‘Hire’ only the best for our country

Filipinos are the primary stakeholders and investors in our nation’s largest corporation: the Philippine government. We all have a stake in the future of our country, and this is especially true when we exercise our right to vote.

Voting is both a right and a privilege. But, more importantly, it is a moral and civic duty that every Filipino should take seriously. Our political participation in this fundamental democratic process demonstrates our collective voice in selecting the right people who will govern our country. Our votes on May 9, 2022, will determine our country’s future, at least in the next six years.

During elections, majority of Filipinos are likely to vote for the most popular, someone they personally know or are culturally affiliated with (kababayan), or the most well-liked among the candidates, without actually evaluating and comparing them in terms of background, experience, competence, track record, and platform.

It is time to change this shallow political mindset of a personality-based popularity contest, and consider instead the character and integrity of the person above everything else. When the character and integrity of a candidate, or any person for that matter, is beyond question, then you can wholly trust that person to consistently do what is right for the common good.

We should keep in mind that the candidates are basically job applicants, albeit for national/local positions. As is the common hiring practice among private companies, they are likely to hire the most qualified for the job. In the same vein, us voters—being the legitimate and combined decision-makers during elections—should likewise hire only the best for our country’s sake.

Until candidates are elected into office and prove themselves after the honeymoon period of 100 days, we are banking only on words and empty promises of their campaigning persona.

Any corporate entity requires capable human capital—from top management to rank and file—and adequate resources to run smoothly and improve business outcomes. In like manner, our government needs competent leaders and civil servants down the line, who can improve the quality of life of its citizens by efficiently allocating resources to address food security, affordable housing, decent and livable wages, access to health care and education, law and order, national defense, environmental protection, and many others.

The president, taking essentially the role of national chief executive officer, appoints Cabinet members and key government officials who now become the country’s managers to carry out plans and policies in their respective departments that are aligned with the president’s national development agenda. These are most often respectable, experienced men and women with vast knowledge in their fields, tasked to provide expertise and counsel to the chief executive on specialized matters.

Whether in the private or public sector setting, management and leadership are essential to achieve optimum results. But, it does not follow that both are present in private businesses. Some may have exceptional managers, but weak leaders; and vice versa. Only a handful may be fortunate enough to have both, to the benefit of their employees. On the other hand, governance often requires that management and leadership must be present. The government demands more from our leaders, because public service means putting people’s welfare above one’s personal interests. This was affirmed in one of President Ramon Magsaysay’s 10-point credo, “… government exists for the welfare of the masses of the nation.”

It is not enough that our government officials are good managers, they should be good leaders, too. It is often said that a good manager is not necessarily a good leader, but a great leader is almost always a good manager. While managers drive success and growth, leaders inspire and motivate, managers are problem-solvers, and leaders often take risks.

One of the privileges of being in a president’s family is having exclusive and unfettered access to the dynamics of politics. My mother Luz, along with my two older sisters Teresita and Mila, and I were given the rare opportunity to witness firsthand how the government works, and learn considerably from it. Together, we experienced the excitement, anxieties, hardships and joys, attraction and repulsion, victories and defeats, and myriad challenges of Philippine politics. First, when our father was asked by President Manuel Roxas to run for congressman of Zambales in 1945; and then again in 1953, this time on a national scale when he ran for the highest office.

When he became president, one of the first things he made us understand as a family was that he was not ours alone. We had to share him with all Filipinos at the time, as he assumed the role of the nation’s patriarch.

And what does a father do? He provides, protects, disciplines, and ensures the well-being and interests of all of his children, right? As the head of the family, he is also expected to set a good example and live by the tenets of honesty, integrity, humility, and respect.

To quote the Magsaysay Credo, “the President should set the example of a big heart, an honest mind, sound instincts, the virtue of healthy impatience, and an abiding love for the common man.”

My siblings and I were old enough to know the physical, mental, and emotional demands of the presidency, as we had seen it with our own father. But never once did we hear him complain, waver, or give up. Just as he was happiest spending time with us, he was equally happiest serving the Filipino people up until a plane crash claimed his life unexpectedly on March 17, 1957.

What we hope and pray to have in the coming elections is a leader who has a clear understanding of the rigors of the presidency and the political will to undertake much-needed reforms; who is decent, compassionate, action- and results-oriented, fearless, highly principled and just. Someone who advocates for truth and transparency. Someone who does not retreat or hide. Someone who we can trust completely. Someone who is simple and unpretentious. Someone who takes to heart the meaning of genuine public service, just like President Magsaysay.

We deserve a fresh leadership, devoid of any political agenda but only that of every Juan/Maria dela Cruz’s.

I speak for my Magsaysay branch of the family when I say that we deserve a Leni Robredo.

* * *

Ramon Magsaysay Jr. is a former senator and son of the late president Ramon Magsaysay.