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Was It Vocational Service Week?

By: Treas. Robert Syjuco
Sept. 1, 2010

PDG Ato started the meeting with an ‘e-mail from God’ invocation. Lengthy but meaningful, it reminded us to be thankful for little things that irk us. Things that the less fortunate would be thankful to have. Like having to walk some distance from parking, when a paraplegic would be more that happy just to walk that same distance. Meaningful stuff.

There were no committee announcements; the President’s time was short. He reminded us of the fellowship later at Zuni. That one, everyone forgot about till now as there were no email or text follow-ups to the days leading to it. Maybe the admin staff need zinc supplements…

Our guest speaker was originally Dayan Hernandez, a model/photographer friend whom I introduced to the guys a couple of weeks back at the fellowship at the Wine Club. I think PP Gus and PP Ed invited her for today. I don’t blame them. However…

‘Model’ and ‘public speaking’ are usually not used in the same sentence. There are a minority who are capable, and they have usually graduated to hosting jobs for TV, radio and events. As for the rest, their core competencies are 1) Looking good 2) dressing well 3) capable of drinking plenty of alcohol 4 ) Being fun to be with 5) finding buff guys they spend on 6) finding rich guys who spend on them…usually in that order. Even beauty queens like Venus Raj fudge public speaking…

Dayan had always been painfully quiet from the time I met her 2 years back, even when loaded with alcohol (competence no. 2 ), so it was no surprise when she asked someone more senior in her company, Picar, to talk for her. I just didn’t assume she would bring a whole bunch today. A bunch of newbies and a typical bla-bla sales guy.

I was not going to let her off so easily, as I knew the guys could not care less about her project, they wanted to see her. So I introduced her with her pictures. From both behind the camera (she does really nice commercial photography ), to in front of the camera ( her shyness evaporates in front of it, totally ), to her big heart (she spent her last birthday in an orphanage, plus charity work at Smokey Mountain ). Then I turned over the floor to her boss, gosh his name escapes me…not that I want to remember.

It was a typical sales pitch, a lengthy one at that. 70 stories on Kalayaan Ave. Frankly I wouldn’t touch it with a 10 foot pole as their last project, next to POEA on Edsa, remains a big hole, after more than 10 years. So as far as track record goes its negative. And judging from the staff they sent…..remember, they were trying to sell you something so that was their best behavior…forget it. You have been warned, but please don’t quote me!

I actually reprimanded Dayan for a) not having the simple courtesy of asking if can bring other people (it’s not a town fiesta, Picar people ) b) you don’t bring Privates to sell to Generals (unless they are pretty ) c) She will never make it in sales if she can’t sell it herself. 4) She has to be sold on what she’s selling, and I don’t mean selling for a comm, I meant she would buy it too if she could. To which she said, “Amen! hihihi “. See, her core competencies are 1,2 & 3. Maybe 4.

So guys think of it as a week for Vocational Service, teaching people some skills and manners. And feeding the less fortunate. Oh btw for the fellowship at Zuni later that night, Mac, Bob H., KP P. and I showed up. Four guys representing 10% of the club. We still had fun. There you go….