MANILA, Jan. 26 (PNA)–For the 64-year old lady photographer of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), there are a lot of pleasant and unpleasant experiences that she can impart to her grandchildren when she retires next year.

In her 30th service as a lady photographer of DSWD, the still energetic and kicking Ma. Dadiva Villanueva popularly and fondly called ‘Tita Mary’ or ‘Ate Mary’ in the Social Marketing Service (SMS) of the department happily said that she was lucky enough to work side by side with many DSWD chiefs in the coverage of the department’s services and various events.

“I feel lucky. I did not expect that my experience as a photographer from my previous job will give me the chance to experience the joy and privilege of working in a protective and caring agency like the DSWD,” narrated Ate Mary with a smile as she looked back.

She disclosed that before she got the item of a photographer in DSWD in 1986, she had worked first as a photographer of Floro Photo until she worked as a relief grantee in 1985 in the department performing various jobs like assisting the social workers in bringing service to the poor and less fortunate sectors of the society.

Ate Mary added that she feels a bit proud about having the chance to express through her photos the challenges and accomplishments of the department under the leadership of DSWd chiefs, namely Mita Pardo de Tavera since 1986 to Corazon Alma de Leon, Gloria Macapacagal-Arroyo, Dulce Saguisag, Lina Laigo, Esperanza Cabral, Celia Yangco, until current DSWD Secretary Corazon J. Soliman.

She admits that she sometimes feels that the job is overwhelming and fulfilling too because she got the chance to meet different kinds of people from those being served by the department to other notable people also serving the government.

“It is in this job where I feel the respect and dignity of a human being serving the people even if I do not belong to the category of those who have the highest position in the government. I remember former President Fidel V. Ramos, who was then serving as a cabinet minister during that time even exchanged pleasantries with us in some occasions,” she excitedly recalls.

She cited that even the current DSWD chief Soliman had even made her feel that some government people are ‘down to earth’ too when the secretary herself had volunteered to take a photo of her with the Philippines and United States ‘Balikatan Exercises’ men in Zambales during a coverage.

“I was really surprised when she (Secretary Soliman) noticed how amazed I was while watching the men in uniform with military paraphernalia. I felt very happy and elated when she volunteered to take a photo of me with the military men as my remembrance,” she giggled with a smile saying that was one of the most unforgettable moments of her life that she will love to look back.

She swears also that in all the years she had served as a photographer of DSWD, one of her favorite DSWD chief was Mita Pardo de Tavera whom she worked with since 1986.

“She was one among the DSWD chiefs who had shown much concern and kindness to all of us, from the lowest ranking employee to the highest,” she sighed.

She recalled that it was during de Tavera’s term where she experienced a helicopter landfall on a rice fields on their way to visit and do a coverage on the assistance given to disaster stricken province due to a strong typhoon.

“Luckily, thanked God, we survived it and we were not hurt during that helicopter accident,” she smiled.

Though frightened from that experience, she cited that such incident led to the strengthening of the cravings in herself to pursue the job and told herself she was determined to pass all the trials and difficulties that go with the job of a lady photographer and believe that God will provide protection.

Since then she got used to the job and enjoy the pleasure of experiencing to travel in many parts of the country from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao not only during disasters but also to other lighter events of DSWD.

A few years later, she met Wilfredo who also work in other department of DSWD.

They fell in love and they got married which lead to the birth of their three children, all of whom have finished their studies.

“That is the reason why I will always love DSWD. It is where I met the love of my life, had my children and were able to raise them properly even if my job requires me not to be a mother who is always at the side of my children,” she said.

She was thankful that in all her absence on some important occasions on the lives of her children was filled by her mother who was supportive to take care of them.

“It is good I have a mother who was there to fill the gaps and explained to my children my duties in my job,” she added.

She said that doing the job of a photographer had exposed her not only to danger of accidents but also to some emotional pain and skin disease too.

She said she had a miscarriage when she covered the Mayon volcano eruption in 1993 and suffered stress and had skin diseases when she covered Payatas tragedy in 2009.

The job also requires her to bring the camera along with her during wee hours in the morning or very late coverage in the evening made her highly susceptible to risk of being victims of holdup too.

“I just do some prayers for guidance and protection. But definitely I have no regret in this job. All of those experiences helped to hone me where I am today. In every job there is always pain and pleasure, right?,” she sighed and nodded.

She added that when you love the job and enjoy doing it there are no ifs and buts, and with the job she had in DSWD quitting never came to her mind.

“Working here gave me the chance to help the less fortunate members of our community. I had the chance to refer their cases to the Crisis Intervention Unit (CIU) of DSWD especially those who need burial transportation and medical problems too,” she added.

During the recent 63rd anniversary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) held last January 17, she was one of the recipients of the loyalty awards given to many of the department’s employees in recognition of their unselfish rendering of service that contributed to the accomplishment of its role as a protective and caring agencies to the vulnerable sectors of the society.

Ate Mary knows that one day as she retires her photos will not be remembered at all for many of them published in some newspapers were not by-lined to her.

“What matters is that in the heart and memory of my children and grandchildren, and those I worked with, my photos of covering the many big and small events of DSWD will always be alive,” she smiled. (PNA)

By: Leilani S. Junio (PNA)

originally printed by: www.balita.ph