MA'AM MORTS, LA MUJER DEL SUR

Today, September 21, is the birth anniversary of the lady who's happier with living simply and away from the limelight, recognition, or titles.  It is because of this simplicity that she's often underestimated even by peers who really don't know her well, particularly in her newly chosen home. 

 

She cares not about titles, rank, or recognition, the main reason why many would look down on her. It was enough for her to have fulfilled the dream of riding a Bullet Train and walking in a field of tulips.

 

Not a few have the tendency to belittle a person or a place they hardly know.  Like many ignoramuses, certain individuals would demean a place they've never been to, nor has substantial information about.  Like the case of Rapu-Rapu in Albay whose impression of some is a place where "aswangs" thrive.

 

Similarly, Mindanao is perceived to be a backward place, its people can't speak nor pronounce acceptable English being Visayan speaking. They're short of describing inhabitants as savages or barbarians.  Thanks perhaps to the Americans who failed to subjugate the Southern peoples.

 

Who really is Ma'am Morts, "La Mujer del Sur"?, (The Lady from the South, an adjective fancied because of her paternal Spanish ancestry)  Who is she to be the subject of envy,  underestimation, that often manifests into dislikes? But paradoxically, her mere presence causes extreme insecurities in some.

 

She was born in a southern province of the Philippines but migrated to Manila for Secondary Education, and also for a semester or two of Bachelor in Nursing course, both at the Trinity University of Asia, Quezon City. 

 

Thereafter, she took up BS Bio in UP Manila in preparation for a degree in Doctor of Medicine.  However, due to her father's demise, she was constrained to shift to Accountancy at the University of San Jose Recoletos in Cebu City. 

 

After passing the Board of Accountancy, she joined the Audit Team of the country's leading Book Store but later on resigned. 

 

She also worked at the Department of Trade and Industry as Financial Analyst; an Accountant of a District Hospital, and with its devolution, she became the Chief Accountant of the LGU in her home City.  

 

While employed at said Local Government Unit, she completed the academic requirements for a Master's degree in Fr. Saturnino Urios University in Butuan City, but was conferred with the degree at Divine Word College of Legazpi (with the highest grade in the Comprehensive Examination, but no Latin honors for ;ack of residency), with the Thesis on an assessment of Meritocracy in 3rd Level Positions in the National Government Offices.

 

Shortly thereafter, she also completed her Ph.D. in Public Management at Bicol University, with a Dissertation on the evaluation of the Financial Performance of a provincial government in Bicol.

 

With teaching as her true passion, upon her permanent transfer to Bicol, she first taught at a Marine School before joining the teaching staff of one of the Region's premier business schools, where she later became its Dean for seven years. She's also currently a part-time Instructor at another State University, and a regular lecturer in LGU Finance in a private training group.

 

It was a 360 degrees turn in her career, from the corporate to a National Government Agency, to the Local Government Unit, and presently in the academe.

 

She also has a third level Civil Service Eligibility, or the Career Service Executive Eligibility, then a two-stage examination where the average passing rate was 4-5 percent. 

 

As a college instructor, she was also given recognition for her excellent performance.

 

Other than being a Certified Public Accountant, she's also a Certified Accounting Teacher; a Licensed Professional Teacher, an examination that she completed in almost less than 2 hours per session, in between examinations she was able to have a pedicure and lunch while waiting for the next exam yet getting high grades.

 

After training in financial institutions in Makati and Bloomberg in Singapore, she earned her Certification as Financial Management Professional.

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY,  "MA'AM MORTS"