Searching for Our Voice in 2010
January 11th, 2009 by Patricio MangubatCaffeine Sparks wrote earlier that she found nothing spectacular about Mar Roxas. As a vocal critic of Mar, that meeting last Friday made me realize one thing–we are asking too much and too many things for just one guy to actually provide answers and solve these societal problems which are monumental in the first place, that would require not just executive power to cure; rather, needs collective effort to finally put an end.
Why do we repose so much hope on just one person? That was my mistake earlier in my life. For those who know me, I advocate caudillo-ism. Caudillo-ism maybe contemptuous to many, but I find it rather fitting given the character of our nation akin to Latin America. However, as I delve deeper into systems study, I found that the solution lies on imposing collective leadership instead of personalistic leadership. The root causes of our misery are deep-seated and it needs a total re-engineering of the entire state superstructure to be able to cause substantial changes.
Before we say anything about any candidate, let me pose clarificatory questions: what is our leadership paradigm? What are the attributes we want to find in our presidentiable? Before we subject anyone to closer scrunity, let us first determine these attributes, then, subject each and every candidate to this criterion.
Caffeine said she was uninspired by the answers of Mar Roxas. As a part of the academe, Caffeine is probably expecting something like an academic answer to an otherwise non-academic question. This is one pitfall of those coming from an academic background (like myself) since we expect people to say highfalutin, academic mumbo-jumbo instead of actually hearing explanations as simplified as a PHD can get.
The measure of an expert is the ability to simplify reality. To be able to get to the bottom of things without creating a technical jungle first. I can definitely say, without battling an eyelash, that that was the first time I saw Mar up close and personal. I just read his statements in the newspapers. I just listened to his interviews over television and radio.
And I tell you–and this is my personal take–Mar Roxas got my vote. Surviving a DJB attack to my mind, is admirable. Parrying those blows from other bloggers, including those coming from Jester, Ding and myself is rather commendable. Is he fit to be president? To my mind, he is. I’ve talked with others, like Noli Kabayan de Castro, Manny Villar, Cheez Escudero and Loren Legarda and really, I found those conversations a waste of my time. No one came close to Mar Roxas, no one, in terms of honesty, integrity of answers and knowledge on the subject matter. No one.
My leadership paradigm rests on just five things: First, strength of character. Is this person morally tough to reject those juicy offers that the position entails? Is he exhibiting strong political will? Second, mental toughness. Can this person provide answers to certain problems without babbling through technicalities, rather providing simplified answers? Third, knowledgeable. Is he a wide reader? Fourth, principled. Does this candidate have a personal ideology that determines the quality of his decisions? Does he believe on something? And lastly, frankness and transparency. Is this candidate someone who practices transparency in his everyday life?
Let me pose a challenge to my colleagues who were there last Friday—please cite just one presidential aspirant who, in your mind, approximates the candidness, the knowledge, the moral frankness and imposing a steely will the way Mr. Roxas exhibited last Friday?
Caffeine, the person we need come 2010 is a person who understands the people’s needs and who will serve as their voice in Malacanang. If we expect an expert to occupy the highest post in the land, then, we can’t find that one. Are we looking for an inspiring figure? Yes. But our concept of an inspiring leader runs counter with that of the people’s. For the people, you are actually looking for another Erap.
Mar, I believe, is still a work in progress. In time, with nationalists in his team, expect a fresher, more amiable and a more stronger fighter out of Mar Roxas. I would rather go for someone who has a strong principle and a stronger viewpoint on issues rather than a veteran wheeler-dealer (like Villar), or a baritone useless (like De Castro) or an aimless damsel in distress (like Loren). Or worst, a pretending oppositionist who fools the people everytime he opens his mouth (Cheez). I see Mar like I see Senate President Jovito Salonga, the one I supported in 1992. It’s just up to us to recognize the futility of looking for someone like Jesus Christ with a mind of an Einstein and consider the chance of taking part in the molding of someone who’ll probably be the best president in our generation.
January 11, 2009 at 1:48 pm
any chance for a transcript?
