By Niña Terol
I CONSIDER myself fortunate to be one of the radio anchors of Lider Totoo, the Saturday-morning program on Radyo Veritas that tackles servant leadership through the experience of real leaders working in different fields and different parts of the country. There are few things I enjoy better than listening to great minds sharing their experiences, challenges, and aspirations, and working on this program makes it worthwhile for me to wake up early on a Saturday morning and trek all the way to North Avenue. (And I live in Pasay, so you can get the picture.)
My first interview, held on 11 October, was with Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo who started public service at the age of 29 and introduced many innovations in government service, including running a website where Nagueños could log in to learn anything about their government and the services that they needed.
Through the website, the people of Naga could look into ordinances and executive orders, view public biddings and government transactions, and gain free access to information that they, the public, had the right to know.
In 2000, Mayor Robredo won the highly prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service, where this citation was presented:
“It is sad but true. Democratic government is not necessarily good government. Too often, elections yield power to the few, not the many. Injustices linger beneath the rhetoric of equality. Corruption and incompetence go on and on. Voters, alas, do not always choose wisely. And yet, in Asia and the world at large, much is at risk when democracy founders, because democracy is the hope of so many. Jesse Manalastas Robredo entered Philippine politics at a time when hope was high. As mayor of Naga City from 1988 to 1998 he demonstrated that democratic government can also be good government.
“In the wake of his country’s People Power Revolution in 1986, Jesse Robredo responded to President Corazon Aquino’s call to public service. He abandoned his executive position at San Miguel Corporation to head the Bicol River Basin Development Program in Naga, his hometown. In 1988, he stood for election as mayor and won by a slim margin. He was twenty-nine.
“Once the queen city of the Bicol region Naga in 1989 was a dispirited provincial town of 120,000 souls. Traffic clogged its tawdry business district and vice syndicates operated at will. City services were fitful at best. Meanwhile, thousands of squatters filled Naga’s vacant lands, despite the dearth of jobs in the city’s stagnant economy. Indeed, Naga’s revenues were so low that it had been downgraded officially from a first-class to a third-class city.
“Robredo began with a strike against patronage. He introduced a merit-based system of hiring and promotion and reorganized city employees on the basis of aptitude and competence. He then moved against local vice lords, ridding Naga of gambling and smut. Next, he relocated the bus and jeepney terminals outside the city center, ending gridlock and spurring new enterprises at the city’s edge. In partnership with business, he revitalized Naga’s economy. Public revenues rose and by 1990 Naga was a first-class city again. Robredo’s constituents took heart and reelected him.
“Spurning bodyguards, Robredo moved freely among the people. By enlisting the support and active assistance of Naga’s NGOs and citizens, he improved public services dramatically. He established daycare centers in each of Naga’s twenty-seven districts and added five new high schools. He built a public hospital for low-income citizens. He set up a dependable twenty-four-hour emergency service. He constructed a network of farm-to-market roads and provided clean and reliable water systems in Naga’s rural communities. He launched programs for youth, farmers, laborers, women, the elderly, and the handicapped — drawing thousands into civic action in the process. No civic deed was too small, he told the people, including the simple act of reporting a broken street lamp. He sometimes swept the streets himself.
“Consistently, Robredo prioritized the needs of the poor. Through his Kaantabay sa Kauswagan (Partners in Development) program, over forty-five hundred once-homeless families moved to home-lots of their own. They became part of Naga’s revival. So did a revitalized city government. Applying techniques from business, Robredo raised performance, productivity, and morale among city employees. As a culture of excellence overtook the culture of mediocrity at City Hall, Naga’s businesses doubled and local revenues rose by 573 percent.
“Reelected without opposition in 1995, Robredo urged the Naga City Council to enact a unique Empowerment Ordinance. This created a People’s Council to institutionalize the participation of NGOs and people’s organizations in all future municipal deliberations. When obliged by law to step down after his third term, the popular Robredo made no effort to entrench his family. His advice to would-be leaders? ‘You have to have credibility.’
