In the line of duty

 

SPEAKING OUT

Ignacio R. Bunye

The first text message I received early on Aug. 31 asked if I have heard about Rey Samson. “He died yesterday,” the texter said. I was so shocked because I knew that Rey, one of earliest graduates of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa was young and relatively in good health. Subsequent text messages disclosed that Police Lieutenant Rey Samson, who was chief of police of Ampatuan town, and one of his men were killed in an ambush, around 9:40 a.m. of Aug. 30, along the road in Barangay Kapinpilan, Ampatuan, Maguindanao. Samson and his men were on their way to serve a warrant of arrest when waylaid by still unidentified gunmen.

Immediately there was an outpouring of messages of condolence from friends, former students, former teaching colleagues at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa, former mistahs, Masonic brothers as well as a condemnation from the PNP hierarchy of the deadly ambush.

I remember Rey as one of the pioneer students in the Muntinlupa Polytechnic College (MPC) which I, as then Muntinlupa mayor, founded in 1991. The MPC has since been upgraded to university status and renamed Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa (PLMUN). After finishing a bachelor’s degree course, Rey never stopped studying. He has been conferred masters degrees in public administration, education and later a PhD in education. He taught at PLMUN, Philippine Public Safety College of Calamba, Laguna and Laguna Northwestern on a subject close to his heart– Security Administration. He sat in the PLMUN board of regents as alumni representative. At the same time, Rey enlisted in the Philippine National Police where he felt he could make a difference.

In a fairly recent Facebook post, Rey described himself as a teacher at heart. I understand that even after he was assigned in Ampatuan, Rey continued to give online lectures. “God put me in the teaching profession, to be a positive influence of change … for the sake of my students’ development and to prepare them for a better future. Salamat oh aking Panginoon sapagkat ako’y ginawa mong guro… guro ng pagbabago para saaking kapwa tao.”

So long Rey. You will be sadly missed.

I received this bit of good news from my good friend BPI Foundation Executive Director Owen Cammayo. Just two weeks ago, the first BPI Bayanihan Center in the country was unveiled in simple ceremonies in Barangay Malainin, Ibaan, Batangas.

The BPI Bayanihan Center consists of a new two-story building which will provide not only a safe shelter for the people of Batangas in times of calamity but also a health care facility, a livelihood center and a multi-purpose hall for activities that bring the community together.

The 528-square-meter BPI Bayanihan Center can accommodate around 300 evacuees and is accessible to persons with disabilities. It is also equipped with a breastfeeding station and a kitchen.

Cammayo said the structure was developed by BPI, BPI Foundation with the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF)’s Project Safe Shelters. The facility was built with funds from BPI Foundation and donations from the bank’s clients and employees who wanted to help those affected by Taal Volcano eruptions since 2020.

Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas, BPI President and CEO TG Limcaoco, Owen Cammayo, PDRF Executive Director Veronica Gabaldon, PDRF Chief Resilience Office Bill Luz, and PDRF President Butch Meily formally opened the center.

“BPI’s success as a long-standing institution, especially highlighted now on our 171st anniversary, ties back to the success of our nation,” said Limcaoco. “It is our belief that more than growing our business, it is equally important to help build and grow the communities around us, especially when unexpected tragedies strike (… ) Let the BPI Bayanihan Center be a reminder for all of us to help each other especially during hard times, so that as we work towards recovery and progress, no Filipino gets left behind.”

Just recently, BPI Foundation turned over pre-owned computers and laptops to four schools in Muntinlupa, namely, Poblacion Elementary School, Itaas Elementary School, Muntinlupa National High School and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa (PLMUN). Indeed, Bayanihan matters.