January 11, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Kapatid. Klarong-klaro naman kung ano ang gusto kong marinig sa kanya. Kung gusto ko ng PhD na sagot, kakausapin ko ang technocrats na ilalagay nya sa pwesto.
Ang sabi ko – gusto ko ng pinunong pwede kong sundan.
Pakibasa po ulit ang sinulat ko.
January 11, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Sir Gabby,
I don’t thinki our session which lasted in exzcess of 2 hours was recorded and if anyone from Mar’s close-in team was taking detailed notes. Will check.
January 11, 2009 at 5:00 pm
I have not talked with Noli Kabayan de Castro, Manny Villar, Cheez Escudero and Loren Legarda so I am reserving my judgment.
January 11, 2009 at 10:11 pm
Patricio Mangubat:
Offhand, your article is an unsolicited “praise release” for MAR ROXAS whom you defended against your fellow bloggers who interviewed him that Friday for making commentary contrary to your own view.
You are entirely biased, pretentious that you have a workable 5-point criteria that only apply to Mar at the total exclusion of the rest. You must be fooling yourself here. That you are paid PR for Mar Roxas is quite understandable and I can predict that you will more articles on Mar Roxas in the coming days or weeks.
You even likened Mar to Jovito Salonga? Oh God, come to your senses a little bit since in the realm of finely tuned opinions, Mar has got very little than the old Salonga.
That indicated to me that right away, you are trying to sell a bad idea to the reading universe found in this site.
Patricio, something is wrong with the purpose why you write.
January 11, 2009 at 10:15 pm
Pat,
I guess I’m a little surprised you’ve already made a choice for 2010. Although it seems fairly certain Mar Roxas will run, we do not know for example who his running mate or senatorial slate will be. Nor is his platform known. Also, we do not really know what his position will be on various critical issues and flashpoints that could arise as the present administration tries to dismount the Tiger without gettings its head bitten off, or perhaps decides it isn’t getting off! For all we know, GMA might yet anoint him (with a Kiss of Death!) But I like that you want to open up a discussion of leadership paradigms so we have a principled basis for making our choice.
By the way, Mar more than “survived a DJB attack”–as you so hyperbolically put it– since he was such a good sport throughout–the probing for which quality was really the whole point of the exercise. And the Senator himself said in remarks near the end of our soiree that if he could survive the fV bloggers, he could probably survive anybody. Very nice compliment to all.
We must never have a pikon like Gloria ever again in Malacanang. Mar has not been disqualified on this score.
January 11, 2009 at 10:21 pm
I’m thinking… and Pat, this is not a point against you. I think it’s time all of us in Filipino Voices cleared up our political affiliations. It is, after all, 2009.
January 11, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Methinks that we should disclose our political affiliations, I mean. Like political parties, politicians, groups and such whom we have worked for or work for. Just to make things clear.
January 11, 2009 at 10:54 pm
Marocharim,
I think Pat just did. But let’s leave that decision of disclosure to each individual. Besides I’m feeling very … ecdysiastic.
January 11, 2009 at 11:03 pm
karlpopper,
i think you went beyond the line here. you are charging me with something I did’nt do. You accused me of being Mar’s PR when everybody, except you, knows that it’s Bobby Capco who handles Mr. Mar Roxas and I don’t have, nor pretend to have an interest in this.
Hence, what you committed right now Mr. KarlPopper is plain and simple LIBEL. You ascribed to me a malicious act, bordering on the criminal, which can only be LIBEL.
You need to rectify your statement here, Mr. KarlPopper. And please, DO not hide in this Karl Poppper thing when you don’t even know who Popper is. Come on, don’t try to be an academic when you obviously are not.
Marocharim,
Why sure. My political affiliations is obvious to everybody. I was once a card-bearing member of the CPP-NPA-NDF and did’nt hide it. I also am a sympathizer of the YOU. Those are my political affiliations, if you so care.
Am I liberal Party? No. Am I nacionalista? No. The only reason why I voted just once is simple–I believe in Salonga, period.
