Remembering

As an employer, there is a sense of responsibility that I feel toward those who work for me. I work within an industry that deals with loans and collections at the doorsteps of the poor communities. With that task at hand, danger is almost apparent. This afternoon, an employee of mine was killed in the line of duty. His killer was shot dead by the police eventually, but the damage was done.. He was a model employee, younger than me. Tomorrow, I'm off to the province to show support and do "damage control". It is very hard.. I can only imagine how hard it is for his family who have yet to find out (they are from another province). I wrote a memo to all our employees, which goes like this:

At the time of this writing, you would have all heard about the tragic and unfortunate death of our colleague, Mr. Ronel Abadiano, which occurred yesterday at 4:30 p.m. He was a victim of a senseless assault which occurred when he was on his way to fulfilling his sit down obligation for the day. He was stabbed several times in various parts of his body and died minutes after arriving in the Provincial Hospital.


For the information of those who do not know him, Mr. Abadiano has been employed with us for the past three years. He was practically a fresh college graduate when he was hired and immediately was singled out as a promising LEAP (Livelihood Enhancement and Promotions) Agent because of how he was able to manage his clients, his books and the endless struggle with delinquency. He was compassionate to his clients yet at the same time was firm in the way he handled his clients’ accounts. He was also very hardworking in his role as LEAP Agent. He was a model employee who would even serve as a mentor and trainer to new recruits and a trustworthy and dependable right hand of his immediate superiors. He was recently promoted as Team Leader for Recording and Bookkeeping and had he lived on, would have surely risen further in rank.


One thing that I noticed about Ronel was the strength of his fighting spirit. He always was one who fought with his superiors with issues and values which he stood for. He was a man with principles- a man with dignity. Unfortunately, it was perhaps his fighting spirit that got him killed. He sustained the wounds because he simply kept fighting back, not allowing the killer to take what was his. He died with courage and dignity, and I believe it is best to remember Ronel in that manner.


As we grieve the loss of Ronel, let us remember and honor him for his valuable contributions to the Company. He was more than an ordinary LEAP Agent. He showed utmost dedication in our cause of serving the poor communities and was a loyal employee until the end. In this regard, I would like to ask for your continued prayers and support for him, his family and loved ones.


Rest In Peace.