2010 bets invited to 'job interview'

MANILA, Philippines - Human resource management experts yesterday invited all presidential candidates to a “job interview” to allow the people to decide who among them is the most competent to be the country’s next president.

The People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP), with 1,800 member companies, challenged the presidential candidates to come for a job interview to determine who among them is most qualified candidate.

Among those invited were Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Senators Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Loren Legarda and Richard Gordon.

PMAP also invited Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Bayani Fernando and Bangon Pilipinas candidate Bro. Eddie Villanueva to a dialogue on Sept. 25 at the Sofitel Hotel.

“The Philippines needs an outstanding leader because 23 years after EDSA (people power revolution), we have not significantly solved the twin problems of poverty and corruption,” PMAP president Grace Zata said.

“We need to look at their individual capacities based on their track record and experiences, beyond motherhood statements of helping the poor and alleviating poverty,” she said.

Zata said the presidential candidates should undergo rigorous evaluation just like any job applicant to determine their qualifications and capacity.

“How much more the president of this country who has to steer the entire nation to overcome the challenges of poverty and underdevelopment?” Zata asked.

Zata said Isabela Governor Grace Padaca and former senator Franklin Drilon would be the PMAP’s guests to speak on the kind of leadership required to solve poverty and corruption.

“The voting public deserves to be correctly informed about the competencies of the candidates seeking their precious votes,” Zata said.

PMAP said the good candidate must be able to play the roles of “navigator and captain of the ship,” a servant-leader with a genuinely caring heart and work ethic to achieve the goals of government, a guardian of the national wealth and resources, and a captivator to inspire unity, trust and optimism among the people.

Zata added a good candidate should be a “mobilizer of concerned government and non-government and private sectors to achieve objectives and build consensus.”

PMAP had interviewed past presidents and other officials from the executive, legislative and judicial branches, as well as representatives from the media to identify critical incidents that the president must successfully deal with in order to lead the country.