Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

In The Hearts and Minds of Men

Greatness of a man or a woman or a group of men and women is imprinted in the hearts and minds of people. Simple things done to a man or woman by another man or another woman that allowed him or her to experience good feeling will endear that man or woman to whom service is given, service that is fair, just and equitable.
A simple example is the group of men with their equipment from the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA). In their Mercy Mission, they removed mud and debris from the streets of Kalibo. They declogged drainage canals. They studied the drainage system of Kalibo and its environs. Through their team leader, Mr. Aldo Mayor, on the basis of their study, findings and conclusions, they made recommendations to be done in Kalibo and Aklan in order to minimize the damage in case another typhoon, flood and mud hit Aklan specifically Kalibo in the future.
MMDA assisted Kalibonhons clean Kalibo of mud, debris and garbage for 25 days. They arrived in Kalibo on June 25 with complete heavy equipment and left Kalibo on July 21.
Before the MMDA Mercy Team left Kalibo, there were outpouring of appreciation for their great efforts from the Aklanons and Kalibonhons. Expression of thanks were aired over the radio stations. There were streamers printed and hang on some conspicuous places of Kalibo. When they departed Kalibo in the morning of July 21, people stood still along A. Mabini Street and Roxas Avenue, waved their hands goodbye with genuine smiles. That were gestures of beleaguered people to a helpful group of people who mitigated stress, pain and sorrows over the damages incurred due to strong wind, deep flood and mud.
Indeed, MMDA under the leadership of Chairman Bayani Fernando has imprinted itself in hearts and minds of Aklanons, specifically Kalibonhons.

Great Plan

When MMDA first came to Kalibo, neither Mr. Aldo Mayor nor any member of his team talked of what they will do in Kalibo but help clear the mud. They immediately buckled down to work clearing streets of mud and debris and declogged drainage canals. It was only on July 5, 2008 at the Kapehan Sa Aklan where he was invited with Mayor Raymar A. Rebaldo that Mr. Aldo Mayor talked to inform the people of their great jobs and accomplishments.
That was a contrast to Aklan Electric Cooperative (AKELCO) which when radio stations resumed operation on the first week of July, immediately announced their Akelco rehabilitation plan. According to Mr. Chito Peralta, Akelco general manager, Akelco has three (3) priorities in its rehabilitation (reconnection) program. These are:
1. The main trunk line along the national highway;
2. The secondary trunkline or along the provincial roads; and
3. The interiors.
Hearing it as it was announced, the plan appeared sensible that deserved the support of everybody, every Aklanon.
When President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo visited Aklan in the afternoon of Tuesday, July 1, he, Mr. Peralta assured Mrs. Arroyo, Akelco must have completed the restoration of electricity to all its member-clients by July 26. Moreover, Mr. Peralta bragged to the president, “all the towns of Aklan were already lighted.” The venue was in Kalibo International Airport.
On the second week of July, Ms. Bueno, National Electrification Administration Administrator in a radio interview in Kalibo announced, “85 percent of electricity in Kalibo were restored”, on the basis of Akelco’s progress report. Was it?

Can He Do It?

Will Mr. Peralta fulfill his commitment to Mrs. Arroyo that by July 26, there have been a 100 percent electricity services to its member-clients? This column strongly supports the plan of Mgr. Peralta. However, with the number of days left, completing electricity restoration might be a “mid summer night dream”.
Probably, July 26 target of completion or even earlier was possible had Mr. Peralta and his staff adhered to his project plan.
Consider these points:
1. Akelco was given ample supports by NEA and other electric cooperatives from Mindanao, Visayas and Luzon like the Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative and CENECO. They have completed their assigned jobs, they had gone back while Akelco is still repairing;
2. Akelco Management have abandoned its project plan. There is now a rumor circulating that to get earlier reconnection, one must pay a certain amount. This belief came about because of the observation that the reconnec-tion is not massive, but done in a selective way. For instance, a repair team will reconnect one, three or five houses in a purok then left. They will come back later and reconnect one.
Good example is the Doña Crispina Resort Hotel. A repair team came, reconnected Doña Crispina and left. In Linabuan Sur, a repair team came, reconnected a few houses and left. They came back two days later, reconnected one house. What a waste of people’s money in terms of personal services, use of vehicle and time which resulted to poor production.
Akelco management either did not know or has forgotten that “time and motion” theory which enhances the highest productivity if applied or practiced. This is a practice in project management, the application of which will result to increase productivity at minimum time spent and less movement.
What Akelco is doing is moving more and producing lesser by reconnecting 1-5 clients and move out. Akelco could have assigned its men and equipment on a daily basis to a certain place from 8 am to 5 pm. This will prevent unnecessary movement; more time devoted to the job, less travel time and expenses. Hence, higher productivity at lesser cost of production. /MP