleeves and lift heavy stuff to create a more conducive learning environment. It became a common sight at the campus; thus, students shared their strengths in creating the changes. Smiles, greetings, and comments from students created an optimistic atmosphere and agreement to what should be of their second home.
Next came transfers of offices which I learned were done when the buzz started that a new OIC would arrive. The choices were theirs for their own convenience, occupying two (2) offices: one for them and the other, for their stuff; thus, there were personnel maintaining two offices/rooms. The others, none. It was a vision of greed and avarice. When I came though, I was not given the courtesy of being offered the symbolic Office of the President; I was just told that the office in the new building would suit me better as the OIC because it had never been used. There was no turn-over of documents, reports, and stuff from the office, too. I officially started on August 7, 2023; but, the service vehicle was turned over to me only after two months or so. But, that’s all right! Materialism is not my cup of tea. I thought, however, that I should be given the choice.
As I was directed in my prayers, the next mission was the risky, dangerous, and clogged frontage of the buildings where personnel and student vehicles and motorbikes were parked. I saw the danger of intruders and strangers easily penetrating the campus, or if not, creating havoc just in front of the buildings. It was not easy to spot them, and even visitors, who could flow smoothly with the volume of students. The vehicles and motorbikes also posed as risk factors for students who were coming in and out of the buildings. After locating a nearby place, several steps away, for parking of personnel and students. I gave instructions to the officer responsible for the physical facilities, who happened to be one of the former OICs of the institution. This was the first resistance. Understandably, the instructions were taken for granted and were implemented only after several verbal repeat. Thus, the implementation of transferring parking for motorbikes succeeded due to the students who were happy to help. There were repetitious complaints which caused the inspection of the transfer. The result? The officials from the province found logic and justifiable reason for the transfer. It served the general welfare of the students. Comparing old and new, it obviously created safe bonding spaces after school hours of the students.
As to the mountain of old wooden armchairs piled up at the unfinished auditorium, their utility was seen in their rehabilitation. Pictures were taken before their rehabilitation, starting with the segregation of worn-out armchairs for disposal and the ones that could still be useful. The useful ones were color-coded with paint for easy identification. This could solve the challenge of providing enough chairs in the converted classrooms on the left and right wing of the stage and of the covered court. There were also chairs used in the library and the HRS rooms.
The cramped clinic was made spacious by transferring the Guidance Office to the Administration Building. All student organizations were housed in one huge room to build rapport and collegial spirit and to avoid envious, competitive situations.
Tools and equipment were not kept in order, nor maintained properly, could not be easily located, and were lost. When asked to list the required tools and equipment, the program head showed a long list, as if nothing were purchased in the years before. Considering that inspection and monitoring would be annual, it was necessary to have all the tools and equipment in one room. After roaming around the campus, an unused vacant room within the vicinity of the program head could be converted into a Tools and Equipment Storage or Showroom. It would only need some plyboards and proper ventilation or air-conditioning to make it functional. The idea was to complete the list little by little, just like what we saw in a benchmarking activity. After a year of saying ‘yes’, this was not done. Another show of resistance!
As to the system, the campuses complained about how the main campus treated them without fairness and with less regard. They also pointed fingers at each other on the lost of money collected from the income generated from immersion activities which, by the way, was greatly manipulated by a personnel related to the owner of the center. Collections from research activities, from selling t-shirts, for purchase of cleaning materials, for graduation fees etc. marred the hands of the campus directors, the program heads, and the student government which, of course, I gathered from stories here and there. I could not deny nor refute the allegations because there was no turn-over of finances nor financial report. I was only told that nothing was left. My intentions were to move forward, not backwards; so I closed my eyes on the past and their long-time pride of doing it their way with the thought that the system and structured triumvirate may be rectified.
Thus, during the Team Building Cum Planning Activities of BPC, I presented the unification of the calendar which could be the initial basis of the centralization of budget. The activities posted by the vice presidents on the unified calendar would get equal budget for similar activities among all campuses. This was similarly presented to BPC’s Board of Trustees. The vice presidents had to collate the activities from all the offices under their organizational structure. All collections should be done by the cashier, my namesake, not me. And she did, with limitations on collections without official receipts. Therefore, keeping the collections, which by old-time practice they called College Fund, became a problem. Until, I had convinced someone to keep the fund temporarily for the sake of School Development Fund and the transition to a more transparent, easily accessible spreadsheet that tracked transactions made on the fund. Better than the lost funds of years past without written report. But then, it raised eyebrows.
Meetings attended by a quorum of members of the Board of Trustees were venues of presenting proposed changes, approved and disapproved resolutions, and those that received no actions. Resolutions on amending BPC’s Vision, Mission, Goals and Objectives were pronounced approved, as well as, the organizational structure with six (6) vice presidents, naming the buildings, and inclusion of former Governor Roberto Pagdanganan as a member of the BOT representing the private sector. Conversely, innovations on the diploma courses and the ladderized programs were discussed in the presence of authorities on the matter. Issues and concerns, accomplishments and plans were not missed out being presented during the BOT and, prior, at the Executive Committee Meetings, whose member vice presidents were supposed to cascade the minutes to their subordinates.
Changes happened fast like it was over night, communicated in varied ways to everybody, supposedly, in the organization. But, resistance… resistance, allowed me opportunities to offer sacrifices and continued without hesitation and with much peace and love. I sincerely knew, God was there. He really is!
