I’m already in public office

We are now in that season where one out of three persons will ask: “Who’s your President?”

I generally shrug off the question because I have learned from experience that it is wiser to keep one’s choice to yourself, aside from the fact that this obsession and mindset that “who we vote as President will determine how good or bad our economy and social conscience performs” is totally false! It is presumptuous if not politically arrogant for people to claim that their perpetuity in office will insure the continued growth and stability of our nation. Excuse me, the Filipino people did all of the work, the politicians have simply hitched hiked on our labors and hyped it all as their vision and accomplishment. I’ve also pointed out in the past that God gives us the President we need for a specific problem. He also gives us a particular President either to bless us or to curse us.

Dependence or reliance on politicians also runs counter to my belief that we should make “politicians” obsolete by developing a professional, competitive civil service that is based on meritocracy and just compensation. Instead of using up our time and resources being politicized and arguing with each other, what we need to do is to invest in civil servants who have pride of place, pride in their profession and not in politicians who can’t run or manage a corporation in a level playing field, or without resorting to corrupt practices, who become pride-filled leaders expecting to be served and followed instead of being servant leaders. It is high time that corporations and the private sector actually work with the “workers” in government, not the politicians. This is the only way we can get the government we deserve!

If politicians and political parties were truly that useful, organized and beneficial to the country, then why in heaven’s name are they falling over each other trying to form a lineup for the 2016 elections? Why are they struggling with great difficulty trying to convince each other on who should lead, who should follow, who is anointed and who should give way? Why are political parties and officials going around Metro Manila and major cities trying to woo “celebrities” or people with name recall to join them as candidates for the senatorial elections? From what I’ve heard and learned, some parties are actually scraping the bottom of the barrel because those with real leadership and executive skills know better than to lend their names, reputation and character to political parties that have evaporated whatever respect and credibility they once had.

I don’t know if my friends or the public will be honest and observant enough to admit that if anything, the current form of politics and politicking we now see is one developed by “haters,” or people who promote hatred and character assassination not just against one candidate but against those who would not align with them or who pose a serious challenge. We also witness how seemingly intelligent people and friends have thrown away prudence, wisdom, understanding, even risking damaged relationship by promoting or sharing messages, images and accusations they have no direct knowledge of.  “Haters” and politicians have succeeded in making us “hate” each other. Sadly even the most prayerful of people seem to have forgotten God’s instruction: Thou Shall Not Bear False Witness.

To throw off my politician-obsessed friends I often ask them: “name me one politician who directly and personally contributed or made a significant difference in your business?” Obviously 9 out of 10 had to answer “None of the above.” Yes, our elected officials have a role either as legislators or executives but they don’t make direct contributions or impact to our businesses and concerns so much so that they should be venerated or considered as the be all and end all of our national recovery.

If anyone has or can make a difference in your business, quality of life or patriotic aspiration, I can introduce you to him or to her just by making you stand in front of the mirror. You regularly share meals with them at home and if you have an office or place of work they are the people you directly interact and work with everyday.

None of us need to rely on “piliticians,” meaning forced political choices resulting from mob mentality or political dynasties. None of us need to run for public office, especially not us who are in media or those with personal advocacies because we are effectively already in public office when we get up every morning with intentions to contribute to improving things, working to bring growth to the company or praying as a community we are serving our families, the public and our common good.

In a time and place where election laws are openly violated through premature campaigning on radio and TV, where political parties fold up like TV shows and basketball teams, in a country where the sanctity of the ballot and integrity of the system and process is continually questioned or challenged, we can no longer consider our vote sacred. At the most it is merely a legal obligation.

Knowing this, we all need to realize that politicians and politics is not the answer… it is The Curse. Consider then the stability of Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia to mention a few. Their stability is not in the form of government, it is in the professionalism of those in government. Not the politicians but those who call themselves “Public Servants.” We Filipinos are well able, we are respected, we are qualified. From the lowly DH to the technocrats who were forced out of the country by poverty or by politics. All of them are valued elsewhere. What ails us is not our culture per se. Our mistake is that we have been looking for the wrong answers from the wrong people.

We the people and our civil service – that is where the solution and the remedies abound.

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