In the very early part of the previous decade, our entourage from the ATI Regional Training Center in Bicol visited emerging and established agricultural hubs in other parts of Luzon as a staff development activity.

The Master's Garden was one of the completely unexpected yet singularly memorable sites that the ATI in the Cordillera Autonomous Region led us to. Organic farming was then barely mentioned as an intervention in agriculture.

Well, hello there.

It’s been a while since I wrote here, for a number of unavoidable reasons – preparing for and making that life-changing decision, retirement.

It seems only a day ago when I was submitting my application letter for a job with my first employer, the Department of Science and Technology in Legazpi City. I remember pretty well what I said there – I wanted to know the dynamics of working in the government. My parents both were working in the government as far back as I can remember. It was an extension of my respect for what they do that I chose to do it too.

Caught up in the thick of everyday work, it almost escaped me that the rest of the world is actually enjoying summertime for many reasons. Were it not for a brief reminder from Mr. Rey Alo, I would have overlooked that graduating students are actually wearing toga and doing their graduation march this time of the year. The country’s state University of the Philippines at Los Baños will be having its 41st Commencement Exercises tomorrow, April 27, 2013.

It is not too often that I find myself in the receiving end of ATIs trainings. There were trainings of course that I attended to learn skills or information I need to do tasks assigned or being assigned to me.

It’s been a busy year, to say the least. No doubt our training center is not alone in saying this. Perhaps the entire ATI network can honestly say that it has been a year of work, work, work.

Relevance in the midst of all the drudgery – therein lies the challenge.

Sometimes (or too often?) our work becomes too exacting, demanding, or mandatory, that we forget we should look not just on the numbers, but also particularly on the results – what people really need, not just report indicators.

A blog gives you plenty of opportunity to express deep-seated beliefs and trivial pursuits. It’s quite liberating. So given the chance to write a blog in between activities trying to get out of a work backlog, I grab the chance to write.