“In electing Jesse Robredo to receive the 2000 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service, the board of trustees recognizes his giving credence to the promise of democracy by demonstrating that effective city management is compatible with yielding power to the people.”
What struck me most during the interview was Mayor Robredo’s answer to our question about the legacy that he wanted to leave the people of Naga, and whether he feared that, as a last-term mayor, his achievements would be overturned by future city executives who might have different priorities and agenda items from those which he had promoted in Naga City since he first took office in 1988.
He said that the milestones they had achieved in Naga City were not his alone — they were achievements of the Nagueños themselves who now had the power to work with their government because of the systems that had been institutionalized in the city.
He said that if anyone tried to wrest power from the people and try to undo all the good work that they — the government and the people, together — had done over the past 20 years, then the people themselves would not allow it. They would not stand for a government that would trample over their rights, and they would make sure that whatever progress they had achieved over the past two decades would not go to waste. Mayor Robredo expressed his faith and belief that the people of Naga would remain vigilant and ensure that good, participatory governance would continue to rule over Naga even long after his term.
Why did the answer strike me? One reason was the mayor’s sincerity in his belief that his constituents are, first and foremost, not stupid. He knows that they had worked just as hard as his government had in ensuring a better life for themselves and their families. He relates that when a tax hike was being considered, residents and landowners even agreed to a tax hike in support of better social services. When citizens agree to a tax hike, it means that they know where their money is going.
Another reason was the mayor’s belief that participatory governance, because it had now empowered the people of Naga, will not end when his term does. Of course, there are risks that a city government with a drastically different agenda will alter Naga City’s course, but again, the people are not stupid. Having experienced their city’s transformation over the years, they will most likely vote for someone who can build on the city’s success. Perhaps, their participation in governance has also made Nagueños more mature than other segments of the electorate.
I admit to learning about Mayor Robredo’s accomplishments very late into my socio-political involvement, but now I am more eager to learn about the systems that have been established in Naga City as a result of his tenure. How much of a role does enabling technology truly empower people? What offline processes are essential to building a truly enabling environment? What management skills must one possess in order to make this happen? Is this kind of leadership replicable, and on a greater scale? Is this the kind of leadership that the Philippines needs? I don’t know the answers to these questions yet, but I will try to find out.
I suggest that you — believers and skeptics alike — try to do the same.
Niña Terol, 28, describes herself as a C-E-O: communicator, enabler, organization-builder. She is a member of Team RP, YouthVotePhilippines, and other reform-oriented networks working for better governance, transparency, and accountability in the Philippines. Aside from promoting her advocacies, Niña is a full-time lifestyle and business writer and communications consultant.
17 Feedbacks on "‘Out of the Universe Leadership’ (part 1)"
Roger Lasquite
Participatory Governance:The Naga City Experience
Dito ko siya unang nakilala o nabasa ang tungkol ke Mayor Jesse M.Robredo,sa aklat na ‘Filipino Spiritual Culture Social Transformation and Globalization.Isa siya sa nagbahagi dito kasama rin ang dating Pangulong Cory Aquino,at iba pa.Napakaganda ng mga naisulat dito at sana nga e mabasa rin ito ng marami nating kababayan.Paminsan-minsan e ibinabahagi ko rin ito sa iba.I like the ‘Participative Visioning:Getting the Bearings Right’ niya.salamat po sa pagbabahagi nyo rin nito.
Edward
Based on your story, Naga has been fortunate to have someone like Mayor Robredo to serve them.
He seems a symbol of hope in this corrupt government system.
Assuming he is impervious to corruption, we need more people like him to run this country. The problem is, how many like him are willing to fight this corrupt system and serve the real needs of the nation? We need a system that will appoint only people like him and give the necessary authority to perform the needed changes.
