My Autobiography: David Balleza K(C)atague: My Participation with the UNDC-TOKTEN Program in 1986

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

My Participation with the UNDC-TOKTEN Program in 1986

Three weeks ago,I joined a FaceBook group whose members are University of the Philippines Alumni who were former residents of the Men's South Dorm in Diliman, Q.C. The dormitory is now known as the Narra Residence Hall. Thousands of alumni- known and unknown in Philippine political and social life had memories of their college life in the Dorm. I was one of the first residents of the dorm and had resided there from 1953 to early 1957. I was asked by several former residents, what have I contributed to my Alma Mater (UP) since graduation in Chemistry in the mid 1950's. This article is my response to the query from some members of the above FB group. .

I participated with the TOKTEN ( Transfer of Knowledge through Expatriate Nationals) United Nations Development Program( UNDP) in 1986 in the Philippines. My host was the University of the Philippines, Natural Science Research and Services Department, in Diliman, Quezon City. I volunteered for the short term program of 4 weeks during my summer vacation. It was a good experience and I was proud that at least I have contributed to ease the so called "brain-drain" phenomenon of the mid 1980's in the Philippines. The next year my contract was renewed but I did not have the time to get away from my private employment

Today, the program is known as the Balik Scientist program sponsored by DOST. So what is TOKTEN? Read on...

Transfer of Knowledge Through Expatriate Nationals (TOKTEN). I am # 15 in the List above. My subject of Expertise was Pesticide Residues.

The TOKTEN concept is a global UNDP mechanism for tapping on expatriate nationals, who had migrated to other countries and achieved professional success abroad, and mobilizing them to undertake short-term consultancies in their countries of origin, under UN aegis.

The TOKTEN approach is regarded as an added dimension of technical cooperation, which contributes to reducing the adverse effects of the "brain-drain", with several advantages as such as the shared language and traditions, relatively low cost and speed of implementation.

The TOKTEN program is based on a spirit of volunteerism, which means that TOKTEN volunteers are not paid direct salaries but are entitled to round trip air ticket and a daily subsistence allowance (DSA).

The highlights of this consultancy was the welcome lunch by the President of the University. At that time it was Ed Angara. The lunch was held on his residence in the Diliman campus. A big surprise during the lunch was when the Executive Secretary of to President was introduce to me. His name was Martin Gregorio. The last time I was with Martin was in 1951 during my weekend visit with his family in their residence in Manduriao, Iloilo. His older brother, Johnny Gregorio was my best friend in college at UPIC. At that time Martin I believe was only in his preteens. He used to follow me and Johnny and wants to join us in what we are doing. Johnny would sent him away and admonish him not to disturb us.

Today I learn that Martin has two adult children, Cecile(Ascalon) and Ryan. Ryan is a well-known PBA player and coach adored by millions of Filipinos. Lastly, I am still searching for Johnny. I heard that he has settled in Victorias, Negros Occidental. If you know anything about Johnny, I will appreciate hearing from you via this blog or in my FaceBook page. Johnny has an older brother, Dominador, an accountant and a UP graduate also.

Just recently I heard that Prof. Martin Gregorio had retired. His last post was the Vice President for Administration and Secretary of the UP and Board of Regents.

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Highlights of My Professional Career

In my more than 40 years of professional career, I have experienced both working rank and file, as well as supervising the work of subordinates. I have worked in four private firms and the Federal Government, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where I retired. I enjoyed the challenges and difficulties of both types of job situations. This is the highlights of my work experience story.

My first job after completing my doctorate degree was a Chemist for Chemagro Corporation in Kansas City, Missouri. It was a subsidiary of Bayer Corporation, a German conglomerate. I worked for the analytical chemistry department comprised of about fifty people; half that number was either chemists or biologists. My specific task was to develop analytical methods for the detection of pesticide residues in plant and animal tissues. I worked on my own, similar to six other bench chemists, and we all reported to the same supervisor.

The firm sponsored my visa conversion from a student to a permanent resident, and I was able to legally work and reside in the United States with my family. The company generously took care of its employees. At the end of each successful year, everyone received a 13th month salary bonus. The employees and their families celebrated wonderful annual Christmas parties in a downtown Kansas City hotel, with dancing and free drinks for the whole night.

Inasmuch as I enjoyed and loved working for Chemagro for five years, I found a new job which offered a substantially higher pay. Due to my exemplary work performance, my supervisor preferred and lobbied for me to stay with the company. I had to turn him down because they could not match the package presented by my new employer. It was also a chance for me and my family to move and live in the US west coast, where the mild winter climate is bearable compared to the Midwest.

My next job was at the agricultural research division of Shell Development Company in Modesto, California. I was a Research Chemist, and again I worked individually, same as five other chemists who all reported to a supervisor. My specific duty was similar to my previous job. I worked for them for five years, until the company decided to get out of the pesticide business. They closed their research facility affecting the jobs of more than 200 employees.

