Vice Mayor Sixto Yabyabin Turned Helper Boy

Vice Mayor Yabyabin with his daughter. 

Back in the old days, servants were already in place among households. We have "aliping sagigilid" and "aliping namamahay". These days, "alipin" has evolved into houseboy or helper. Funny thing is, regardless of social status, when it comes to public service, Ibaan Vice Mayor Sixto Yabyabin turned "boy helper" during Mutya  Ng Ibaan 2012 Candidates' pictorials held at Himamawo Spring located at Brgy. Malainin last May 1.

Unfortunately, we were not able to take photo of Vice Mayor Yabyabin doing the photo ops chores, but everyone in the location, specifically the candidates, can attest to that.

While spectators and others have their eyes burning staring at the candidates, Vice Mayor Yabyabin went down the spring's stairs to provide a hand and acted like the candidates' Personal Assistant (PA) while they're busy posing for the camera. Not much get to notice it since all eyes were on candidates. But standing next to him, I got a bag of appreciation for what he has done.

Since Himamawao Spring is covered with lush trees around, sun light hardly passes through were the pictorial is being held. And in any photo shoots, light is very important. To augment that, a reflector is needed to catch the sun light and have it directed towards the subject of the photo shoot.

Vice Mayor Sixto and Mayor Toreja on their way
down to Himamawo Spring.

The camera man came to shoot without anyone with him. So he's left with no option to ask somebody to hold the reflector for, to help him out, and to make things easy for him and for the candidates as well. At first, a youngster did the job. The boy had difficulty capturing the sun light with arms shaking out of fatigue. But he was able to finish the first three sets of the shoot. After which, the group changed location and decided to have more sets of the shoot at the water falls just adjacent to the spring.

The youngster who have been holding the reflector went gone with the crowd. And guess what, Vice Mayor Sixto Yabyabin volunteered to do the reflector stuff. And there it went on, Vice Mayor Yabyabin also got himself a shaking and dead beaten arms running after the sunlight and directing the latter to the candidates.

Vice Mayor Sixto sharing light moments
with Mayor Toreja before the start of
the pictorials.

The Vice Mayor came with his wife and daughter. But instead of attending to them, he acted more like a father to the candidates and stripped himself off of his public office title just to make things run as smooth as they can be.

For almost an hour, he was the camera man's boy helper and the candidates' PA at the same time. Although standing next to refreshing spring water with cool nature's breeze, doing the job can still be a stubborn one when you can't move your arms around. The light should remain still or the candidates photos will turn into a bizarre canvas with half-baked lighting effects. And for sure, the candidates won't like it, much more for those waiting for their photos.
Now, had his phone not rang, he would not have asked anyone to replace him. Luckily, Mun. Coun. Rodel de Castro extended his kindness and did the job a little more before the end of the photo shoot.

The pictorials ended well. Everyone was exhausted. And at this juncture, giving credits of appreciation to Vice Mayor turned "boy helper" is commendable. Respect for the Vice Mayor is appropriate.