62. He gives and He takes away

i feel immense sadness over the death of a man whose name i didn't even know until his plane crashed off the coast of masbate a few days ago, and whose intense search and rescue efforts and the subsequent discovery of his dead body days later, have sparked off a deluge of nationwide mourning the likes and reach of which have rarely been connected to public officials in this country.

for the past week, i have read and heard only good words for the late d.i.l.g secretary jesse robredo, as though a lifetime of selfless and effective governance could be distilled and at the same time magnified in the mere span of a few days, and his memory be burned into the hearts of people who know more about the daily primetime tv schedule than the quiet accomplishments of their leaders.

this brings to mind painful questions that don't have easy answers. why do men like robredo, who still have so much more to give, get taken away so early / why do the good die young? what more could he have done had he survived? why wasn't he celebrated more when he was alive? why was his death so tragic, so senseless?

why am i sad, so affected over this? i am sad not only for the passing of a good man, but also for my country that deserves more men like him. may they rise up from the mantle of his example and take up the torch and make it burn brighter. let his death not be in vain.

r.i.p. secretary robredo.

the late DILG Secretary Jesse M. Robredo, via