Atinitonews.com : Philippine News Feature - A source of inspiration and pride: Public Trustee is a Filipina

Of Hope and Courage
By Ging Hernandez

In the Department of Justice, Government of Nunavut, the Office of the Public Trustee administers trusts on behalf of minors and administers estates and trusts of Nunavut residents who die without a will.

The Public Trustee of the Territory of Nunavut is a Filipina lawyer - Attorney Esmeralda Bautista.

A graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Law, Esmeralda obtained her Bachelor of Law Degree in 1984. Before attending UP, she obtained her Bachelor of Science in Commerce (Economics) from the Divine Word University in Tacloban where she was born and raised.

Called to the Philippine Bar in 1985, Esmeralda practiced law with the Office of the Solicitor General and later on with the Technology and Livelihood Resource Center. She migrated to Canada in 1990.

She attended the Faculty of Law in the University of Manitoba, towards the accreditation of her law degree from the Philippines. She received her Certificate of Accreditation in 1994, then was called to the Manitoba Bar the following year. She practiced law in Manitoba for more than 10 years. She then decided to move to Iqaluit in 2006 where she has been working as Public Trustee for Nunavut.

As Public Trustee, she looks after the financial affairs of adults who are unable to manage their own affairs. She also is in charge of administering the funds of minors who are under 19. The total amount of funds administered are in the millions.

Outside the halls of justice where she spends most of her time, Esmeralda is an active member of the Catholic Parish Church in Iqaluit. She applies her Bachelor's degree in Commerce in assisting the Parish in maintaining its financial records and in ensuring accountability and transparency to its parishioners. Guided and steeled with the tenets of justice and equity, Esmeralda believes and acknowledges that God gives her strength.