Reflection Paper 1 sequel "MY DEFINING MOMENTS SEQUEL" by Leader VP Belina Katigbak

My Defining Moments

Belina S. Katigbak

Earlier I posted a synopsis of my defining moments.  Little did I know that someone would be interested to read my autobiography, asking eagerly, "Where is that book?"  I was a bit shy to share my life.  Until this day, that autobiography remains unpublished.  I guess the events after 2003 continue to enrich the unpublished autobiography.  Thanks to Prof. Saguinsin who encouraged us to share our life stories in order to inspire others.  And so, this sequel to what I posted earlier is shared.

The defining moments in my life and significant events taught me to be better and transformed me positively.

 

1.  Born from a poor family – At the time of my birth, my elder siblings told me that it was the third transfer of our small nipa house to a lot that we could not claim our own. My father made a living out of his skill as barber, while my mother helped by selling native snacks.   I was number eight, and after me was born another brother.  So little we had that we literally depended on the Providence of God.  The Benedictine nuns whom my mother used to serve when she was still single were our greatest benefactors.  On days of scanty, especially during rainy season, the nuns provided some relief goods, and old clothes.  Those kind gestures gave us much consolation especially in the midst of worries about our house with a leaking roof and the imminent danger of the rising waters as our house was near the bank of the river.

2. Informal Education - My best mentor is my eldest sister, now a Benedictine nun.  She taught me about time management, i.e. how to make use of time by preparing an organized schedule that my siblings and I had to follow.  It looked very much like the organizer which we see in the workplace.  I vividly recall that I had to wake up at 6:00 in the morning, recite my morning prayers, clean myself and dress up.  Then a set of activities with specified time on when to accomplish each was laid down, including a nap in the afternoon, which I resented so much during my childhood years.

3. Education in a parochial school run by the Benedictine nuns – At age six, I was presented with a challenge and an adventure.  It is a call to change the situation of poverty.  And the adventure starts with good education from the Benedictine nuns.  The nuns, just like what they accorded to my elder siblings, took me as a working student.  What could a six-year old girl do?  I was made a "cleaner".  During my time, poor students were offered cleaning tasks in exchange for free education.  My teacher taught me how to sweep the floor.  Miss Romero had her way to inspire me.  At the end of my first school year, she gave me my first priceless award, a medal to honor me as "Best in Work Education".  At that time I didn't quite understand what that meant.  But later on in life, I would appreciate the challenges of doing best work at all times.  Remembering my "cleaner" days, I realized that I was molded to face great challenges in life, when little by little, I was introduced to different tasks. When I was in Grade One, I was the teacher's messenger.  As I moved the ladder of Elementary school years, my responsibilities grew.  In Grade Four, I use to apply floor wax on the big antique floors of the school.  I used coconut husk to turn the floor shiny.  I mopped floors.  When I was in high school, I cleaned the library and helped the nun sell at the canteen during break times.

4. Graduating with honors – Lack of resources did not discourage me at all.  I only had one faded uniform which I wore from Monday to Friday in school.  I had no allowance for snacks.  I walked my way to and from the school every single day.  Despite an experience of discrimination from one of my teachers, and some classmates, I made it to the honor roll every end of school year.  I got the First Honor award in Grade Six, graduated Valedictorian in High School, and Magna cum Laude in College.

5. Professional Life – Passing the CPA Licensure Examinations was my gateway to a world of great opportunities.  I had some offers from big companies.  I chose to be employed in San Miguel Corporation (SMC) at the San Fernando Brewery in 1980.

6. Working at San Miguel Corporation - I started as a Budget and Financial Analyst.  Soon I rose from the ranks, was exposed to the different disciplines of Finance, and then was assigned as the Plant Auditor.  Eventually, my superior promoted me to a supervisory level.  I became the Team Leader of the Budget and Financial Analysis Section of SMC's San Fernando Brewery and garnered the "Model Supervisor" award.  I led a Quality Circle that exposed me to Problem Solving Process, became an assessor for the accreditation of San Fernando Brewery to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

7. Call to Serve the Church - During the latter part of my life in San Miguel, I recall how my heart was then searching for deeper meaning.  After going through the process of discernment, in 1998, I let go of the lucrative career and applied for early retirement in San Miguel.  All tides against my decision, I bravely headed on to find the fulfillment of that inner longing.  I volunteered to work for the church with an aspiration to participate actively in the mission of evangelization through the Basic Ecclesial Communities or Small Caring Groups.  I led pastoral planning seminars, evaluation workshops, FGDs, and facilitated retreats. Alongside my pastoral work, I did financial consulting activities with the Social Action Center of Pampanga, and with bishops.  After a five years of working full time in the church, a lot of things happened.  One of which is Election 2007.

