I asked what sacrifices she had to do and her answer broke my heart. “When my husband died and I went on leave for only a week and have to report for work immediately because no one will man the office, the OIC and driver are busy with MELLPI. Working with a bleeding heart is not that easy.”, she said.   She also added, “There were times I failed to attend school activities and graduations of my children. There were also times when  I was not able to accompany my children when they got sick, instead endorse them to a neighbor. All of these are due to call of duty.” She also said that many time she did not attend family reunions because of her work.

The story of her sacrifices hit me but suddenly, I felt so lucky for in my school days when I got sick, I was never endorsed by our mother to a neighbor but her tender care always makes me well. In my stand as a staff who is just a three years old in the agency, I thought that I have sacrificed a lot, I complain, I compare, I demand. But who am I to feel this way if I am to compare these little things to the sacrifices of this womanThe woman I am referring to is no other than Ms. Rosalia Federico Pablo, the Administrative Aide  VI of NNC-CAR . She was given  a service award for  25 years of continuous and dedicated service by  the National Nutrition Council during the NNC’s 2016 Year-end General Assembly last December 20 at the NNC Lobby, Taguig City. We fondly call her auntie in the office for we all consider her as our second mother for she always displays warm friendship and caring ways to all.

She said that she has no regrets and does harbor any bad feelings about the sacrifices she had to do because she feels that God has been so kind to her and her family with good health and many blessings. She is also thankful for being part of NNC saying that NNC takes care of its people. She said NNC provided her training for her professional growth and made her capable and confident in all aspects of her work

Her message for all NNC staff is for us to  be patient, to love our work, to love our office, to love our superior and co-workers because they are our second family. The spirit of love suddenly then put my broken heart into whole again as I realized that Panagbenga month is fast approaching, the season for the flowers to bloom, the month of hearts. Therefore, let us then spread love for it is the real essence of the coming valentines. NEP/RDP