Meet Jerome Gelogo, 42 years old, married with 4 children and lives in Barangay Zone 7, Talisay City. He works as a traffic enforcer at Talisay City's Traffic Management Authority (TMA).

Now also meet Ms. Charisse Vidaure, a Silaynon, a newbie driver, and probably a frequent visitor and a quotidian motorist passerby in the streets of the City of Talisay.

These two total strangers are the unlikeliest to meet until that eventful day last July 28, when Ms. Vidaure's car made an unexpected stop approaching the pedestrian lane of the Carlos Hilado Memorial State College (CHMSC), Talisay City.

As narrated by Ms. Vidaure in her FB post, traffic enforcer Gelogo approached her, offered his assistance and in no time let her car up and running. What is more uncommon was traffic enforcer Gelogo's advice to Vidaure of not giving tip to them so that they would not expect receiving something every time they help stranded motorists.

What happened next is a revelation. PIO Talisay made a manhunt for Gelogo and interviewed him. We found out that he is one gallant and hardworking Talisay City government employee. He works out the streets by. providing traffic assistance and strictly enforces traffic rules and regulations. He must have gotten his gallantry from his idol and basketball playmate, Mayor Neil Lizares.

Living in the same barangay, Gelogo just used to watch the young Mayor Neil play basketball until they played together in the Democrats team. Later on, Mayor Neil became the Sangguniang Kabataan Chairman, then councilor, vice mayor and eventually mayor, and Gelogo boasts that he is a staunch supporter all throughout.

"Dako bulig ni idol ko Mayor Neil sang pag pa opera ko sang nagligad nga tuig sang lymphoma tumor," Gelogo quips.He misses the basketball games with Mayor Neil and reminisces the time, decades ago, when he would just go with Mayor Neil on basketball trips.

Now, going back to Ms Vidaure, whose FB post started this whole thing up and running about. Her post of the July 28 incident now has a hundred-and-fifty plus likes, with generous comments from Care Villanueva Dumancas, Mags Reyes, Richard Martin Castro, Chris Toledano and Jasper Demonteverde Vedad, that would make Traffic Enforcer Jerome Gelogo, Mayor Neil Lizares, and every Talisaynon proud.

Thank you Ms. Charisse Vidaure for taking notice of what the Lizares administration is aiming to achieve. More than the rescue vehicles and equipment, it is the people like our new found poster boy traffic enforcer Jerome Gelego, who epitomizes the face, heart and soul of what #gwapongaserbisyo is all about. Indeed, truly It is now #gwapongaserbisyo to all, Talisaynons and non-Talisaynons alike.

Photos by Leo Jayme (Tito Leo J)