Malyn Redula was a young girl of 16 when she set foot at Foundation University in 1995. Fresh out of high school, Redula was looking forward to the opportunity of obtaining a college degree at Foundation University as a working student.
She was already promised a position as a working student but as she had no money for bus fare from her hometown Ayungon on the appointed day, she didn’t get the job. “The position has been filled,” she recalled someone telling her.
She was desperate. With no money and no one to turn to for help, she decided to find work elsewhere. As she was leaving the campus, she met an “old man” whom she greeted. He asked where she was going, and she told him her story. The “old man” took pity on her. “Follow me,” he said, as he led the way to the University Executive House, where she immediately started to work for her education.
“I didn’t know until then that that old man was Sir Andy!” was how Redula, who now works as manager for the University’s auxiliary services, described her first encounter with then University President Leandro Sinco.
As a member of the President’s household staff, Redula had a unique insight into his personal taste and style of leadership. “I think he hired me when I said I knew how to cook malunggay, which was one of his favorites,” she said.
Sir Andy had a uniform–a white barong with dark blue pants and shiny shoes, Redula recalled. He also always wanted a shiny floor.
“When he said ‘no,’ nothing could change it. When he said ‘yes,’ he meant it. And you would know when he was angry because his forehead would turn red,” Redula said.
One of Sinco’s endearing traits was that when he knew someone needed assistance, he would come to that person’s aid without being asked.
“One time, he knew I had a financial problem,” Marlon Tanilon, a teacher who is now dean of student life, said. “Without my asking, he brought me to his bank (the Dumaguete Rural Bank Inc.), where I took out a loan which solved my problem,” Tanilon said.
He usually smiled and greeted people first. “He asked me about my graduate studies in Cebu and how I was doing in my teaching job. It struck me that he was interested in other people, even ordinary teachers like me. I was happy he talked to me,” Tanilon said.
Dr. Eva Melon, university vice president for academic affairs who was dean of the College of Business Administration at that time said whenever students or teachers would excel or win school contests, he would congratulate them for doing their college proud. “Those may have been little things that for small people like us, they meant a lot,” Melon said, adding that she was prevailed upon by Sinco to stay after she submitted her resignation as dean of the CBA in 1997.
Once a month, he would invite the presidents of other universities and colleges to his home where they would dine, talk and share anecdotes and laughter.
As a leader who started the renaissance at the university, Sinco was prudent and was looked up to as a pillar to lean on, Melon said.
“Sir Andy started the new direction for Foundation University. Today, we are continuing and even exceeded what he started,” Melon said.
The new direction for Foundation University started after Andy’s father and the University’s founder, Dr. Vicente G. Sinco, appealed to him to return to the Philippines to run the school. “There is no need for you to stay in America–there are many people in America who are qualified but there are few here. We need you here,” recalled Dr. Mira D. Sinco, Andy’s wife of 45 years, who succeeded her husband as university president upon Andy’s demise in 2003.
That is how Andy got an early retirement from his job as assistant director of the administrative data center at the University of Washington to return to Foundation University in 1995.
“The challenging part was in trying to get everyone to move in one direction. But he never gave up. That’s one thing that he and I have in common–we don’t give up, no matter how difficult life is.” Mira said.
Ten years since his untimely death, Mira said she would have been happy if her husband were still around but added that Andy’s life was a life well spent. “Without question, he was the only one who faithfully followed and succeeded in preserving the legacy of his father,” Mira said.
While the entire campus would bring back memories of all the wonderful times she shared with her husband, Mira said she likes going to Amlan, the former site of the university’s experimental farm. “Everytime I’m there, two white butterflies flutter around me. Whether it’s true or not, I like to believe my husband is there looking after me.”
