My column has run for quite a while and it is good to revisit some of the things I have said therein. Sometimes we say good things but people miss reading them. Or they misunderstand and must read them again to understand. And sometimes we say things that we simply need to repeat – either because this deepens our own understanding, reminds us of our commitment or inspires us anew. The following then are some of the thoughts I have articulated before in this column. Let’s look at them again for what they may tell us this time around-
From “The environmental Ombudsman” – Because we live and are part of the environment, the respect we place on the environment reflects our values and character as a people. In becoming involved in the fight against corruption that leads to environmental neglect and destruction, we hope to impress upon our people that we are just part of something that is larger than ourselves, and our collective and individual duty is to help sustain the very environment that basically sustains us, and because of which we are enabled to enjoy life with nature’s fruits and bounties.
From “Our partners in convergence” – Under convergence, we want all of society to join hands with us, and be one with us, in fighting the scourge of corruption, under the easy-to-understand theory that if all of us are into the fight, looking at the same direction and fighting a common foe, we can leverage our resources and multiply our capabilities much more than if we were doing the fight alone or only with a few companions. I want to tell our new partners, “We will stand side-by-side, encouraging each other to win the battle.”
From “Cooperation with the BIR” - Efficiency and responsiveness are just two of the pillars which prop up and define public service. All government offices carry an indispensable duty to promote the very foundations of public service, and these are Integrity, Accountability and Transparency. These are values that, when assiduously pursued by any government agency, with the help and cooperation of the general public, will conceivably build a better future for all Filipinos and not just to a selected and lucky few who happen to have the money, the social stature and the connections to access opportunities and benefits that arise within society.
From “Improving the selection of judges” - For the Judicial Bar Council to do a really good job, careful attention should be given to the qualifications of the nominees. Articles the nominee has written about the law and the legal process, social commentaries authored by him and books xxx are important indications of the quality of the nominee. If the nominee has been a judge, his having received, or even just his having been nominated for, an award in judicial excellence are also good leads to his competence. But this is all as far as improving the selection and appointment process for judges and magistrates is involved. Hand in hand with this is the attention that should also be given to improving the legal system itself.
From “Leaving a legacy” - Benjamin Disraeli, former British Prime Minister and confidante of Queen Victoria , once said that the legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example of how life should be lived. The English playwright and poet William Shakespeare said that no legacy is so rich as honesty. John Maxwell, famous author of leadership books in our own time, says that a lasting legacy is one where, because of one’s work and example, society and its institutions continue to improve when he is no longer around.
From “Insights from a poem on corruption” - The poem’s author has this stirring prayer: “May God, whose essence is light, which reveals even the most hidden secret, including those repeatedly covered by deception and habitual trickeries, show our failings especially to ourselves, so that we may have a sincere change of heart, a deep love for our country, a profound appreciation for the sacrifices of our heroes, a genuine desire to bequeath to our children a progressive nation, all of which may lead us to resist corruption in ourselves and fight corruption in others.” Those who, by their secret corruption, have contributed to the poverty of millions of Filipinos, whether or not they intended it, must tremble on the day God will have His judgment! ■
Original published in the July 23-24, 2010 issue of Business Mirror.
