On the Dot
By Helen J. Camarista

Reflections

I was on special leave from work last Friday, August 26 to attend the induction of officers and new members and be inducted as Public Information Officer of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Guimaras Chapter at the Guimaras Trade Information Center (GTIC), Jordan, Guimaras. It's always heartwarming to see fellow lawyers some of whom I knew from way, way back. IBP-Guimaras Chapter is twelve years old. It was co-founded in 1993 by now Board Member Atty. Vicente B. De Asis, then Prosecutor Atty. Tomas E. Junco Jr. and Manila-based private practitioner Atty. Ruscius Zaragoza. There were five others who joined them and I was one of them. If I remember right, I was the only female lawyer among the 8-person IBP-Guimaras in 1993. (I underscored the word female because according to my favorite teacher in the University of Iloilo College of Law, there is no such creature as lady lawyer.) Now, after twelve years IBP-Guimaras has doubled its membership with 16. We are confident this number will increase in the next few years, God willing, as there are now 10 Guimaras-born and raised students in the three colleges of law in Iloilo City.

The past presidents of IBP-Guimaras were Atty. Vicente B. De Asis, Founding President (1993-1995), Atty. Ruscius Zaragoza (1995-1997), Atty. Edeljulio R. Romero (1997-1999), Atty. Ramdon L. Moreno (1999-2001), Atty. Rosalina Galvez-Tormon (2001-2003) and Atty. Leonardo E. Jiz (2003-2005). Atty. Tomas E. Junco Jr. was inducted last week as President for 2005-2007 with Atty. Jose Ricsan G. Tormon (Vice-President), Atty. Lunel J.Gabayoyo (Secretary), Atty. Rosalina Galvez-Tormon ( Treasurer), Atty. Elijo Sharon R. Herrera (Auditor), Atty. Helen J. Camarista (PIO) and Atty. Vicente B. De Asis, Atty. Gualterio B.Gelveson and Atty. Edeljulio R. Romero composing the Board of Directors). Atty. John Edward G. Gando (Bar'04) is IBP-Guimaras newest member.

Gracing the IBP-Guimaras event with their presence in the induction ceremonies were Guimaras Governor JC Rahman A. Nava, MD who gave the welcome remarks,Lone District of Iloilo City Congressman Raul Gonzalez Jr. who represented his father Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr. as Guest Speaker and Inducting Officer, Former Congresswoman Pacita T. Gonzalez, Hon. Constantino Tubilleja, Presiding Judge, MCTC Jordan, Guimaras, Atty. Luzermindo Calmorin, Guimaras Provincial Prosecutor and Atty.Bernabe Dusaban, OIC Iloilo Provincial Prosecutor, provincial and municipal officials of Guimaras and other special guests from Guimaras and Iloilo City. We missed Hon. Merlin Deloria (my law professor), Presiding Judge, Regional Trial Court Branch 65, Jordan, Guimaras who was in Cebu that day.

One of the projects of IBP Guimaras is to give free legal service to indigent litigants from the province. It will also come up with a publication in the Hiligaynon dialect to update the residents on legal matters.

Events like an IBP chapter induction remind me that aside from my other occupations and pre-occupations, I am a lawyer by profession. Of course, I also have some claim to the legal profession other than the right to use that Atty . prefix to my name, something that is peculiar to lawyers. There is no item for a legal officer in the regional offices of the Department of Tourism. I fill this gap in the DOT Region VI office as an added service to the government for free.

The Secretary of Tourism through the recommendation of DOT Western Visayas Regional Director Edwin G. Trompeta has granted me authority to teach law in local colleges/universities. Teaching Tourism Laws in the undergraduate level and law subjects such as Accountability and Ethics in Public Administration, Public Policy and Local Legislation and Local Government Code and Other Issuances in the graduate school had given me the avenue to put my legal profession in its proper perspective. I must admit though that the amount I am paid for teaching in five years is much less compared to what some of my brothers and sisters in the profession earn in a month's time. But I believe that the legal profession is not a money contest. Some lawyers' high is seeing money, more money and much more money. I have my high seeing my students with their eyes sparkling during class meetings as they learn some things new. Call it individual differences if you must. I cannot trade places.

I became a lawyer on my 15 th year in the Department of Tourism Region VI office where I finished both my Bachelor of Laws and Master in Public Administration degrees both with the support of this office, my boss and my colleagues in the service. If there is time left for me to squeeze a PhD degree, nobody will stand in the way and I can still count on everybody from janitor up to the Regional Director for support. I'm sure of that. This office has given me the opportunity to travel to ten countries as an international tourism scholar. The experiences I had and knowledge gained others can have only in their dreams. In short, here I self-actualize.

It's payback time.