I never voted after that. Why? Because I don’t believe in elections.
Now, why did I wrote this piece? Simple. Because the earlier entry did’nt state the paradigm of leadership, plain and simple. Who are we to say that Mar is like this and like that when we just met the guy once, right? As I’ve said, I criticize Mar before and you need to read my entries on the man. Yet, what I saw is what I wrote, plain and simple. Now, if that sounds like a praise release, so be it.
Yet, to ascribe malicious imputations, like serving as Mar’s PR, that borders on the ludicrous.
January 11, 2009 at 11:08 pm
And ” Karl Popper”….
I sensed that there’s something which you refused to reveal here…something sinister…a very nasty and very malicious thing you did in the past…what was it? will I reveal it….
you…obviously…don’t know the real Popper. Your writing is far, far from Popper’s style. You seem like the publicist of Manny Villar, the contemptuous kind that only deals with dirty money. Those who deal with dirty money are called dirty men.
January 11, 2009 at 11:48 pm
There can be more paradigms as any number of those who would invent them.
What the Constitution itself requires is already the more fundamental paradigm so that anybody who meets those qualifications can be good enough a president or senator, as the case may be.
To add more to that would be a redundancy.
In any case, paradigms can only be normative a bit but not prescriptive, either. It is so because, paradigms as loosely built as they are cannot be better understood than the proponent himself. In the first place, they are mere mental constructs that are at best very abstract.
It is not like ordinary counting of how many piculs would one criterion be and that of another criterion.
Whether we like it or not, as soon as we endorse a candidate, that is already PR by any other name. And it is the least of anybody’s concern who endorses who since on the ground, there are really no hard criteria voters follow in the voting booth come 2010.
Besides, does one have to meet the candidate up, close and personal to form a better enlightened judgment such as why he or she will vote for who?
The TV, radio, newspapers are supposed to have presented the case in better ways if more frequent than a single opportuned chance.
January 12, 2009 at 12:15 am
Primer or Karl popper; medyo alm ko kung saan nagsimula itong batuhan ng PR PR na ito.
http://www.filipinovoices.com/alabang-boys-a-big-drug-syndicate#comment-26909
January 12, 2009 at 12:25 am
primer,
sige na nga, idol mo si karl popper.(I just read his wikipedia bio)
January 12, 2009 at 6:15 am
Karl Garcia:
Names in the “Responses” portion that accompany the blog or article come in every mode possible such as:
1. Acronym
2. Pseudonym
3. Abbreviated (for brevity and convenience)
4. Nickname
5. Username (as in other forum sites)
6. and so on and so forth.
For instance, we have DJB, noemi, sparks, Patricio Mangubat, et cetera, et cetera to mean who and what?
In any event, it did not cross my mind, anything like that will be asked unless all the rest will also have to explain.
To post a thread, a blog, or article is of course different with having to respond to comments since we cannot “discipline” comments and we can understand them only by putting our feet in the commenters’ shoes.
Well then, please consider karlpopper as okay and I must admit I had done a lot of work in Popperian epistemology, philosophy of science, social philosophy, and scientific method, social research.
I know Karl Popper via his books, works and theories that tried to debunk Popperianism, contrary to a commenter’s miscalculation.
January 12, 2009 at 8:22 am
KP, ok.
January 12, 2009 at 7:28 pm
My take is…whoever sits or calls him/herself as the President of the Republic of the Philippines…it doesnt change anything at all…you can argue about who you will vote for all you want…the fact remains that the next president can do nothing to change the country for the better…at least not in our generation (the mid-young :))
The Filipinos have lost and is still losing!
Better enjoy life…and stop caring about the Filipino people…the CORRUPTIBLE Filipinos!!!! We are nothing but words.
January 12, 2009 at 8:02 pm
To liken Mar Roxas to Jovito Salonga? Ewwwww. Sorry, but this is so not right. Or apt.
January 12, 2009 at 8:05 pm
Madonna…but to liken mar roxas to lea salonga…i think thats ok bwihihihihihi
January 12, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Juan_D,
Nakupo, bad ka.