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It was about two years ago when a man by the name of Dr. Ricardo de Leon, a former general, came to Mindanao State University-Marawi , following the orders of Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to serve as an interim president. The academic community was outraged that the President would meddle into the affairs of the University by appointing a military man and not respecting the choice of the selection committee for a new Mindanao State University-System President. The top candidate of the committee was Dr. Macapado Muslim, then Chancellor of MSU-General Santos. It didn't take long for Dr. de Leon to dispel his critics. As soon as he arrived in the University he worked arduously to address the voluminous problems and issues that beleaguered the institution. Changes came fast and it was both felt and seen in the University. What took years for previous presidents to do, he was able to realize in a short period of time. To put it succinctly, he was what the University desperately needed after years of stagnation. He is a very RESPECTFUL man. Dr. de leon was called on to lead an institution that prides itself with its ethnic diversity, almost all Muslim ethno-linguistic groups and the Lumads of Mindanao have representation here. The very fact that the main campus of MSU is cradled in the very heart of Lanao del Sur, the Islamic City of Marawi, is a daunting task in itself for a non-Muslim and a non-native of Mindanao at that. But this almost seemed a facile challenge for him. It was nearing the end of the Holy month of Ramadhan when he came on as president and as if already accustomed to the Islamic tradition, he had the whole University decorated in traditional Meranao festive decor in time for the celebration of Eid'l Fitr (Muslim holiday). He made it a priority to show religious tolerance and exerted effort to understand and adapt to the cultural norms of the locality to ensure cooperation in finding resolve to the problems of the University, which inevitably required the support of city government officials and the locals. He was quite successful in this endeavour that he was even given the honorary title Datu a Rumapenet sa Mindanao (Leader of Change in Mindanao) by the Meranao faculty of MSU. By showing genuine respect to the people of Lanao and everyone else around him, he was reciprocated the same respect. He was DILIGENT as a diligent is. Even if Dr. de Leon served for a just little over two years, what he has left behind will forever stand as testimony to the structural progress he has achieved. In almost every corner of the main campus, one will find a newly constructed building to house the growing number of students and badly-needed facilities for academic development. Almost every proposal from colleges and units in the campus for improvement were granted as long as the University Budget allowed for it. His administration was responsible for the decrease of the debt of MSU from P30M to just P14M now. On a personal note, during the tribute for him which I hosted in our college, I thanked him for making it easy for teachers like myself in the institution to preach to our students about competency and efficiency in government service because there is someone like him at the helm who exemplify so well the kind of leadership that the University and even this country direly needs. He was very LOVING. A week prior to his leaving MSU, he was invited to tributes after tributes for him. MSU faculty and personnel went out of their way to show him how much he was appreciated and loved for what he has done for the University. He was able to touch the lives of everyone who was part of MSU. He was dubbed MSU's Big Daddy because he was always ready to receive the hands of students, faculty, and staff, and constantly gave time to listen. The immense love and concern he had for the MSU community was immeasurable and one that would be sorely missed. My dad who attended the turn-over ceremony for the new MSU-System President, Dr. Macapado Muslim, was coincidentally with the entourage of Dr. de Leon back to Manila. He narrated that the MSU group who was at the airport to bid the final official farewell to former Pres. de Leon was all in tears. My dad continued on in saying that he also couldn't help but be affected with the open outpour of emotions from everyone. But this scene in the airport is only peripheral to the emotional deluge that the MSU community openly displayed to Dr. de Leon in the many tributes he was given. Dr. de Leon is truly an exemplary model of a leader. He gave back hope to the lives he has touched, to continue to have faith in our national system which has lost most of its values. He was able to prove that there still are a few good men. He gave respect, was very diligent in his duty, and most of all, he gave what this world doesn't have enough of, love. Once again, to RDL, our Big Daddy, Maraming Maraming Salamat Po! Anifa Gamor Alonto
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