Kaffeeklatsch 
jcua@theguidon.com

The media hype leading to the State of the Nation Address (SONA) made me remember my internship at the Department of Finance (DOF) last summer. I recalled having to follow up on the department’s attached bureaus regarding figures that they are supposed to send us for consolidation, for use in the SONA.

I do admit that my perception of the government had been unflattering to our public officials. I had long relegated the government to the realm of hopelessness, and I would normally dismiss anything government-related as inefficient, corrupt or downright irrelevant—or a combination of any of them.

It was therefore obviously ironic that I decided to intern for the government last summer. Curiosity won over me, and instead of applying to multinational companies during the job fair in school early this year, I found myself inquiring about the application requirements for DOF.

During my six-week stay in DOF, I realized that having such a lopsided view of the government was simply myopic on my part—perhaps just as myopic as when one would thoughtlessly applaud every single “achievement” put in the fore during the SONA.

The people I worked with in DOF, together with their other colleagues, tirelessly evaluated and reevaluated pending bills concerned with the revenue generation of the government. I have seen them frustrated about a policy recommendation that would not push through but which they believed would be effective, but I have also seen their faces beam with joy when their recommendation was approved.

I could tell that they took their work seriously because they had a connection to their work. They felt their work, and they knew the implications of it. Every approval of their recommendation could mean more money to be spent on over 90 million Filipinos. Their actions were crucial, and they were aware that for every success they make, the effects on the country would come back positively in spades.

One thing that struck me was that even though DOF employees knew they could get a higher-paying job elsewhere, they chose to stay in government. The supervisor in our office even shared to me that the fulfillment she gets in DOF is more meaningful than what she experienced in a private company she used to work for. She said that there is something special about knowing that your work will affect not a select few, but a vast majority.

I was also moved by Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima with whom the interns had merienda. Judging by the way he talked about his work and the function of DOF, any of us in the room could easily tell that he was very much invested on good governance. I particularly remember him saying, “Sometimes, the best jobs don’t pay the highest.”

Certainly, my former co-workers and the secretary himself are not perfect public servants, but their overall disposition has shown me that there is more than just a sliver of hope for the government and ultimately for the country. There are still people in the government who care enough to improve lives other than their own, and I salute these people because they have made a noble choice.

I might have only stayed in DOF for a short period of time, but I know I have seen enough promise to be able to hope for the country again.