The monday morning flag ceremony is a fixture in all government agencies, large and small. But in the COMELEC, monday mornings involve a bit more than flag-raising and oath-taking.
For almost three years now, every department and office of the Commission have been taking turns each monday morning to handle the flag ceremony and to give their fellow employees a little something extra. It could be a guest speaker – like what we did during Women’s Month celebrations – or it could be something light-hearted, like a song or a dance.
Whatever it is, these monday mornings give the employees a chance to let their inner entertainers see the light of day. Nothing fancy, just fun. Just as importantly, it gives us the chance to poke fun at our bosses too.
The truth is, when I first heard about these monday mornings, I was skeptical. The idea of government employees putting on miniature presentations didn’t fit my idea of government service as somber and – I admit – institutionally gray. But the more of these things that I attend, the more I am forced to reevaluate my earlier opinion. Letting employees have a bit of a laugh at the start of the work week helps put everyone in a better mood to serve the public. Plus, the fact that we can tweak Commissioners and Directors while having fun, and then GETTING AWAY WITH IT is an enjoyable way of venting some of our angst.
