050 ODE TO MIKE (3)
Many years had passed since we last met. Certainly, we got to see each other in a few education events. But it was the same Mike. It was the same warm albeit restrained smile. He had gone back to work at AIM, among other education-related activities (He was trustee at Far Eastern University and the Philippine Normal University, among others). And his name would often pop up in conversations with friends and colleagues.
As many of his friends in the education sector knew, he had health issues. Yet despite the warning, I wasn’t prepared to see him when we met a year ago, to basically catch up and, as was my request, to talk about my latest brainchild, the Educator Empowerment Program (EEP).
It felt like a wonderful reunion. Mike, who’s always been quite reserved, seemed happy to see me and our colleague and friend, Kenneth Tirado, who serves as the EEP’s head for advocacy, and had also worked with Mike even as far back as the De Jesus days at DepEd (I only joined them after DJ, when I became policy adviser of DJ’s successor, Butch Abad).
It was.a bittersweet reunion, since he aged so much, primarily because of his health issues. All the while, I kept thinking what would have been if he had stayed on at the education department. We spent most of that time discussing the EEP. And he volunteered to help, initially, by providing us with independent researchers to conduct different studies on the program. This offer, we gladly accepted.
Months had passed when we saw him again—by chance—at a mall near his Paranaque home. He was all smiles when I ribbed him about the EDCOM 2 jacket he was wearing (It was good that he was tapped to be part of this congressional commission on education). We told each other that we should meet up again soon to continue our discussions, on EEP and on education reform. Alas, that was our last conversation.
He did send a message after. Asking if I already got a copy of the recently revised K-12 curriculum. I did send it to him as soon as I got hold of it a few days later. Strangely enough, he didn’t reply. I’d learn later that he was already in the hospital then. And yes, he had passed on.
At his wake at the AIM, Mike’s first boss at DepEd, Secretary Edilberto De Jesus, spoke about their accomplishments during that time. We tried to get DJ’s successor, our boss, Secretary Butch Abad, to speak about Mike’s role during his time at the department, but he was out of the country. His successor, Dr. Fe Hidalgo, was indisposed due to health issues (she could have talked about the value of a Mike Luz during the critical period when she was at the helm of the department). In the end, I believe Mike didn’t get the credit he deserved.
I was supposed to host a reunion of our DepEd colleagues several months ago. It was at the behest of Doc Fe. And yes, Mike was one of the few people she wanted to invite. That wasn’t meant to be. That reunion would happen next week though, at my place. I’ve invited all three education secretaries I’ve worked with and they’ve all confirmed attendance—Abad, Hidalgo and Lapus. Our dear former DepEd colleagues and friends Mon Bacani, Jesse and Lulay Mateo, Aida Carpentero, among others, have also confirmed that they will go to this small get together. I can only pray that Mike will be there with us, in spirit. To him I say thank you for the friendship and for the dedicated service to the cause of Philippine education.