So in line with your article title “out of this world leadership, I’m advocating for “enlightened dictatorship.” Enlightenment pertains to a truly altruistic and noble drive to make this country a better place for the next generation.
We are not ready for democracy. The people of Naga was wise for choosing Mayor Robredo, but I’m not sure the whole population will choose someone like him. Democracy here in the Philippines is like authorizing the grade school student government to run the whole school. We are just not mature enough for this kind of system.
Roger Lasquite
ang isang maganda sigurong makita natin at mapag-munihan e,”saan baga nanggagaling ang ating inspirasyon” upang maka-sali tayo sa mga usapang tutungo sa kaayusan,’mahirap lumaban,kung ganon siguro ang ating ini-isip,nakakatakot talaga…subalit kung makikita natin ang mga nakatayo ng mga institusyon natin,e NAITAYO ng dahil sa mga ‘matibay na paniniwala at pananampalataya’ na hindi mula sa ating mga sariling kakayanan,kundi sa mas MATAAS na kapangyarihan,e TATAYO tayo at eto,patuloy tayong magsisikap na,AYUSIN,ITAMA,GABAYAN,BANTAYAN AT TULUNGAN at maki-isa upang matamo ang mga kinakailangang gawin. me “SAKIT AT MATINDI”, KAILANGAN TAYO,tayong lahat,bago maging huli,AT MAKITA SANA NG LAHAT-NA TAYO E ETO,…NAIS-TUMULONG.’ dahil bahagi tayo,at…alam ko me-pag-asa.”,’Jesus,Jesus,Jesus,heal us,our land.’
harley
I digress to the comment related to the support of “enlightened dictatorship.” Dictatorship, in whatever form runs counter to the essence of democracy. All fallen leaders started on good faith - until that quest for power started to sink in and ultimately corrupted them. (ie Marcos)
Even here in the US, NYC Mayor’s Bloomberg proposal for a third term is met with serious criticism. Bloomberg is a good mayor and he did a lot of good things to the city but his “goal” runs afoul to the will of the people.
Out mayor is commendable not only because he had done a good job - but because he knows the essence of his job on the first place. He is the perfect example of a person “ripe” for public service. He knows the basic principles of business, hence properly applied it in the area of politics.
Sad to say, we Filipinos vote for popularity reasons. The key here is “educated democracy”. Lets bring the topic of politics in school - incorporate them in the Social Studies and inculcate in the mind of the students critical thinking as to the kind of government they ultimately want to have.
Edward
That’s the problem: how can we achieve this “educated democracy” you are advocating when the present government structure is implementing it poorly if not at all?
Whom do you expect will educate the nation, the private sector? And how can you convincingly educate something when exactly the opposite is being practiced (by the government)?
I think we need an iron fist to weed out the wrong and sow the right things (like what you are advocating) for the country.
If dictatorship is too much of an extreme, I think we can settle with meritocracy. We only choose those with proper credentials to serve the country.
It’s only when we have transformed into a mature (and educated) nation, is when we can go back to democracy.
Vanessa Bandal
I think his reforms are good. But I don’t think it is only him that can do that. If the next leader has a new set of reforms to instill, whether or not they get along with his old set of reforms, e.g. new projects, a new curriculum (if its a school), then I think they could get him as well. There are different parts of the country they can develop; every portion i.e., barangays, barrios, districts, have their own needs. It shouldn’t be just one person who can develop it. Sometimes, it’s time to change, and change the leader, sometimes it is.
Jim Paredes
Jesse Robredo’s kind of governance and leadership will hopefully catch on as a new, dominant template in the immediate future. We need leaders like him who are not only good and decent but able to run government.
In a way, one might say that aside from leaders like him shunning corrupt practices, they are also leaders of modenization.
crisostomo_ibarra
Should Naga Mayor Jesse Robredo run for governor or president, count my vote for him.
