Wanted: honest leaders and people

Wanted: honest leaders and people

Looking for new breed of leaders is one of the most widely talked about topic nowadays. This is understandable considering that 2010 election is fast approaching. It is our wish as Filipinos to have leaders that can inspire and enrich our lives, leaders who can serve our best interests and liberate us from poverty. We don’t need leaders who manipulate us, peddle lies and leaders who are greedy, and immoral.

Do we have these new breed of leaders today who have a sense of mission and direction to bring about moral change in our country? Do we have leaders who know simply what is good and evil and the difference between temperance and greed? While none of the leaders in the past elections fit our ideal breed of leaders, we ironically and continually choose the lesser evils among them. Isn’t that a sad waste of time and effort that we cannot choose moral leaders except the lesser evils among those who present themselves as leaders? This manner of choosing our leaders is seemingly unbroken. Every election we choose the lesser evil ones and later we get the shocks of our lives when these leaders scandalized us by their dishonest ways and shady deals. Where have all the good leaders of this country gone?

In our search for the new breed of leaders, honesty to one self and to others should be the first criterion. Anybody who presents himself as a leader but knows too well that he cannot do the job is a dishonest leader. Plato in his Republic conceptualized a leader- a philosopher first, then king second. The philosopher-king would be a dishonest monarch if he relegates himself to the level of warriors or artisans. Virtually, many among our leaders are not completely honest. A senator or a councilor is not honest to himself and to the electorate, though popular among the masses, when he cannot legislate. A presidentiable is not also honest to himself and to the people when his only qualification is his wealth or charm but none of the skills and qualities of a president. Anyone who leads a moral life and has the skills and competence to become a leader should come out and be elected as a moral leader. Anyone who in all honesty leads a shady life and has no competence to lead should humbly drop his plan to get elected into public office.

We demand honesty in our leaders because we allow them to have power over our lives. We exact honesty in their leadership because we want them to look after our nation and make our lives as citizens better.

Likewise we the electorate should be honest with ourselves. Let us have a reality check. How do we feel when our leaders fail us? To be honest, we feel angry and entertained. We are angry because we are disappointed by our leaders. We are amused because we see the human frailties in them and we did not expect so much from them after all. We think that they are entitled to do their corrupt practices in the government because they are human beings after all. We have that mind set that government officials are always corrupt and we don’t expect them to be saints. In fact, we get excited, like watching telenobelas, in finding out how these government officials weave their stories when they get stuck in scandals and controversies.

In this coming 2010 election, let us be honest. Let us do this not only for ourselves but for posterity’s sake. Let us not be lured by the looks and promises of leaders. Let us not be fascinated by their inducements and charms. For the Philippines to move on and be great again, we need honest leaders and we need honest people in this country.