GUIMARAS — He is dreaming to become a bank manager since he was a child. But, his fate destined him to become a field worker as Municipal Roving Bookkeeper under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-6).
Jenel Gallo embraced the opportunity God has given to him where he spend most of his seven years in public service.
Realizing the beauty of field work, Jenel now dreams to serve more people in the community- those whom he will never have appreciated if he is just in an office. His job brought him to the different places in Region VI where he touches the lives and inspired other people especially the 4Ps beneficiaries.
Jenel is now a beacon of hope for the under privileged, a Caritas Christi for dedicating his life into empowering the communities he was assigned to, and the communities he is presently assigned particularly in the municipalities Nueva Valencia and Jordan, both in Guimaras.
During the Pantawid Pamilya Regional General Assembly (RGA) last year, Jenel has been adjudged as winner in the Municipal Roving Bookkeeper (MRB) category bested five other provincial nominees regionwide. As one of the exemplary staff, Jenel has exceptionally rendered oneself in the field as MRB.
JOURNEY
Jenel was first assigned in Aklan. It was a very first experienced being separated from his family and home- as his comfort zone. Bur never did he refused because of this. There were times when he felt home sick, but every time he visited the barangays in the far-flung areas of Aklan, he always remembered his own home and so was inspired to continue the work he has.
Onset of his work, what mattered to him was only to earn- to have his bread and butter. At first, it’s just a mere obligation to him to have a source of income. But days passed by, he begun to embrace the nature of work, once he thought was just only a tool to survive financially.
Soon, he developed the love of serving, and withstanding all the challenges – either a threat in his life or be that far away from home issue, he embraces working for the poor, vulnerable and the underprivileged and so became all fired up to walk day by day.
After more than a years of hardships, and challenges and learnings in the land of Aklan, Jenel was called back to Province of Guimaras where he grew up. Bringing back with him the lessons and experiences he learned from Aklan, he soon discovered that he could be more than just a bookkeeper that he is.
Maturing into the fieldwork, he soon grew into a developmental thinker- something he never thought he has in him. Offering the community more than the financial assistance they deserved, he also urged the people to be open-minded and so find means to live.
And so, he beans his journey of crafting numerous proposals which have an end goal of teaching the local community to live and generate income using the natural resources and more importantly, live a healthy lifestyle by maintaining an organic vegetable garden.
At present, Jenel had three prosperous projects in the local communities of Jordan and Nueva Valencia. All of these projects had already been approved by the local government unit. These are the banana shoot project, organic backyard and communal gardening.
FAMILY
Born in 1984, Jenel is the youngest of the seven children of Mr. and Mrs. Hernani Gallo. As an advocate of Christianity, his parents believe that discipline, responsibility and dedication should be adhered to.
At young age, he was taught a proper discipline. It was always his father’s line “to behave properly and observe proper decorum at all times”- a thing he accumulated and brought as a young man in the present.
Aside from discipline, he was also taught responsibility and dedication. In everything he does, he must always remember to do it responsibly, with accountability whatever the consequences are.
When he was in College, his parents urged him to strive and graduate despite lack of financial support to augment his educational needs. Poverty has never be a hindrance to Jenel in fact, he was more inspired to finish his schooling knowing that his parents are always at his back to support him. Jenel has finished his baccalaureate degree and this served as his weapon.
That weapon put him where his now. He always looked back with gratefulness towards his parents. If not for them, he would have been misguided. Jenel always sees to it that his parents’ basic needs are well- provided.
ADVOCACY
God is always the center of his life. Jenel always put God on top of his priority with his work and relationships with people around him. Anchored on the belief that life is worthwhile if it is used for the glory of God the most.
“If we love God most, we will love other best,” he said.
At church, Jenel is one of the benefactors, and a consistent advocate of Vacation Bible School. According to him, in this world where peace is always at stake, and violence is present everywhere, the only thing you can do is to continue sowing good seeds in the heart of the children- the best way to do this is to teach them the Gospel of God.
As a believer of life’s sacredness, Jenel is also an advocate of healthy living. He believes that if one lives healthily, he is in the path to Godliness. All of these things, is a fact that Jenel always shares with everyone- for he believes that sharing what you believe in emanates the essence of living for God.//dswd6//Montesa G. Caoyonan and Joanna Rose Jabonete.
