It is three in the afternoon of January 15, 2008. I am on board a car driven by Fred Efondo, Administrative Officer of UNC. With me was Arnel Tolete of the Instructional Media Center and Jovito Hernandez on the back seat. Beside Fred is “Boss Jun”, Mr. Jaime Hernandez Jr., the Vice President for Administration of the University of Nueva Caceres.

Caption: Jaime Hernandez Jr., VP for administration of UNC, proudly stands at the base of his father’s monument.

        We alighted from the vehicle at the Libmanan Town Plaza, beside the main road leading to the town. What greeted me was a familiar site we had been visiting every year for the last three years. It is a new landmark, small in size but beautiful to behold. It is the Jaime Hernandez Mini Park located in front of another historic edifice, the Post Office Building of Libmanan, reputedly the most beautiful of the locally built postal structures in the country.

Caption: The Jaime Hernandez Mini Park in Libmanan, Camarines Sur.

        We were not told what my staff and I came there for, only to accompany Boss Jun. Approaching the monument of Don Jaime Hernandez the question in my mind was immediately answered with what I saw. There were new additions made to the Mini Park that made it even more people friendly. The entire area at the back of the monument was paved over up to the front steps of the Post Office building. Six new concrete benches on each side of the monument were also put up. Four of the six benches had a tiled inlayed board designed for chess, two have dama board built-in in the middle of the bench. It is a truly innovative approach which became more dramatic when a group of young kids with little stones in their hands congregated at one of the dama benches and began to play. My trigger-happy finger was just too pleased to oblige and captured the kids exuberance as they saw my camera.

Caption: Young children enjoy a game of dama along one of the concrete benches in the park.

        Boss Jun was in a huddle with some Libmaneńo friends at the other side of the park and when I told him what I saw, there was no mistaking the sparkle in his eyes. I was to learn later that his father Don Jaime Hernandez was an avid chess player and recalled that Don Jaime used to call their neighbor over to their house at their balcony for a friendly game, much to the chagrin of Dońa Anita who couldn’t get her husband to eat at the dining table once they get the match going.

        The centerpiece of the Jaime Hernandez Mini Park is the monument honoring the first Filipino Auditor General from Libmanan and was executed by Napoleon Abueva, the National Artist for Sculpture. An exact duplicate of the same structure stands in solemn dignity in front of the Administration Building or the Jaime Hernandez Hall at the UNC Campus in Naga City.

        Such was the love, respect and admiration of the people of Libmanan for its Distinguished Son, that when some well meaning citizens broached the idea to the family of Don Jaime for a monument to honor him, Dr. Dollie H. Sison, Boss Jun, the late Mam Erling and Boss Susing readily agreed. The family mobilized their resources, the local government of Libmanan provided the site, and likewise prepared a resolution formally declaring the first day of the festivities of Libmanan as “Jaime Hernandez Day”. The rest was history.

        The first monument erected on the site was a simple bust of the Auditor General. Later it was replaced by the Napoleon Abueva masterpiece, and later, as the little park attracted more people wanting to enjoy its simple amenities, Jaime Hernandez Jr. initiated the upgrading, enlargement and improvement of the plaza in his desire to give back whatever favor he can do to his kababayan.

        Such is Boss Jun’s attachment, appreciation and desire to help his townmates that Dr. Dollie Hernandez Sison, the University President in a ceremony held on the same site last year publicly declared, that the granting of administrative scholarships at the University of Nueva Caceres has been and will always be slanted heavily in favor of the young people of Libmanan, to the resounding cheers of the hundreds of Libmaneńos in attendance. Indeed it was Don Jaime’s desire to bring quality education to the Bicolano Youth and the VP for Administration has been an eager instrument in bringing it to pass by approving more scholarship grants for Libmanan.

        The statue of Jaime Hernandez will most likely be an enduring beacon of hope and joy for the town, a source of inspiration for Bicolanos who may some day rise to greatness in their own field of endeavors. Such is the legacy of Don Jaime and for his son, Jaime Hernandez Jr. it is indeed one big shoe that is hard to fill. For this guy, who without hesitation turned down an opportunity to be counted and honored as a member of the underground movement and a Guerilla Fighter, to be recognized as an American War Veteran with its perks and privileges offered on a silver platter and choose instead to be a simple civilian and live among us, then I can say without hesitation that truly “greatness can come in small packages”.