My third industrial job was with the agricultural research division of Stauffer chemical company, located in Richmond, California. I was a Senior Research Chemist doing the same project as my two previous jobs. I worked for twelve continuous years for the company, with outstanding annual job performance. I became a Principal Research Chemist, the highest attainable non-supervisory position.

One day in 1986, my supervisor informed me that my job had been eliminated, and I had one day to vacate the facility. It was the most dreadful lay off experience in my life. I felt anger, sadness and humiliation to be dismissed from work with one day notice, after all the years of hard work invested for the company. This was an unforgettable incident and was the gloomiest point in my professional career.
The company terminated sixty research employees, who were upset of the bad news.

One of the chemists was distressed and expressed his outrageous anger by threatening the company and its workers. He told his supervisor of his intention to bomb and burn down the laboratory. He was immediately escorted by the security staff out of the building and into his car. He was informed to leave behind his personal belongings; they will be mailed to his residence. He was warned never to show up again near the company premises or risk getting arrested.

My supervisor was kind and allowed me to take my time to pack up my belongings. It took me two days to clear up my workplace, after toiling for a long period in the same jobsite. We were provided clerical help and office space, in preparation to look for another job, such as updating our resumes, and using the computer and copy machine. We were given six weeks of separation pay plus benefits.

Fortunately, with the help of a friend who is a Church parishioner, I found another job thirty days after leaving Stauffer chemical company. He hired me as a senior research chemist and as a group leader with two technicians to supervise. It was in the same field as my expertise in my previous three jobs spanning the last twenty one years. My new employer was Chevron Chemical Company, and which was located in the same area as my former employer.

This job gave me the introduction and basic knowledge of managing the work of subordinates. I worked for Chevron Company for four and a half years. The company decided to consolidate their research facilities in Texas, and lay off all its research employees. This time I had enough distress and agony from working, and eventually getting laid off from several private companies. To avoid going through any more miserable layoffs, I made a vow that I would never again work for a private company.

In my work experiences, there were noticeable and unavoidable jobsite occurrences. One can never miss the office romantic relationships between co-workers, both illicit and permitted. Though it was frowned upon, there was a boss and staff relationship, which was used as a ploy to get ahead in the company. Some relationships had chemistry, no pun intended, but some never worked out. Oftentimes, there was a sense of distrust among bench chemists for some workers who unjustly obtained preferred work assignments.

Some employees resorted to bribing superiors to get special privileges, such as being able to attend choice conferences and meetings in exciting venues or locations. Likewise, politics was always present at the worksites. It was during an era when various forms of harassment, equal opportunity and discrimination laws were not yet enforced in the workplace. Occasionally, an unexpected chemical explosion happens in a laboratory setting, where luckily no one got seriously hurt.

In the three private companies I worked for, I was able to publish scientific journals for some of the research studies and analytical methods which I developed for the respective companies of Chemagro, Shell Development and Stauffer.

After deciding and making a vow to avoid working in the private sector, I made my new goal which was either to work for the state of California, or the Federal government in Washington, D.C. Four months after I lost my job in Chevron, I was lucky and joyful to be hired by the Food and Drug Administration as a review chemist in the fall of 1990.

In 1994 I was promoted as an Expert Research Chemist with a GS-14 rating. My expertise was on Anti-malarial and Anti-parasitic drug products. In 1997, I was again deservingly promoted to Chemistry team leader, supervising the work of six Chemistry reviewers including five with doctorate degrees.

As team leader, I was responsible for prioritizing, assigning, and assuring the technical accuracy of all chemistry, manufacturing and control issues for all new drug applications submitted to the Division of Anti-Infective Drug Products, Center of New Drugs.

It was part of my responsibility to give advice, instruct and promote high morale and teamwork in my group. My work in the FDA is confidential, until the drug patent on the products I worked on has expired. There are manufacturing supplements that I have approved that are now open for the public in the Internet.

In 1998, I won the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Award. The citation reads, “For outstanding accomplishments in fostering the objectives of the EEO Program by hiring minorities and encouraging their professional growth while providing excellent leadership.” I have received numerous certificates of appreciation, awards in leadership and communications, commendation for teamwork and excellence in the accomplishment of the FDA mission. I have also received several letters of appreciation from private industry for my review work.

There are many good things working as rank and file while enjoying doing one’s job individually. It is a humbling, satisfying and productive experience, if one can work in harmony with one’s immediate supervisor. Working individually develops one’s skills in goal setting and scheduling. But in general, the financial rewards are less than a person who has supervisory responsibilities.

Managing the work of others has its challenges. Moreover, it develops one’s skill in handling and developing people, and the compensation rewards and benefits are better. Due to additional duties, responsibilities and leadership, supervisory work can be more stressful than working as a subordinate. However, supervisory jobs give one more personal growth and satisfaction, based on my personal experience. My work in FDA as a team leader managing the work of six scientists had been the happiest and rewarding work experience in my career in Chemistry. You might also like:

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

My Participation with the UNDC-TOKTEN Program in 1986

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