What can one man do?

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The Philippines is a tiny nation southeast of the great Pacific. Strategically located, for trade, defense, and whatever, many countries had made their vested interest of conquering this island nation known. One has just to browse a little bit on the net, and the history of this nation would bring one to a state of sadness, for many have shed blood, sweat, and tears, to make this nation free, dignified, and proud. Like any other country, this one has heroes, men of great courage, men of valor, who had laid their lives, so that the Filipino may live. So we have Rizal, Bonifacio, Greg del Pilar, Macli-ing Dulag, Ninoy, Evelio Javier. This week, we witnessed the tragedy of another Filipino, no, he did not write subversive propaganda, neither did he rise in arms in combat, no, he did not stand his ground arm-in-arm with a brother, neither did he verbally speak against tyranny nor oppression, what he did was simply serve the people to the best of his ability. He was Mayor of his hometown, but he took the broom and swept when there was no one sweeping. He showed governance by example. What can one man do, to an impoverished town? He made it a city alive and classy. What can one man do, to a country rotting in the powerful's greed and the impoverished dying? He sowed seeds for transparent governance, lived simply, came to the assistance of those who asked for help, and served with his heart. Before 18 August, the day his plane crashed in the waters of Masbate, his name was just like any other name. The manner of his death came as a shock, for he was still young, much to give still, but tragic though it may be, his name is now eternally immortalized amongst the heroes of this nation, as a dedicated public servant who lived by example. Jesse Robredo, Filipino hero.