Before Governor Pamela “Pam” Baricuatro took office, I never seriously considered working at the Capitol. I had always heard stories from people who worked under previous administrations—stories about endless nights, meetings that dragged on long past office hours, and a culture that seemed to reward exhaustion over results. As someone with a family to take care of, I knew that kind of environment just wasn’t sustainable for me.
So when I was offered a chance to join the Capitol under the new administration, I hesitated. I was skeptical. But within just a few weeks of working under Governor Baricuatro, I realized I had stepped into something very different.
From day one, Governor Baricuatro made it clear that public service should not come at the cost of personal well-being. She believed that being an effective employee didn’t mean staying late just to be seen—it meant doing meaningful work during working hours and going home on time to be with your family. It wasn’t just talk, either. That mindset shaped our entire work culture.
For the first time in my professional life, I felt like I didn’t have to choose between doing my job well and being present for my family. There was no pressure to stay past 5 p.m. just to prove your commitment. If I needed to attend a school activity or care for a sick child, I was met with understanding—not judgment.
Governor Baricuatro’s leadership is rooted in empathy, and it shows not only in how she deals with the public but in how she treats the people working under her. She fosters an environment where professionalism is valued, but so is balance. She respects her team and trusts us to do our jobs without micromanaging or burning us out.
Beyond work-life balance, she’s also been firm in upholding transparency and meritocracy. She retained people based on competence, not political connections. That gave many of us—myself included—a sense of security and pride. We knew we were being valued for the work we did, not for who we knew.
I witnessed first-hand how Governor Baricuatro hit the ground running: issuing executive orders to improve healthcare, boost investment, and engage the youth. She restructured essential programs and reactivated key government divisions that had long needed attention. But no matter how busy things got, she never let the culture slide back into toxic patterns of overwork.
I used to believe that a government job meant sacrificing your personal life. Now I know that’s not true—at least not under a leader like her.
Working under Governor Baricuatro has reminded me that good governance starts within the office. When your own team is healthy, supported, and motivated, you can serve the public better. And as someone who once avoided the Capitol entirely, I now come to work each day knowing that I can serve my province and be present for my family.
That balance? It’s rare. And it’s something I’ll never take for granted.
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