Wanted: Honest leaders, honest voters

Looking for a new breed of honest leaders is one of the most widely talked about topics these days ahead of the May 9 elections. It is our wish as Filipinos to have leaders that can inspire and enrich our lives, leaders who can serve our best interests and liberate us from poverty.

Equally important, however, is that we need honest voters who can judiciously choose honest candidates during the elections. We can’t stand voters who sell their votes. While it seems that none of the leaders in the past elections fit our ideal breed of leaders, we ironically and continually choose the lesser evils among them. Where have all the good leaders of this country gone?

In our search for a new breed of leaders, honesty to oneself and to others should be the first criterion. Anybody who presents himself as a leader but knows too well that he cannot do the job is a dishonest leader. Plato in “Republic” conceptualized a leader as a philosopher first, then king second. The philosopher-king would be a dishonest monarch if he relegates himself to the level of warriors or artisans.

For instance, a senatorial candidate is not honest to himself or herself and to the electorate, though popular among the masses, when he/she cannot do his/her primary task, which is to legislate. Anyone who leads a moral life and has the skills and competence to become a leader should come out and be elected as a moral leader. Anyone who in all honesty leads a shady life and has no competence to lead should humbly drop his plan to get elected into public office.

We demand honesty in our leaders because we allow them to have power over our lives. We exact honesty in their leadership because we want them to look after our nation and make our lives as citizens better.

As we face the 2022 elections, let us be honest. Let us do this not only for ourselves but for posterity’s sake. Let us not be lured just by the looks and promises of leaders. Let us not be fascinated by their inducements and charms.

For the Philippines to move on we need honest leaders and we need honest voters.

REGINALD B. TAMAYO,

Marikina City

[email protected]