Need for wisdom

President Aquino, whether intended or not, says the wrong thing at the wrong time.

During the papal visit, the President chastised members of the Filipino clergy in front of Pope Francis for tolerating abuses committed by the previous administration of President Gloria Arroyo.

Then he went on criticizing the local leaders of the Roman Catholic Church who are critical of his administration.

It was good that the Pope hardly understood English. And that the Pope was a better leader, and a better man. In reaction to what the President said, Vatican spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi said it was unusual for that sort of speech to be delivered in front of the Pope. They didn’t hit back. But of course, it was another way of saying that the President could have chosen a better audience.

But for all intents and purposes, it was a diplomatic faux pas and spoke clearly about what kind of leadership this country has and what kind of person our President is.

It is not the first time that the President has put his foot in his mouth.

He chose to criticize the head of the Bureau of Immigration on the occasion of the agency’s anniversary. And then during his State-of-the-Nation address, the President continued with his tirade and scolded several “underperforming” agencies, including the BI, Bureau of Customs, and National Irrigation Administration.

It is not that I disagree with the President’s point that these agencies and their heads may not be performing as expected. The point is, as President, he could have chosen a better stage. After all, their failure reflects on him as head of the executive department.

And then of course, we recently have the President criticizing the Supreme Court after the High Tribunal declared certain parts of the disbursement acceleration program (DAP) as unconstitutional, and his acceptance of PNP Chief Alan Purisima’s resignation, but at the same absolving his long-time friend from any wrongdoing in connection with the Mamasapano incident.

Then lately, we hear about the President insulting and scolding the widows of the slain SAF men. Speaking of lack of compassion and breeding.

During his meeting last Thursday with the widows, one family reportedly said: “We hope sir we can get justice. We hope we can show them that the government is more powerful than them.”

To which the President answered: “Why, what is justice for you? Aren’t we doing it already? What do you want me to do, get the fingerprints of the enemy? They are so many. Just so we can find out who killed your relatives?... My father was also killed so I know how you feel kaya patas na rin tayo ngayon.”

Some of those present observed that the President seemed not to be serious with his answers and was in fact laughing while answering their questions.

One of the families asked why no airstrike was sent to which PNoy responded: “Do you play computers?’

Another asked: “We would just like to ask why the fighting lasted for more than 10 hours? Why was there no reinforcement?”

He answered: “10 a.m. I was in Zamboanga. (Special Action Force director Getulio) Napenas started texting me around 7:15 the troops were fighting. I said, send reinforcement so I thought it was already ok… I did not know that that was not true. And I did not know that the 84th was also dragged into the fight in the early afternoon. If we suppose you text your friend so that you’d meet at the (Mall of Asia), is it that easy for you to go there immediately?”

The President should start reading and reflect on the words of James, the Epistle writer who spoke about, among other things, controlling the tongue. John Maxwell, in his book The Maxwell Leadership Bible, says among the lessons in leadership that can be derived from reading the Book of James are: that integrity occurs when words and actions match, how if one can bridle their tongue they can discipline any part of their life, and how leadership motives must be pure, and mercy and justice are healthy motivators.

Maxwell says: “What power our words contain.” James focuses on the little muscle inside our mouths called the tongue,” “a little thing that dispenses both blessing and cursing. Leaders must pay close attention, for they communicate often and carry great influence when they speak… The tongue is a spiritual meter. If we can bridle it, we can bridle the whole body. It becomes the gauge for our maturity… The tongue is powerful. Like a huge fire, it can ruin or bless our entire lives. This power was meant to send us down the right path, not to kill us… The tongue can reveal what sort of wisdom we harbor insider. A good tongue protects our integrity.” James asks: “Is yours a good guard or a bad one? Does it create peace or reveal hypocrisy.”

Innovation

St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC) has launched a mobile app that would allow netizens to get easy access not just to its wide array of healthcare services, but also to health tips and other health issues.

Launched late last month, the St. Luke’s MedConnect is a free and easy-to-use mobile application that can be downloaded to a smartphone within minutes, and can be used to request an appointment with a St. Luke’s doctor, access one’s laboratory results, reserve a hospital room, pay online, schedule executive check-ups, and read about health tips. The St. Luke’s MedConnect app is available for download at the Apple App Store and Google Play.

St. Luke’s has been innovating continuously. Its Quezon City branch has been accredited four times by the JCI or Joint Commission International, the international arm of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), the oldest and most prestigious healthcare accreditation organization in the world.

Meanwhile, St. Luke’s-Global City earned its first JCI accreditation after only two years of operation. Both Global City and Quezon City are also certified by German-based accrediting body Temos for Excellence in Medical Tourism and Quality in International Patient Care.

For the 6th straight year last July,  St. Luke’s Medical Center was recognized as a Readers Digest Platinum Trusted Brand (Hospital Category). This is the 16th Trusted Brand survey conducted by Readers Digest among Filipino and Asian consumers to find out the most trusted brands across Asia’s five key markets namely the Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Taiwan.

Global marketing research company Ipsos conducted the survey which covered 42 categories and five thousand respondents. Trusted brands were rated according to six attributes: trustworthiness and credibility, quality, value, understanding of consumer needs, innovation and social responsibility.

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