Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Trip with the Presidents: By Jane Facurib

The National Executive Board Meeting of the Local Government Unions of the Philippines was held at Samal Island, RMPC XI Resort and Training Center for two days and one night, starting June 7 to June 8, 2007. There were 62 but only 49 went to join. All of the delegates were presidents of their local unions and National officers of LGUP.

Me, my brother, my dad and his company started traveling 10:00 a.m. of June 6, 2007. After almost two hours of travel we stopped by a food station named Cliffhanger to have some lunch. The view there was great and the food was delicious, almost all of their dishes are native chicken. After eating at Cliffhanger, we again, continued on the adventure and after few hours we realized ourselves being in the city of Davao, the exciting part was we all went to SM Davao to buy some food that we would need for the travel and at the resort. After buying the stuff that we need we obviously went on Samal Island. The barge trip was short it was just 10 minutes or less. When we were on Samal Island, we still have to travel going to Sitio Kamudmud to reach RMPC XI resort and training center, which is like the bottom of the island. When we’ve reached the resort, I was really amazed it was indeed white sand like what they’ve told; it was my first time to be on a white sand beach resort. We stayed on an air-conditioned room. We were seven in the room; me my brother, my dad (Mr. Restituto T. Facurib, Jr.), Mr. Jojo arrive, we had our dinner there, and it was really a great view, you could see Davao City at night with all the lights, which seemed to be fallen stars. It was really beautiful that we hadn’t recognized that it was late and we have to sleep. The day after, after waking up and eating breakfast, we hurriedly went swimming in their super clear water; you could see colorful fishes just there free to swim and play. It was so fun jumping into the water, swimming, taking pictures and everything. We started swimming 7:30 a.m. and ended 9:00 a.m.: we have to prepare for the coming of the other delegates. The Secretary’s driver fetched Mr. Floro Fransisco, consultant LO-Norway. The other came altogether in a boat, 11:45 a.m. in the morning. Other renowned people also came to join the said event; Mr. Rey Rasing, the executive director of LEARN and the secretary general of CIU, Mr. Mike Maga also came to join and participate in the said event.

June 7, 2007, the formal start of the event. They had their National Executive Board Meeting at exactly 1:00 p.m. It was presided by the president, Mr. Restituto T. Facurib, Jr. There were discussions and almost all rolled up to be talking primarily on the Treasurer’s Financial Report. Afterwards, a committee was appointed to fix some problems. They had a break for dinner almost 7:00 in the evening. After dinner the meeting resumed and so they continued, the meeting ended at 11:00 p.m.

June 8, 2007, was the seminar workshop on Wage Determination conducted by Mr. Mario Aguja AKBAYAN Representative who was fetched at the airport of Davao City, 5:30 a.m. by the driver. The seminar ended at 12:00 p.m. the delegates had their lunch and prepared to leave. All the delegates, excluding Mr. Facurib, Mr. Lopez, Mr. Tapil, Mr. Braselenio, my brother, and me traveled through the boat while we rode all the way using the van.

Then, not realizing it, it was the end of my “white sand” trip. But it seems like destiny is playing fools with us, the lights of our van shut off and so we have to sleep over at Mr. Braselinio’s cousin’s place. We spent the night there, and at 7:00 a.m. after eating our breakfast we continued our journey back to where we belong, Gensan.

We were back in our home almost 10 minutes before 9:00 a.m.