While many of our national government leaders lazed in the comfort of their homes last week, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda were in Borongan City, Eastern Samar, to ensure proper preparations for the onslaught of Typhoon “Ruby.” As early as Dec. 4, they were already at ground
zero coordinating with the local government units in the province to ensure that there would be no casualties and that the damage wouldn’t be as horrifying as
what Typhoon “Yolanda” inflicted on the Visayas last year.
When Ruby finally made landfall last Dec. 6, they were there to be with our people to show them that our government would stay by them in the hour of their greatest need. And on the following Sunday afternoon when Ruby had passed, Roxas and Lacierda, on motorcycles, immediately visited the towns that had become isolated because roads had been rendered impassable by trees and debris felled and scattered by the typhoon. They did this to see for themselves how much damage Ruby caused and to make sure that government support would immediately reach those who were affected.
This kind of leadership shown by Roxas and Lacierda reminded me of the leadership qualities of the late Jesse Robredo who is now remembered for what has come to be known as his “tsinelas” leadership. Robredo, when he was mayor of Naga City, was known to be the last person to go home when a typhoon threatened the city for he would make sure that all of his constituents were in a safe place. But he was the first one to go out of his home right after a typhoon to help clean the streets.
We hope many of our government leaders will follow the shining example of
Robredo, Roxas and Lacierda and not just issue press statements from the comfort of their homes and offices, especially during calamities.
—HARVEY S. KEH,
board member,
Jesse Robredo Foundation,
harveykeh@gmail.com