![JAZA[1]](http://filipinovoices.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/JAZA1.png)
Interesting that blogger Reyna Elena has recently decided to support a call for the venerable Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala (JAZA) to run for President. I find it interesting because I see this as a real good case study — something that we can potentially follow from inception in a way not coloured by the muddlery of petty political intrigue that our society’s traditional cast of characters (the traditional politicians, “journalists”, and “experts”) tend to smear onto whatever they touch upon.
It is an audacious call, more so considering that I personally don’t see what’s in it for the guy. Why subject one’s self to the pain of being leader of a people who can’t even prosper their way out of a paper bag when you already lord it over a realm that collectively is probably worth more than the entire archipelago combined.
Yet how different can JAZA be from the dime-a-dozen politicos with mouthsful of mere slogans and platitudes to deliver us? I take a bit of license to join the venerable Reyna in her exploration:
[...] Indeed, wouldn’t it be nice to be led by a guy who is an esteemed alumna of the Harvard Business School and head of one of the most brilliantly-run business conglomerates in the land — a vast enterprise that has sunk in more piles supporting an infrastructure base of standards of quality unmatched by any Government-funded project?
Well then I’m sure even a graduate of Lola Basyang’s Business School in Valenzuela, much less that of the prestigious HBS, will be able to follow a four step process to show how serious he/she is about the business of running a country.
But as I have made quite clear many times in the past, we as constituents of a democracy the very nature of which lends reflection of the character of a people to its leaders need to embody the very traits we expect of our politicians, thus…
[...] So too, Reyna Elena and company, if you truly support this candidate and are serious about the job you’ve put your hand up for, then the challenge is quite simple. Help this candidate differentiate himself from all the rest and work towards coming up with a coherent platform you can propose he take up to demonstrate to him that you too take the whole Office of the President seriously. Considering that the man is an esteemed alumna of the Harvard Business School, that should not be too tall an order.
Compare that to the latest jologular speculation on the senatorial aspirations of Danny Lim, where The Queen makes the following “reflection”:
Ang kalimitan na tanong kay Brig. Gen. Danny Lim ay kung paano siya makakasilbi sa taumbayan kung siya ay maswerteng manalo sa pagka-senador sa eleksyon sa 2010 samantalang nakakulong siya.
[...Life is unfair indeed, but who knows, baka swertehin ...]
Ang sagot ni Lim, ang dahilan ng kanyang pagka-kulong ay pulitikal. Hindi siya nagnakaw o nandaya. Kaya nga siya nakulong dahil nilabanan niya ang lideratong mandaraya at magnanakaw.
[... Is it just me or were a few details left out in the above account? ...]
gusto nila makabuo ng reform-oriented na mga bloke sa Kongreso at sa pamahalaan para maisulong ang programang makabayan.
Kaya mahalaga na manalo muna sila.
[... kung baga, ma'am Win First Think Later, right?]
That bit of comedy relief (with apologies to non-Tajolog speakers) pretty much gives us an idea of the low bar that we typically set for ourselves when “supporting” or “endorsing” whatever bozo candidate we have in mind as our manok for whatever office of the moment is up for bids (often literally).
So we owe it to ourselves as a people who more than a few here think is “destined for greatness” to raise the bar to a level befitting a people worthy of being called “democratic”.
I don’t know if Reyna Elena and company, in jumping onto their new-found advocacy, have thought this through the way I have laid it out here. But then they are in that unique position of doing it right the first time. So the future is their oyster.
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It’s always these kayumanggis who want an Ayala to be president.
Don’t forget. A few kayumanggi’s will vote for a Tsinoy (agnostic, even!!!) to be president.
also a great link bait.
I learn from the best, Mr. BrianB. But I’ve refined the craft to as fine an art as no one else does it. :-D
This is interesting. Has JAZA openly backed specific presidential candidates in the past? I am inclined to ask because I have been told that that big money backs big candidates.
A corporate executive would presumably bring important disciplines to the job of Executive: setting meaningful priorities, examining financial returns on government investments, cleaning up the rats nest of non-productive procedures (taxes on books and required waivers of same), and identifying people to hire and promote based on productive skill.
Joe
JAZA’s necessary skill set in the corporate arena does appear transferable.
But you can’t put someone into a POLICY-post without knowing what that dude or dudette’s vision is. Your side-bets are on shrimp and carageenan farming when the guy’s drooling for indoor-marijuana farming — Surprise!!!!
Exactly! And that’s what benign0′s challenge to Reyna Elena is all about.
We dont believe in Oligarchy. Because a man is rich and running a
business. He will be a good President.
Candidates must have a platform or agenda. Just because he seems to
be able and honest, does not mean ; he will be a good politician.
What can you do for us ? Is a good question for all candidates. Before you can earn our votes.
Kayo naman, kaya nga kailangan na talaga natin ng rebolusyon, to level the playing field. Sino ba iyang mga iyan? Saan ba nagsimula ang mga yaman niyan, diba sa mga prayle pa nuong panahon ng kastila.
Some kind of an idea runs in excess – are we here to ‘privatize’ or sort of ‘corporatize’ Philippine government and therefore its state of affairs will resemble an environment given to JAZAISM and every employee or official in the whole bureaucracy having a sort of seminar workshop on public administration and governance as taught in the Harvard Business School?
Enough. Why not accept products of this HBS in our recruitment process by way of appointment in the cabinet and let us see how they will predictably self-destruct. Why?
Governance, is culture bound and no US prototype has ever changed the working configuration, just nothing.
King-makers to joint the circus and become clowns?
Hmm… I wonder if Danding had the same thinking when he decided to run for office then…
he’s a clown or not a kingmaker.
If there are enough people who want a Zobel-Ayala to run for an elective office, why not pick one who is more visible and known to the public – the younger brother, Fernando, who is also married to a known entity, a daughter of Dante Silverio?
Fernando is the brother more known and in touch with Ayala’s many labor-intensive enterprises like BankPI and the other financial institutions.
JAZA as president. In the words of the last kastilaloy Presidente de Filipinas, Senor Manuel Quezon,
“Eso es ridiculo!”
I find Danny Lim’s offer a bit short. He’s just focusing what he DOESN’T GIVE to the people – corruption, headaches (but he did give headaches with that coup attempt… still he fails in that). The important thing is what he CAN GIVE to the people – in Benign0′s words, Platform Plez.
That’s the challenge that JAZA has to come up with a better answer to.
benny dude,
I thought talking about personalities was above you?
What can i say, I’m still Pinoy, aren’t I? ;-)
But then if you read the blog carefully, you’ll see that the point I ultimately make is one that is more conceptual than of anything to do with the personality I start out highlighting — true and consistent to my usual brilliant form.
Unfortunately, benny, any and all Filipinos are entitled to their own opinion, and groups of Filipinos of their own opinion should not be seen to demonstrate the dysfunctions of the whole.
You’re getting to the point of using anything and everything done by an individual or even a group of Filipinos to demonstrate that malaise.
Surely, I think your “brilliant form” deserves more rigor — if not more objectivity.