if you were in their shoes?
Faithful reader Abbygail asks a provocative question:
… if you will be tapped by the govt. to serve in teves’ shoes, what will you do to change the rut we’re in? help the people w/ your ideas. we cannot be blaming each other forever and just sit still. what will you do if given that chance to serve?
I personally do not think that an interactive forum like ours requires its participants to offer specific alternatives (in contrast, for example, to a newspaper editorial). It’s more than enough to express ourselves and discuss issues with others. But I do share Abbygail’s concern about moving forward (note, please, that I did not use that old plea to “move on” — euphemism for forgiving and forgetting).
If we were in a high official’s place, what, specifically, would we do? No need to limit ourselves to Finance Secretary Gary Teves; how about we choose one department (say, DND) or agency (say, Pagcor), and then offer our proposed (specific) solutions?
Should be interesting. But, please, keep it specific. As they say, God (or the devil) is in the details.
December 23rd, 2007 at 2:59 pm
when i chose teves as the example, it was his position as finance sec. that came to my mind first, as i consider finance more impt. than the other portfolios. so, no, i wasn’t thinking about teves’ as being low-life.
what i said to emphasize the importance of granting higher pay for govt. employees was…
“let us not allow govt. to be the last resort of the incompetents”(this is not from me, i read this somewhere but right now due to my senior moments, i can’t recall who said it)…as a reaction to what marius wrote about low-pay of govt. people and a low-life scums…
December 23rd, 2007 at 1:14 pm
intellectual giants need not be our leaders. they just need to be among us.
im thinking of the likes of gregorio zara, roberto del rosario or tony tan coktiong. we have too few of them. we need 100,000.
we hear much fanfare and bragging whenever a filipino makes international news. but unless he is thomas alva edison, it will make little difference.
and yes, bert has an interesting observation. the most loved american president was an actor. so was ours. can you make a connection?
December 23rd, 2007 at 1:11 pm
Bert
Based from statistics and from the lessons of history, the giants of corruption came from the giants of intellect. One of the best and most-loved presidents of the United States was not known for his intellect but as a second rate movie actor.
++++++++++
Are you talking about President Reagan? He’s a good President. You don’t need to have a doctorate degree to be a good leader.
December 23rd, 2007 at 1:05 pm
abbygail
thanks to john n., for finding my question provocative…
to marius….i find your piece on pagcor interesting. and yes, the govt. attracts only low-life scum bec. of its so-so pay. i’ve written about this a while back, as one root of corruption is low-pay. let us not allow the govt as the last recourse of the incompetents
(note: thanks for the positive criticism on the question i posed)
+++++++++
Sus! Nobody twisting your arm to accept a low paying job. If you want more pay then you should look for a good paying job. Oversea! Become OFW They’re making good money, School teacher become Super maid ni Gloria. Doctor Become nurse, That is because there is not enough work in the Philippines for everybody.
December 23rd, 2007 at 8:41 am
Following Bert’s example; in the spirit of Christmas I greet John and Manolo, and all Inquirer staffs and management, all bloggers out there, all those who continue the good fight towards better governance and also to the still unconfirmed president Gloria Arroyo. I also greet the Congressmen and hope they enjoy the P 200,000 bonus they gave themselves in good conscience.
I also greet the Congressmen and women who went out to that Europeans junket and laud their efforts there, it’s hard to have jet lag while trying to enjoy their wines and food, it’s hard to go malling as it gives you sore feet, its hard to do overtime work in that junket especially when they have to extend their enjoyment in London even though the presidential plane was on it’s way home. It’s hard to enjoy and party as it will leave a lot with lack of sleep and hangovers. As you claim you do this for the service of the people, I hope the Filipino people will look at your trip as “service to Filipino people” otherwise it would be bad for political “perception” as you are so fond of calling it. Most of all I hope that you properly buried your conscience, it’s hard to properly enjoy your life with your pesky conscience bothering you. And in case you are dense or equally as mentally bankrupt as you are morally bankrupt as well, I had just gave an ironic statement.
I also greet the Congressmen, bureaucrats, administrators, policemen, military men and politicians who continually work towards covering up corruption and abuses. May you get the things according to what you deserve.
For the HONEST administrators, policemen, military men, statesmen, Senators and occasional Congressmen, may you too get the things according to the deeds which you made.
I pray that each one would get corresponding to the deeds one did in this world, for this world, for his or her country, for his fellowmen especially to the needy, for nature, for God, for those who need both material and spiritual succor. May those who do good get good in return and may evil get evil in return.
For those who are starting to get sick and having to go to more frequent medical check ups and even the occasional “albularyo”, I hope you are finally considering to change your ways before it’s too late. Divine justice respects no man or woman, no matter what position he or she has attained in life.
To those decent and honest yet suffering out there, I can only pray that one day, the light will shine through and prosperity will come as you continue to work honestly for your family, for yourselves, and for those in need. Be of the way of God and God shall be with you.
Once more Merry Christmas and a prosperous New year to those who deserve it.