At the flag raising ceremony of the House of Representatives hosted by the Legislative Information Resources Management Department, Quezon City 1st District Representative Juan Carlos “Arjo” C. Atayde commended the unwavering dedication and commitment of government workers.
He said, “I would like to express my gratitude to all of you for welcoming me—a first-time public servant, a rookie legislator—with open arms.”
Highlighting the challenges and intricacies of governance, Rep. Atayde shared, “Una, na-realize ko na hindi pala ganun kasimple ang problema at isyu ng bayan, at hindi rin ganun ka-simple ang solusyon sa mga ito.”
He emphasized that while it’s quite easy for outsiders to comment on national issues, crafting viable solutions requires collaboration, expertise, and an understanding of the complexities involved.
The lawmaker further acknowledged the dedication of government employees, stating, “Our bureaucracy, in truth, is a machine with many moving parts, governed by many laws.”
He added, “The Filipino civil servant often has to deal with a myriad of problems with limited resources. Kalimitan kailangan mag-overtime ang government employee, nang walang dagdag na bayad, para lang magawa ang trabaho nya.”
Rep. Atayde’s speech resonated with the theme of the ceremony, emphasizing the importance of continuous improvement, collaboration, and competence in public service.
He concluded by saying, “It’s not enough to want to do good; we have to know how to mobilize our resources, particularly our human resources, in order to address our constituents’ concerns. We representatives need the help of our staff here in Congress, and the assistance of our staff in our district offices, as well as the personnel of so many other government offices, to be able to better help the people we represent.”
