Primeclass-Traders

Political leaders: Can they be hope dealers?
IN A NUTSHELL By Samantha King
The Philippine Star
Friday, October 3, 2008

Ah, the things we're compelled to do when inspiration hits. Ideally, I should be attempting to finish the overdue term paper that has been haunting my waking hours for weeks — rather than be attempting to start a witty, zany and entertaining column about a forum on good governance and ethical leadership. Unfortunately, I have yet to figure out how an article on governance can be witty, zany and entertaining when most people become dyslexic from simply looking at the word. Indeed, Filipinos look at the government and start praying for the country. It can't be helped; we have an uncanny ability for producing political leaders just waiting to get a face-full of rotten tomatoes. However, there's always an exception to every rule — and these exceptional (dare I use the word?) politicians prove it.

Admittedly, it was not out of some deeply rooted sense of nationalism that I deigned to attend this forum. Under the pretense of seriously wanting to listen to government officials (heaven forbid!), I, along with my other classmates, joined forces in convincing our professor to substitute her lesson with this. And so, it was in the air-conditioned heaven of UP's NISMED Auditorium where I found myself sitting at exactly 9:20 a.m., cooling off from the abnormally hot Tuesday morning of Sept. 23. I now vaguely remember our prof telling us beforehand to sit at the back if we were to leave early. For some unfathomable reason that escapes me, I found myself strategically seated near the front, almost dead center, with about 50 chairs between me and the nearest exit. Apparently, this was a sign. Sleeping through the forum? Not an option. In any case, even if the speakers weren't brilliant I wouldn't have been able to fall asleep anyway. The forum's moderator was too hilarious. And by hilarious, I mean totally inept, tactless and completely oblivious to her own nitwitted-ness. But that's just me. As the five speakers stepped out onto the stage, it was with shame that I realized that I had absolutely no idea who any of them were. Except maybe for Gov. Ed Panlilio — though that's beside the point.

These five officials, along with Mr. Harvey Keh from the Ateneo School of Government, are members of a movement called Kaya Natin! who campaign for Genuine Change and Ethical Leadership. In our country? Talk about biting off more than you can chew. And yet chewing was what they did anyway.

After a careless introduction by the moderator — calling him an Igorot (the politically-correct term is "Ifugao") — Gov. Teodoro Baguilat took the mic as the forum's first speaker. I found Baguilat to be the coolest of the lot. Maybe it was because he graduated from UP… or because he sported a mullet hairdo. The fact that he left the big city as a teen to "trace back his roots" in Ifugao, was so "I-thought-this-only-happened-in-movies" that it was actually cool. But it was the way Baguilat spoke of Philippine culture — of his passion to preserve and promote it, of how we had our very own UNESCO-proclaimed oral masterpiece in the Ifugao "Hudhud Chants," of how we didn't have to "look to the West" to experience great works — that made him infinitely cool in my book.

Next up was polio-survivor Gov. Grace Padaca of Isabela, whose diminutive size was clearly meant to fool listeners into thinking she had a diminutive voice. I found the talk she gave so candid, wholehearted and open; for a second I almost forgot she was a politician. How can you not be fascinated by an official who, straight-faced, talks about the millions she can siphon off taxpayers with a single signature? Who discloses to listeners the full amount of her salary? Padaca spoke about prioritizing, and it was clear from her eloquent speech where her own priorities lay: in the service of the people that put her into office.

It was funny how the moderator turned into a giddy schoolgirl as she introduced Gov. Ed Panlilio. Who knew that a priest-turned-politician had that much appeal? Okay, I'm kidding — apparently, our moderator was from Pampanga as well. In any case, my curiosity was piqued due to Panlilio's status as an ex-priest. He certainly didn't look the part (the man is huge; reminded me of those biker-gang types), although his voice was a dead giveaway. Priests or ex-priests, they will forever have that soft-spoken, homily-ready undertone to their voice. But again, that's just me. What really struck a chord was Panlilio's narration of how he came to leave his comfort zone. Twenty-seven years of priesthood and the appeal of an early retirement… all given up for the sake of fellow Kapampangans who needed him to serve in a different way. Amen.

Last but not the least, we have the two mayors: Mayor Sonia Lorenzo of San Isidro, Nueva Ecija; and Mayor Jesse Robredo of Naga City, Camarines Sur. Lorenzo was, hands down, the most serious of the speakers. She reminded me of Prof. McGonagall from Harry P: no-nonsense, severe, quietly intimidating… you get the point. With the video presentation of citizen-empowerment programs she had established in San Isidro, Lorenzo drove home the point that she was leader of a fourth-class town that could.

Finally, it was Robredo's turn to speak. I guess it's only through multi-awarded mayors like him that one can witness articulate speeches delivered in a span of five minutes. He made two very simple, yet powerful points: with great power comes great responsibility; and not all politicians are the useless, blood-sucking ingrates we think they are — though not in so many words.

I believe that the effectiveness of a forum is measured by the number of people that step up to the mike to ask questions. Unlike other forums I've attended where a whole venue could seem empty (or simply asleep), this one actually had people racing to the mic. Imagine that. These five officials are solid proof that leadership should go beyond position, since, in the end, it's all about action. And as a budding sociologist, I come to the conclusion that Philippine society could evolve into a surprisingly better place if we put more people like them into office… and start acting instead of merely reacting.
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(The title was inspired from a quote by Napoleon Bonaparte: "Leaders are dealers in hope.")

Kaya Natin! is a national movement that aims to support and elect effective and ethical government leaders. To join and support Kaya Natin, you can contact Kai Pastores at (02) 426-5657 or send an email to kayanatin@yahoo.com