AT A time when Filipinos are losing trust in the government, four officials still gun for change in the form of political leadership.
Gov. Ed Panlilio of Pampanga, Gov. Grace Padaca of Isabela, Mayor Jesse Robredo of Naga City, Bicol, and Mayor Sonia Lorenzo of San Isidro, Nueva Ecija visited the Ateneo last July 30 to share their leadership experiences and their plans for political change.
They were invited as guest speakers to a forum entitled “Brand of political leadership in today’s nation-building” at the Leong Hall Auditorium.
The forum is the first of the PoS100 Plenary Lecture Series 2008, launched by the Ateneo School of Government and the Political Science Department.
The lecture series aims to expose students to relevant issues of political leadership and provide possible solutions to these issues, said Alma Salvador, Ph.D., Political Science department chair.
Keys to governance
The four speakers gave a talk on how they lead their specific areas of governance by sharing their experiences in the field of politics.
Panlilio compared politics to a washroom. “It’s stinky and dirty, but nobody wants to go inside and clean it,” he said.
He also said some politicians make politics dirty, but politicians could also make it clean, and those who come in clean “can come out clean or stay inside clean if he decides to do so.”
Padaca shared why she ran against the “political giants” in her region, despite her physical condition and financial situation. “I did not want to be one of those complaining… but not doing anything about them anyway,” she said.
An ideal leader, according to Padaca, is someone with integrity. “His words should match his actions.”
The key to governance is trust between the citizens and the government, said Robredo. “Mali yung ipagkatiwala na lang natin ang pamumuno sa mga inihalal. Dapat yung pamumuno …kasama …yung mamamayan (It’s wrong to leave the leading to those elected. Leading should also involve the citizens).”
Lorenzo said awareness of the area’s strengths and weaknesses enabled the citizens of San Isidro, Nueva Ecija to sustain themselves despite their lack of budget. “In San Isidro, we believe that the more we become aware, the more we start to care,” he said.
Panlilio added that a leader must be compassionate.
“He should inspire members para ilabas ang kanilang kagalingan (to bring out their abilities)…and direct their strength to one vision.”
‘Kaya natin’
Antonio Reynaldo Santos (III AB PoS) said the forum showed him that even though the government is filled with corrupt officials, some officials are still doing the right thing.
“They [the four officials] are inspiring the people to believe in our unjust political system,” he said.
Panlilio said he hopes their presence could somehow help in providing hope for Filipinos in the country.
Robredo said that change is in the hands of the Filipinos. “Hindi magbabago ang Pilipinas hangga’t ang
mga Pilipino ay hindi maniniwalang kaya nilang baguhin ang Pilipinas (The Philippines will not change if Filipinos won’t believe they can change the Philippines).”
“Sama-sama tayo, kaya natin (Together, we can do it), said Padaca.
