Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Righteous Government


I came to know six Philippine Presidents namely Ferdinand Marcos, Corazon Aquino, Fidel Ramos, Joseph Estrada, Gloria Arroyo and currently, Benigno Aquino Jr. In my lifetime, they have been the top leaders of the Executive branch of government. Each president has their own strengths and platforms. Each president has their own waterloo, intrigues and cumbersome management bottlenecks.

If you want to observe public relations and its intricacies, the best time will be during national elections. It is when presidential candidates bolster their party affiliations to all sorts of media. I cannot underestimate the fact how politicians utilize its extreme potential to reach out and connect to the public. It’s part and parcel to their mission of spreading information and to lobby their causes. Then again, it’s really important for them to do just that, so that people can understand and discern those aspiring.

Presidents and their political machinery have come to understand since time and again - that for them to be credible, they have to commit to a goal, and realize them. Proving their credibility and ensuring their responsibility to the people is the utmost priority. It doesn’t take to be ardent in politics to grasp that, however – most politicians I know have received failing marks in this area. They can promise, but it's another thing fulfilling those. 

I’ve seen progress and growth in the Philippines, please don’t get me wrong. Again, each administration has their respective successes. For me, I translate progress and growth, by seeing changes in my surroundings. There are countless things to be thankful for nowadays. MRT, high-rise buildings, condos, malls, roads and subdivisions are some on top of my head.

Apart from the infrastructures, I came to realize more that for development to reach our country, full speed, we need some culture-changing behavior and attitude to take place. Our country has been very blessed with resources, and yet we only have a handful of individuals who are blessed enough to control.

I guess my point is, public officials (elected, appointed or hired), needs to synchronize their actions, policies and lifestyle to a life of credibility and integrity.

Being in the private sector, I come to witness how some processes of government agencies are implemented. Just like getting a gun license in PNP and how they manage cargo vessels and exchanges in Bureau of Customs.

Recent news concerning several government officials have been an eye-opener for me. Given that I have so much time to think and ponder, I’d still like to give credit to the present administration for tackling issues and cases of officials who have forgotten their allegiance to a righteous and trustworthy government. Not that I’m a fan and supporter of PNoy (I am a solid Gordon-Bayani), but I think the gesture and timely juncture of cleaning the image of the government seems so promising.

For whatever it is that has been tackled, I believe that it still boils down to the President’s leadership. As the head of the state, one should learn from the previous administration, bring something new to the table, and provide rational, cost-effective and high positive impact to the citizenry.

I remember a saying, “Leadership is like a using a string, you don’t push it, you pull it.” Let me just append, that when you pull, it doesn’t mean absolute control, you measure, and you observe and provide directions. The speed of this government lies in the speed of the President. We need to have a president that knows how to manage and lead cabinet officials. It’s a chain of leadership and the top leader should be adept in mirroring its philosophy down to subordinates and LGUs. There’s just so many things to do and achieve.

To end, I’d like to quote my previous boss. I learned a valuable lesson from her and I think everyone should learn the merits of sense of urgency. So after discussing my plans and my vision for my department during the first day in the office, she said to me, “I don’t need you achieving those in the coming days or weeks, I need it yesterday, while I’m still young.”

8 comments:

  1. Napa hinga ako ng malalim sa post mong ito Leo.tungkol sa mga leaders nating malaking hamon ito sa kanila dahil malaki ang pwedi nilang gawin sa buhay nila.Ang tanong sarili ba nila ang nasa isip nila o ang pwedi nilang gawin sa nakakarami?Hindi madali ang tungkuling ito.dahil sa bandang huli ang sarili mo ang magtatanong kung masaya ka ba sa ginagawa mo. Ngayon kung ang pinuno ay may ibang dahilan bakit gusto niya ito diyan na nagkakatalo at nagkakagulo.Ipagpapalit mo ba ang totoong kaligayahan,katahimikang mabuhay sa piling ng mga mahal mo sa buhay? kung may mas magbibigay sayo ng mas malalim ng kahulugan at halaga sa mundong ito yan ang sekreto ng mga leaderatong hinahangaan sa buong mundo.
    thanks for sharing leo.

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  2. Very well said. Akala ko, I'm reading an editorial from the Inquirer or MB. You made your point clear Leo. Sana, mabasa ito ng mga kinauukulan nang matauhan sila.

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  3. @Diamond R - Salamat sa iyong komento Diamond R!

    Kaisa mo ko sa paniniwala na sa pagiging pinuno, marapat na magkaroon ng tamang dahilan sa pagtanggap ng tungkulin. Sa panahon ngayon,lalo na dito sa Pilipinas, pinipili ng mga nasa pwesto na magpayaman at magkamal sa kaban ng bayan.

    Maidagdag ko lamang, tama na ang isang lider ay matalino ngunit hindi sapat iyon kung ang talino ay hindi nagagamit sa tamang paraan. Kailangan ng disiplina at prinsipyo, at higit sa lahat, ang layunin na mapabuti at mapaunlad ang bansa.

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  4. @RonRon - Hehe, thanks for the comment Ron! Tingin ko naman, alam nila ang dapat gawin, tamad lang sila siguro. It's been a bad culture of politics. Umay na talaga. :)

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  5. As a concerned citizen in this country, our government officials should, at least, do the best that they can to uphold what they have promised during the election. They must see to it that what they have said will be fulfilled and implemented.

    I quotted you Leo in this sentence, "As the head of the state, one should learn from the previous administration, bring something new to the table, and provide rational, cost-effective and high positive impact to the citizenry," does it literally mean that as the new Prexy of this country, he/she must learn from the previous's admininstration? I think that, this is the main reason why our country is not progresing. (If I get if wrong, spare me from my error.)

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  6. @Albert Corsame Umbac - You got my point. Anyone, especially the president of the country, should learn from the lessons of the previous administration. In this regard, the president should provide new measures to mitigate graft and corruption and impose utmost discipline.

    I am with you in saying that govt officials should uphold what they have promised. Commitment to goals and aspirations are really important - something that anyone can relate to.

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  7. forward ko kaya to sa abs-cbn? press ang pagkakagawa. astig

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  8. @Bino - Salamat sa compliment! :)

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Comments Are Always Welcome! :)