When in February & March

Josephine 'Josie' Guico Villanueva served as President of the Association of Government Accountants (AGA) Guam Chapter for the 2022-2023 program year. This article is adapted from her President's Message, published in AGA's Guahan Gaseta.

By the time you read this message, a lot has transpired, and for AGA Guam Chapter, it was one of the busiest times of the program year as we just completed the Guam Professional Development Conference (GPDC) and Certified Government Financial Manager month (CGFM) post-pandemic.

Time to consider, what was significant for most of us? Easter is around the bend; a time for rebirth and reflection.

THE THROWBACK:

Let us step back for a moment to talk about what most people celebrate in February other than numbers and some serious chapter stuff. For most of us, it is a celebration of love, giving or receiving flowers, chocolates, and gifts to signify our affection for each other. When I was growing up as a teenager, there is one favorite quote that resonates in my mind to this day which goes, “When you open yourself to love, it opens the doors to pain, but it is better to love despite the pain it may bring.” It is very real and telling that when we subject ourselves to love, there is risks and uncertainties, and in financial terms, there are so many probabilities.

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In one’s lifetime, we have heard about soulmates, true love, great love, etc., and so many definitions and categories exist. From a personal perspective, we probably are in differing stages; some of us are with our soul mates and destiny, some of us are still pursuing love and giving it a second chance, and some can be at a stage to be determined and still searching. From a professional perspective, love can mean giving our best to our job, making sacrifices, and showing dedication. Yet, it often turns out to be favorable, or sometimes it can turn out to be the opposite. I recently read an article about similarities between job search and dating, and when you finally have a job, it is like marriage. The follow-up work is how you can stay married, live happily, and be committed to making it work from both sides of the spectrum.

IN THE NOW:

A 3-day GPDC transpired on the second week of February, which marked the 12th AGA Guam Chapter biennial conference, entitled Finance 3.0: Beyond Financial Management. Again, thanks to the committee and volunteers who was co-chaired by Dr. Ricky Hernandez and Professor Jason Katigbak, who reported that we have about 100+ in-person attendees and an average of 4.6+/- on overall section evaluation feedback. Our membership committee has recruited and reinstated several new members from the event. Apart from the Government of Guam line, and autonomous and semi-autonomous agencies, it was also attended by private sectors and our visitors from FSM. A variety of interesting topics from various speakers also highlighted the events. For more event pictures, please check out our newsletter and social media postings.

We were also delighted to be visited by current National President Melinda Miguel and past president Dr. Billy Morehead despite their hectic schedule with the National Leadership Training 2023 happening in just a few weeks. The last national president who visited was John Lynskey during Ms. Frances Daniele’s program year in 2018. Though their visit was brief, we still find the time to have a courtesy visit with Acting Gov. Lt. Joshua Tenorio, Office of the Public Accountability, Public Auditor BJ Cruz, and Sen. Jose San Agustin of the Ways and Means Committee. The dialogue highlighted the work and partnership of the AGA Guam Chapter and national in advancing government accountability in the community.

Another highlight of February was the virtual general membership meeting and training. We were graced by our guest speaker Ms. Tonirose Concepcion - Associate Professor of Guam Community College, who presented the Pivot Tables and Macros in Excel - another effective way to keep us current and sharpen our tools and know-how to streamline our work in analyzing financial data.

We were also pleased to announce that our very own member Ms. Dafne Shimizu-Mansapit was the recipient of AGA’s 2023 Distinguished Local Government Leadership Award, which recognizes local government professionals who exemplify and promote excellence in government financial management and who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in enhancing sound financial management legislation, regulations, practices, policies, and systems within the past year. For more information on the award and related press release, please see the link. https://www.guampdn.com/money/rev-and-tax-director-dafne-mansapit-shimizu-gets-nationalleadership-award/article_ed6e18b8-b498-11ed-9f75-c3df2906b66e.html

As this is an annual award – who do you think will be our best nominee for 2024 - a financial management professional whose visionary leadership, outstanding accomplishments, and exceptional service have significantly advanced our profession, strengthened our association, and improved our communities.

TAKE AWAYS:

Since February was also Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, I will share one of my favorite quotes from him: “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” Taken from many reviews and write-ups with his famous quote, adversity is you have a very limited option, but with power, it is limitless, and I urge you to take a deeper dive into the meaning of this quote.

My profile photo was taken at one of the memorable weddings I attended, as I witnessed their endearing love for each other, which was built for many years before they decided to tie the knot. As my friends know me, my favorite occasion to attend is weddings. These events are testimonies of two former strangers deciding to join together and profess their unconditional love and desire to live happily ever after. Same with our job as finance professionals, we often feel married to our work, committed, and dedicated to delivering our best. Despite the odds, we pledge to carry the task, work unconditionally, and excel in our chosen craft. For AGA student members, fall in love with what you do, and be committed and determined in pursuing your dreams because it will be rewarding in the end.

And for some of you who are still in the February mode, here are some of the recommended movies that I recently watched, which you may consider as a rewarding break from the busy audit and budget season 1) Uyare and 2) From Scratch.

Let me close with the most famous quote of all time about love: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres

-1 Corinthians 12:4-7 NIV