A LEADER, A LADDER

A Reflection Essay by
Roland Emerson O. Mabuting
(EU111-F027)

Leading is somehow an experience that I often get to do especially in school

activities. Sometimes, the role of being a leader is appointed to me so I would do my
best to meet people’s expectations and to direct my group towards a particular
objective. There are also times when I don’t hold the title of being a leader, but sooner
or later I’d realize that I’m the one facilitating and supervising tasks and that my
groupmates are looking up to me as one. Bearing great responsibilities is a draining
task that it requires an individual needs to be strong, smart, and versatile. Honestly
speaking, leading is not my favorite task though I like the feeling of fulfillment when
you know that you’ve contributed to the success of the group. However, I prefer to be
a follower who makes sure that every assigned activities are accomplished on time
with efficiency. I prefer to help the leader in making decisions, strategies, and
basically in achieving the goal of the group. Knowing how hard it is to lead is the
reason why I salute all passionate leaders who acts with virtue towards good cause. I
salute those leader who’s capable of culturing excellence and collaboration no matter
how many his or her followers are. I’ve known many extraordinary leaders who’ve
made a mark in our history such as Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, Mahatma Gandhi,
Gat. Jose Rizal, and many other famous personalities. I’ve met people whom I
recognize as good leaders and fortunately, I got the privilege to be mentored by some
of them in school. There’s one person who inspired me to become more than what I
am today and to be someone who can serve and give more than what I can receive.
He’s a leader, a businessman, and my chemistry professor.
He’s a very resourceful and talented man and I think these qualities
contributed much to his success. He started teaching sciences at Manuel S. Enverga
University Foundation with his Doctor’s degree in chemistry and biology. Back then,
he actively leads the faculty and ensures that collaboration and competence will be
demonstrated by his co-professors so as to give their students the best quality of
education that they could have. His talent in teaching received praise from others, for
he doesn’t only stand in front to talk about the lessons, but he also shares wisdom
that he wanted for his students to absorb. After years of teaching experience, he
eventually aimed for more and started to enter the business world. He facilitated a
computer shop at Tayabas City and it became successful. He also once owned
photocopy stations inside MSEUF. But the majority of his career probably revolved in
the field of agriculture, especially in hosting a bee farm and manufacturing products
from it. He was recognized nationwide as a certified bee keeper, invited as resource
speaker in several seminars to inspire other farmers and exposed them in more
alternative methods in farming. Using his knowledge in chemistry, he produces
different products from honey such as wine, soap, feminine wash, and others.
Managing time and hard work is his specialty, which brought him all the achievements
that he had received. He became a rich man - both in money and people whom he
considers as family. Despite all his successes, he remained grounded. He once told
us that he’s happiness comes from giving to those who’s in need, no matter how
much he has. I wasn’t only admiring his wit and skills that have led him to where he is
now, there is far more beautiful in his deeds that really inspired me to do such thing.
Indigenous groups like Aetas are often discriminated in our community. People don’t
buy what they sell, like crop harvest, or if they do they usually pay lower compared to
the actual price. People look down on them as if they were just mere dirt in the streets.
My professor wanted to eradicate this connotation, so he gave living to some groups
that he met one time that he conducted a research about their traditional healing
practices. In fact, his farm is being taken care of Aetas and unlike others, he treated
them equally as other workers and respected them as a family. He thought them
methods in farming and supervised them in managing the farm. He even shares
some portion of his land for their own plantation, gave them shelter, and train some
the basics in business. With his leadership, he opened one of his farms to tourists
where they can relish in the beauty of nature and at the same time enjoy picking raw
food that they can eat inside the farm. Until now, my professor runs businesses
nationwide and internationally as a producer and farmer. He now owns multiple lands
for farming variety of crops, and to host colonies of honeybees. His extraordinary
talent in management and leadership and his will to act for a good cause inspired me
to become not just a successful leader, but also a leader who utilize his skills to
promote positive change. Above all, I want to be a leader who follows and serves for
the achievement of success - both mine and of the community.
Prof. PJ de Castro’s inspiring story taught me that leadership is something that
is not given, but rather it is something that is taken by someone worthy of assuming
the role. Leading does not end after you’ve shown the path that must be taken; it ends
with you, alongside with your companions, realizing the goal to which you’ve
dedicated all your effort and time. Being a leader takes courage to step up,
competence to be extraordinary, and a heart in every decision that he or she makes.
A leader who doesn’t look behind is blind. Be a leader who serves and acts as a
catalyst of good change; be one who directs the world towards the true form of
progress.