Roger Lasquite
ang ibig lang natin e ‘ tunay ng pagbabago,at mapayapang paraan at ng maka-UNLAD naman,lalo na ang mahihirap,mapalaya na ang mamamayan,’sobrang tagal na ang debate sa mga kung ano ang tama o legal,at kung tutuo o hindi ang mga nagaganap sa gobyerno,pero pabalik-balik at pabali-baliktad lang naman at lilitaw e yung opinyon o hatol ng mga sinasabing magagaling sa batas,e pero nasaan pa rin tayo?…kung minsan e dapat ding pakinggan na lang ang mga opinyon ng mga ordinaryong tao o yung mga nagmamatyag ng matagal lamang dati,ngunit nakikilahok na rin,kahit sa ganito lang ng kahit paano e makatulong.’Iba naman nga o hingin na ang tulong ng tao,dapat naman talaga e tulong-tulong tayo ah! mabigat yan!!!, hindi nyo kaya yan,sige na po!!! (ipinagdadasal lahat kayo,tayo,…ang ating bayang MAHAL)
Joseph "ose" Marquez Aquino
The contribution of Mayor Jesse Robredo in local good governance is very remarkable;
yet, the ultimate challenge for him is to produce many leaders like him; the “two sides of the same coin” regarding model face of true leaders is, one, the capacity to influence others to act and, two, the capacity to produce next leaders;
model leadership is sustainable good leadership;
– ose
Joseph "ose" Marquez Aquino
mayor jessse robredo’s contribution to local good governance is very remarkable;
yet, best leadership is not only capacity to influence others to act and get things done, but also to produce next leaders;
leadership influence by example is basic ingredient, but to ifluence others to be good leaders is crucial which needs more than example;
unless we all get too personalisitic;
deepcaring
When a well-decorated leader speaks about people empowerment as his core agenda in governance I could not stop thinking about Arthur’s Camelot or More’s Utopia.
Is Jesse a model of good governance? From the description of Nena, Jesse is indeed an alternative leader worth duplicating, but has not influenced the great segment of the trapos and their children in the country. Jesse is indeed one of the few leaders we badly need today. Is he considering the Malacanang? If not, why?
Was Jesse’s root a traditional politician? Was his victory in office at age 29 outside the trapo-system? Was he a mutated child of a trapo… gradually evolving into a child of the people… completely evolving 360 degree?
Does Nena describe the real participation of the people in governance? I doubt about its accuracy. Not that there is no significant raising of consciousness among the people in terms of their role in governance, but I am referring to real participatory governance. Does the poor has voice in the City Hall… in the City Council? In what way these people participate in governance? Are the systems truly allow real participation of the people? Who made the such systems? Include the process of its deliberation, if any. After Jesse’s term, were there trained leaders among the people (I meant, outside the family of Jesse ready to govern Naga), formed by the system stand ready to preserve and nurture its positive growth? If we have another Robredos in office (no matter how better he/she is than Jesse)… there is doubt about real people empowerment in Naga. Anyway, she is on the way of evaluating its impact to the people. Let us wait and see her findings. Nena, please publish your findings before 2010, it would be of great help. God bless C-E-O Nena.
Would a Jesse-like leadership find a place in Malacanang in 2010? This is a rare breed to leadership that must be placed in the Malacanang. Yes, rare but possible.
Nena described the Naguenos as mature voters, what is its history of voting, in terms of number of counts, in the past presidential elections? Include this in your research… so that we could also know how the Naguenos truly understand the political leadership of Jesse and whether this type of leadership has influenced their choice of a president.
Otherwise, what we are witnessing is not truly a participatory governance, but a people’s trust to a charismatic leader gifted with technical fluency and youth’s idealism. New in the face of trapos.. rarity in its breed.
