Telling a story about the bureaucracy always tends to highlight either the heroism or the fall from grace of its men and women. What are always brought to light are the extremes of the good and the bad in these government agencies. Almost always completely ignored is the middle ground – the life of ordinary civil servants or those government agencies that are quietly and dutifully doing their share for this country.

The 1.5 million of them are ordinary civil servants and the National Capital Region alone is home to one-third of them coming from more than 500 government agencies. Entrusted to these agencies and civil servants is the life of the nation. In a way, the ordinary civil servants are nation builders. That is why the stories of these agencies and individual civil servants are vital to this country. It also follows that their gift for public service in the form of an idea, an action, an initiative, and a voice – big and small, is what stirs this bureaucracy and stabilizes its footing.

Small things count a lot in public service. Combining all the sparks of triumphs and accomplishments is sure to create ripples of change. This is the purpose why small stories in the organization and the life stories of ordinary civil servants have to be told and retold many times over.

The project on, “The Silverlinings in the Bureaucracy: Images of Creativity, Ability and Dignity” is truly an attempt to chronicle the brave steps of reform, acts of quiet dignity and commitment, and the iron will to make a difference that are innate in these individuals and organizations. These stories are all to be sewn together to form a fine tapestry of genuine public service that this country has been dreaming of all this time. Finding ourselves in all of these stories is the beginning.

The collection of stories is here simply to inspire both civil servants and government agencies. For civil servants and agencies that are hardly ever appreciated for their deeds and small feats, the stories to be told are sincere and profound expressions of gratitude for what this country has become because of them.

Hospitable Hospital: The`AmangExample”
(Amang Rodriguez Medical Center, Marikina City)

“Earn ExtraIncome from Waste: ThePCMC Way”
(Philippine Children’s Medical Center)

“NothingSmall in Muntinlupa: TheModel LGU”
(City Government of Muntinlupa)

“e-LibraryAt YourDoorstep”
( Philippine National Library)

“BudgetingMade Easy”
( Department of Budget and Management)