PROFILE OF AN ACHIEVER
Delano Telan Tefora
Inspiring Farmers and Rural Folks
by Ulysses V. Espartero
Here’s a story of a passionate man who is best remembered for his “indelible imprint” in the hearts of farmers and fisher folks in Aklan. A dedicated and self-motivated professional with extensive experience and agriculture and rural development, he holds the distinction for having served for a very long period of time as a Provincial Agriculturist.
Delano Telan Tefora, now 65 years old, dedicated 41 years of service to the government in various capacities – 9 years with the Bureau of Animal Industry, 10 years with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), 2 years with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and 20 years with the Provincial Government of Aklan.
Right after his college graduation, he was admitted to the government service as Animal Caretaker and in-charge of the Aklan Artificial Breeding Center. In November 1967, he was promoted to Livestock Inspector of the Bureau of Animal Industry. While with this bureau, he was hired as part-time College Instructor of the Northwestern Visayan Colleges from 1973 to 1976.
After passing the screening examination and training with the World Bank as bank agricultural appraiser, he transferred to DBP. His first assignment was at the bank’s Kalibo branch then he was detailed to General Santos, South Cotabato and Tagbilaran, Bohol. Three years after, he was promoted to Senior Appraiser and later to Supervising Appraiser and further detailed to DBP Dumaguete, Negros Oriental. He returned to DBP Kalibo where he stayed for several years. Reorganization prompted him to resign on December 31, 1986.
Consumed by a burning desire to serve the people of his hometown, he accepted with humility a twist in his career, from government to civil service. A year after the EDSA Revolution, the DILG Secretary appointed him OIC Mayor of Ibajay, Aklan on October 1987. He was 41. He served during the administration of Pres. Corazon Aquino until February 1988.
After his brief but colorful stint as local chief executive, he was hired by DAR office in Aklan to take charge of the acquired assets of the government banks for voluntary offered-to-sale and to determine the just compensation for land acquisition and distribution to land farmers. He served from October 16, 1988 to March 31, 1990.
Believing in his charisma to bring to greater heights the agricultural sector, the Gov. Corazon L. Cabagnot, the first woman governor of Aklan, named him to the premier department post as Provincial Agriculturist on April 2, 1990. He was 44. His post is considered “premier” because agriculture was a major thrust along with tourism of the provincial government.
He served until June,1995 when Cabagnot’s term ended. He remained on top of the post until later in 1997 when his authority was “clipped” by Cabagnot’s successor, then Gov. Florencio T. Miraflores.
As fate would have it, his authority as Provincial Agriculturist was fully restored during the first term of Gov. Carlito S. Marquez from 2004 to 2007. During the second term of Marquez, he was assigned to a non-plantilla division at the Office of the Governor to handle special projects of the provincial government.
At the age of 64, he retired in 2010 for on account of confidentiality, he said, he had no reason to stay but leave.
In his time as Provincial Agriculturist, he was a formidable person and an influential figure who inspired the folks through his strength, valor and demonstrable commitment for the welfare and interest of the province.
He was a guiding light, not only of the poor and marginalized sector but of the entire citizenry especially that the agricultural investments bring new hope to the impoverished Aklanons in this period of economic crisis and difficulties. Truly, through his altruism and dedication, future generations will harvest the benefits of the agricultural infrastructures which he initiated and nurtured to grow for decades.
Known as “Boy” or “Del” to the local folks, he was born on the evening of April 2, 1946 after World War II in Barangay Ondoy in the western town of Ibajay, Aklan to the late spouses Daniel Fernandez Tefora, a former principal of the Aklan National College of Fisheries, and Elvira Silva Telan, a public school teacher at Ondoy Elementary School.
His impressive educational record revels that he spent his primary education at Ondoy Elementary School then graduated at Ibajay Central Elementary School. For his secondary education, he enrolled at Memorial School but finished the same at Aklan College, now Aklan Catholic College. He obtained his degree in Bachelor of Science in Animal Husbandry (BSAH) in 1967 at Araneta University and earned his Master of Science in Animal Husbandry (MSAH) major in Animal Nutrition in 1976 also on the same university.
Trained for a life of public service, he passed the examinations as Livestock Inspector (1967) and Meat Inspector (1968), and Agricultural Officer (1981).
Despite his esteemed standing in public service, he remains a living embodiment of the core values of hard work, perseverance, simplicity, benevolence and kindness which every Aklanon must endeavor to follow and imbibe.
In his retirement years, he resumed his passion for writing and keeps himself busy with his post as active Director of the Aklan Press Club.
Now a picture of a fulfilled man, he presently lives in Kalibo with partner for life, Marlyn Tabares Magsisi, also a BS in Agriculture holder. Their marriage is blessed with only daughter- Katheryn, a graduate of Bachelor of Laws who now works in a private law firm in Makati City.
Looking back, he said he was not frustrated at all for the injustices committed against his person. Surely, an honorable man like him will always rise up to challenges.