8. Financial Consultant in Government and Educational Institution – It was a very significant moment in Pampanga politics when former priest Among Ed won the gubernatorial race in 2007.  Gov. Ed invited me to join his team at the capitol.  High hopes to change the face of politics inspired me to do pro-bono consulting activities at the Treasury Dept. I established the springboard of Gov. Ed's accountability by doing bank reconciliations. I designed a system to keep track of cash flows, bulk of which came from quarry taxes.  With my character, and a low threshold for frustrations, I left the post after two months.  By then I was already invited by the Bishop of San Fernando, who was appointed president of the University of the Assumption to become his financial consultant. I accepted the bishops invitation, did another round of pro-bono activities, and after a few months, I was offered employment. 

9. Adversities in Life – The flourishing business of my husband went bankrupt.  Huge loans gave a lot of stress on us.  My husband and I were deeply pained emotionally and financially.  It was heart rending to see properties being sold one after the other. Our Strada pick-up was car napped.  I had to make and sell longaniza and tocino.  Hardly had my husband recovered financially.   After a few years, he suffered from multiple strokes.  My world almost crumbled when he was hospitalized for 26 days.  The scarcity of resources almost led me to my wit's end.  But because of the providence of God, just like how He saw me through during my childhood years, He provided for all our needs.  He sent me generous hearts.  My husband's siblings and my own siblings shouldered the hospital bills at St. Luke's Hospital.  My brother-in-law redeemed our house and lot which was earlier mortgaged at the bank by my husband to finance a new business but unfortunately, the ROI was not realized.  Just a few years after my husband recovered, my eldest son (I have two sons) was retrenched from employment.  This was followed by my youngest son confinement for several months.  I almost succumbed to these adversities.  But looking back now, they have a lot to do with my transformation as a wife and mother.  They defined me as a woman epitomizing faithfulness, strength of character, and perseverance.  And these adversities are I believe, if not the ultimate, the best defining moments in my life.

10. Back to Church Service - A crucial event happened in year 2013.  My predecessor, a priest with an MDM degree from AIM, then the VP for Finance of the University of the Assumption, suffered a severe stroke.  The archdiocese needed to look for a replacement.  God led me to the position.  I faced the challenges of the position, which include th lack in academic qualifications.  That brought me to the Ateneo Graduate School of Business – MBA-Regis program.

In a nutshell, I believe that God has a great purpose for me.  He prepared me from Day 1, and is continuously transforming my life.  I am convinced that God has a mission for me to become a leader of His people.

What am I currently doing as a transformed person?  With what God has empowered me, I am doing my very best to become the best VP for Finance.  There is no room for mediocrity.  In two years time as VP, I was affirmed to have done a lot already.  The High School principal once visited my office and told me that her faculty members, like her, are grateful with what I am doing for the university.  She told me how I am making a difference in their lives.

On the personal side, I am taking on the domestic leadership in the family as the primary bread winner.  But my husband is still the head of the family.  He has been a good provider after all.  It is only in this time of adversity that we had to switch roles.  Being a transformed person as a result of adversities in life has a lot to do with shifting paradigms.  Were it not, I would have succumbed to self-pity, let alone, unhappy.

Heroic leadership to me means self-sacrifice.  I learned that "generosity is not about how much one has given, but it is about how little one has left for him- herself".  I am very much fulfilled with the thought that I have given so much in the name of service, and in all these, I have not thought much about what I could get, but thought about what I could do for others.  My work for the poor also widened my horizon on how to contribute to the betterment of lives.  When I was training the poor on sustainable livelihood programs, I was deeply touched to find out how little they need to make them happy and contented.  And yet, there is something deep in their hearts – a deep longing to contribute for the good of others.  Such humbles me.  They may be materially poor, but they are rich in a sense that they realized that their true treasure is God.

What will I continue doing?  So many things have already happened to me since I enrolled in the "Call to Leadership" course.  Even when we are just on our third week, I have already a deepened self-awareness. The reading assignments, classroom sharing, lectures, presentations, and researches led to self-examination in terms of what kind of leader I am.  I have been challenged by the leadership of great men and women.  And in my personal reflection, I pondered on the mission that God gave me.  I came to a happy conclusion that I will continue responding to God's call so that I can contribute to a better nation, and a better world.  In so doing, I hope to make a difference in the lives of people that I come in contact with.  When I finished MBA, I dream of imparting my knowledge in the academe.  There is also a compelling force on me to go back to my previous work with the poor. <GREAT>

Also a  journey towards leadership.  Thank you for always improving your work.  That is magis.  To be more