Roger Lasquite
at isa sa maganda e,mabasa ang Catholic Social Teaching na mula sa Simbahan,upang tayo e mas-lalong maka-unawa at tuloy makapagbahagi ng magaganda at maayos,hindi lang Pilipinas ang me mga usaping tulad natin,lalo na ang sa Pulitika at Relihiyon,at Simbahan at Estado,at marahil nga e hindi talaga malinaw sa lahat ang mga ito lalo na sa mga Katolikong Filipino-ito lang apat na ito e maganda ng ating mapag-aralan o mapag-usapan.(tayo siguro bilang mamamayan at bilang mga kasapi ng simbahan e dapat talagang mag-muni at dapat pa nga e mag-aral o magsaliksik upang maging gabay natin.Matagal ding tanong sa aking sarili ang mga ito at patuloy pa rin nga ang aking pansariling paghahanap ng sagot.At alam ko hindi ako nag-iisa.
Kaya magandang pagmunihan ito, relihiyon at pulitika?,o maaaring ang simbahan at estado,?
Ano para sa atin ang mga ito o ano ang masasabi o pagkaka-unawa natin dito?
alam ko na marami na ang maaaring mga naisagot o pag-aaral dito,at kung tayo e me-kaalaman kahit konti man lang sa mga ito,…so tingnan natin ang pinaka-maganda at tunay.O misteryo talaga po baga ano?
sige po,…aral tayo…
Roger Lasquite
at idadagdag ko ang ,konsensya, so 3,politics,and religion,magandang nababasa ko at tutuong matututo tayo,Fundamental Principles.
so ano ang religion para sa atin?-hopefully e mai-share ko…
religion-
Roger Lasquite
sa katulad ko o dahil ako e me-oras at dala na rin ng pangangailangan e marami na rin akong binabasa, kailan lang e yung ngang tungkol sa religion,politics,conscience at magaganda at matututo ka talaga, at ang isa pang salaita ‘rhetoric’-at classical education pa,eto e sa ngayon emahirap na ring maintindihan o iba na ang ang nagiging kahulugan mula sa dating kahulugan nito,tulad din ng 3 nauna,so ito baga ay elaborate,confusing,o probably deliberately misleading language.yan na baga ang ibig sabihin nito?,ngayon.
roger lasquite
o bagong taon na po at marahil o sana e nakapag-muni tayo o me-hang-over pa,ok lang po at ayan kita natin ang tutuong mga hindi inaasahang mga kaganapan,pero o syempre dapat e malakas at handa tayo,…at kung nakapang-hihina e ‘dasal’ ito ang kailangan lagi upang magabayan tayo,sa tama.’ ‘Out of the universe,nga kaya?’ ito ang hamon marahil sa atin,at isang magandang hamon para sa akin,tulad din ng ‘kaya natin,ng ‘wanted effective,courageous,ethical,…alam nating lahat,at yan ang mga tanong at hamon na dapat nating maging gabay na rin…at maganda rin na maging maayos at maging bukas tayo sa lahat,sa mga opinyon at kaisipan ng iba upang lalong makita ang kung ano ang tama at magaling,at…
roger lasquite
from Give Me Liberty pa rin,
‘It is their mores,then,that make the Americans of the United States…capable of maintaining the rule of democracy…Too much importance is attached to laws and and too little to mores…I am convinced that the luckiest of geographical circumstances and the best of laws cannot maintain a constitution in spite of ,mores,whereas the latter can turn even the most unfavorable circumstances…to advantage…If,in the course of this book,I have not succeeded in making the reader feel the imporatnce I attch to the practical experiencce of the Americans,to their habits,laws,and,in a word,their mores,I have failed in the main object of my work.(Alexis De Tocqueville,Democracy in America)-so hahanapin ko pa rin ito,kaya lang e maganda ring mapagmunihan ang sinabing ito,so patuloy pa rin nga po ang pag-aaral,at sabi nga sa isang dyaryo naman e,maski si President elect B.Obaman e,napapabilis din ang kinakailangang mga adjustments sa mga sinabi niya noong kampanyahan,lalo na ngayong mga defecits at pangkabuhayan ang…
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