The Humility and Diligence of Atty. Domingo T. Duerme
Posted on Tuesday, 28 June 2016
The Humility and
Diligence of Atty. Domingo T. Duerme
by Apolinario Villalobos
I first heard about him when I joined
Philippine Airlines, middle of 70’s, as another Notre Damian like me when the
late Joseph Alabanza, one of our instructors asked me if I knew him. I replied
in the negative because while I graduated from a parochial Notre Dame during
the time, he was a product of the education system’s university in Cotabato
City, the prime city of the yet, undivided and vast Cotabato province. The same question was asked by the late,
Ricardo Paloma who was also curious about our school. Our paths crossed when he
became the Branch Manager of Davao station, when I used it as my jump-off point
in covering tourist areas in Mindanao as editor of the PAL TOPIC Magazine. From
then on, I called him, “Atty. Duerme”.
The next time we met was when he was sent
to Manila to take the place of the late Federico Pabelico as Director for Luzon
Sales Area. I took note of the paintings that he hung in his room, and which I
observed to be different from those that the Construction Office of the company
purchased to enhance the rooms of executives. I thought they were just among
his personal collections that he preferred to display. I only learned about
them as his own paintings when he was packing up for another assignment as Sr.
AVP for International Sales-Philippines to be based at S&L Building along
Roxas Boulevard. He gave me an unframed sketch of an old woman as a precious
token.
I had an opportunity to meet his better half,
Connie when she came over from the province. She struck me as equally humble
and soft-spoken, too. Atty. Duerme confided that they met while both of them
were studying at the Notre Dame University (NDU). She was taking up Banking and
Finance while he was struggling with his Bachelor of Science in Education. She
was also his “sponsor”, being an officer of the Reserved Officer Training Corps
(ROTC) of the university. Connie was an able support to the struggle of Atty.
Duerme as he tried his best to establish a home and family. She went into
different business ventures, supplying beef to patrons in Davao and Manila, as
well as indigenous monkey that abundantly thrive in the region, which were sent
to Europe for scientific experiments and medical purposes. To cap her business
acumen, she opened a canteen that fed about 2,000 employees of a garment
factory at Awang district of Cotabato city. The two are blessed by daughters,
Ma. Dolores and Ma. Lovella, both nurses and currently working at Houston,
Texas.
The journey of Atty. Duerme started at
Pototan, Iloilo where he was born in March 28. His parents were among the
farming pioneer settlers of M’lang (today, part of North Cotabato). As a young
boy he had a share in tending their farm, a task which did not hinder him from
graduating with honors from elementary (Bialong Elementary School) to high
school (Notre Dame of M’lang). He finished a Bachelor of Science in Education
(BSE) at the Notre Dame University (Cotabato City) in 1968, and Bachelor of
Laws in 1973, hurdling the Bar in 1975 (Roll 25707).
What is remarkable about his struggle is
that he joined Philippine Airlines in 1968, a month just before graduating with
a BSE degree and went on with his struggle to finish his Law degree. His being
a Ticket Freight Clerk with a “just-enough-wage” did not deter his
determination to become a lawyer. And, to think that it was during this time
that he and his wife, Connie were putting up the foundation of their family. To
work with PAL Domestic Sales during the early days of the company was being
like a soldier who should be ready for assignments anywhere. This commitment
made Atty. Duerme assume positions without question, as Branch Supervisor of
Dipolog, Cagayan de Oro, and Bislig within the period of 1972-1978, within which
he also successfully passed the Bar examination.
The hard-earned achievement as a
full-fledged lawyer, easily gave him the opportunity to become a Branch Manager
of Cotabato station from 1978-1986, moving up as Branch Manager of Davao from
1987-1992. The rest of his journey became more challenging as he became the
Director of Luzon Sales Area from 1992-1994, Sr. AVP for International
Sales-Philippines from 1994-1996, and finally coming home to Mindanao as Sr.
AVP for the said region.
The feat of the unassuming Atty. Duerme is
such that, a roll could be filled with his accomplishments as he struggled his
way up, from their sun-drenched farm in M’lang. He was a Rotary Exchange
Student and as such he was sent to Ontario Canada, aside from being a Jaycee
scholar. He received an award from his alma mater, Notre Dame University as an
Outstanding Alumnus, aside from having been given recognition as an Outstanding
Son of M’lang. When he had a stint in Davao as PAL’s Sr. AVP, he actively got
involved in the local tourism industry as member of the Davao City Tourism
Council; President of the Rotary Club of Davao; President of SKAL-Davao;
Representative of the Private Sector in the Region XI Development Council;
consistent Chairman of the PAL Inter-Club Golf Tournaments; Chairman and
President of the Davao Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Private Sector
Representative to the Tourism Inftra-structure and Economic Zone Authority
(TIEZA); Trustee of the Philippine Red Cross. Currently, he is the Chairman of
the Board of the M’lang Water District.
Despite all those accomplishments, Atty.
Duerme seems not a bit tired, as he might give in to another opportunity that
is persistently knocking on his door…
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