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Her name means leadership

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In one of John Maxwell's famous leadership books, he said everything rises and falls on leadership. In the Department of Education (Deped), one name stands firm denoting Maxwell's description.

Her name, in the apocryphal book of Tobit, means a woman of courage. In DepEd, her name means leadership. Her name has become a beacon of hope to those who wanted change.

Susana Teresa Basañes Estigoy, fondly called Ma'am Susan, is a famed name among educators in Davao Region. Though some fear her name, others simply adore it.

She has been in the education sector since 1968 right after she graduated as magna cum laude from the Immaculate Conception of Davao, now University of the Immaculate Conception.

After eight years as a high school teacher showing great skills and leadership, Ma'am Susan rose as principal then to education supervisor.

In 1991, she was promoted as assistant schools division superintendent and from then on she never stopped from rising.

Today, Ma'am Susan is undoubtedly hailed as one of the most respectable regional directors in the country.

She could probably be the answer to the cliche question "Are leaders born or made?"

We could probably start from her grateful beginnings as a daughter of a leader and an educator. Her father Anastacio was once the mayor of Monkayo, now a town in Compostela Valley, and her mother Eulalia retired as schools division superintendent in Davao del Norte.

Her father was known to be a great leader with exemplary abilities in his town. Her mother was recognized as a remarkable speaker and one of the greatest superintendents in Davao del Norte.

No wonder, as we could imagine, that Ma'am Susan grew up with strong leadership qualities and exceptional communication skills.

To add, she was trained by Canadian sisters of Assumption when Assumption schools were the best in Davao del Norte. She graduated as valedictorian in high school.

Her brothers had become leaders too as a boardmember and vice mayor in Monkayo. Though Ma'am Susan did not engage in politics, she became a leader to where her passion dwells education.

She did not just become a superintendent in Davao del Norte like her mother, but she battled all the stairs up by only showing her leadership traits. This is something her mother would be very proud of if she were alive today.

When she was appointed as regional director in June 2007, Ma'am Susan did not hesitate to implement new standards to achieve greater outcomes. The big projects she strengthened include the enrichment of alternative learning system (ALS), health and nutrition, sports, elementary and secondary functions.

She had initiated special projects like "Tuloy ang Pasko ng mga Bata", a gift-giving event to school children in depressed area identified as beneficiaries; and Handog Pamasko para sa mga Guro, a welfare program aimed at providing financial assistance to sick and ailing teachers who are suffering from lingering or chronic ailment and whose net salary is less sufficient to shoulder for their medication.

In her desire to leave something meaningful before she retires, Ma’am Susan sees to it that before she retires the National Educators Academy of the Philippines (Neap) will be fully developed and the Indigenous Peoples Education (IPE) will be one of the main concerns of DepEd.

As a leader, her firmness to perfect every task is a blessing in disguise. While some whine on how to do their tasks, others take it as a challenge to do better.

Some would retreat when they see her coming; they are those who either did not make their task right or do not want to hold big responsibilities. Some would feel secure when they hear her talk; they are those who want to achieve more.

As Maxwell said, a leader without discipline will not be able to lead anyone. And so those who were challenged turn out to become better persons, effective workers, and achievers.

In one of her inspirational speeches, her example of“"Hem and Haw" characters from the bookseller "Who Moved My Cheese" was one of the best times that all she wanted was to make each employee open to change.

She wanted to make them realize that the things they depend on and can’t control can and do change; that change happens and they should anticipate, monitor, adapt, and enjoy these changes.

She inspires employees by showing how she performs her tasks. Many who were with her in seminars and trainings attested that they see her work as early as four o’clock in the morning in her laptop preparing all her presentations personally.

Unlike other bosses, Ma'am Susan does not entirely entrust the reports that she needs to the staff. She is both skilled in computers and other technical matters.

This writer who had first seen her in 1980 has fond memories of her as a sweet-smiling and soft-spoken woman. She never thought that two decades after she would meet her again; this time, still smiling and soft-spoken but leading Deped to success.

Her more than four-decade stint in the department makes her the most knowledgeable and respected personality in Deped. No doubt, many look at her with high esteem.

Ma'am Susan will be retiring after the celebration of Teachers’Month in September and World Teachers’Day on October 5. But before we start remembering all our teachers again with gratitude, this one leader and a full-time educator who made a big difference in DepEd Region 11 deserves the highest compliments.

If we ask this again "Are leaders born or made?", Ma'am Susan is the answer.

(By Maria Gemima C. Valderrama, published August 26, 2012 at Sunstar Davao)

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