GMA urged to inspire, not to simply manage

Industrialist Raul T. Concepcion is urging President Arroyo to be a leader and inspire the people, instead of being just a manager.

"What the country needs is a charismatic leader who will motivate and rally the people," Concepcion said, adding that the "President should focus and win the people now to actively set the pace for 2004."

At the same time, Concepcion reiterated his call for a moratorium on adversarial politics.

According to Concepcion, the "ball is now in the court of the politicians." The business sector has no "muscle" to enforce the call for a moratorium, Concepcion said.

"We leave to government and the politicians the matter of a one-year moratorium on adversarial politics," he said.

The business sector, for its part, should concentrate on honoring its commitments made during the last socio-economic summit, according to Concepcion.

"The country is in grave crisis and unless we focus on things that really count, and unless everyone contributes to the common good, we are all going to sink and sink fast," he warned.

Concepcion pointed out that despite the agreement on a moratorium on adversarial politics, "the country today is being destabilized by some politicians and certain disgruntled police and military elements."

He reminded participants of last December’s socio-economic summit that they are supposed to make an accounting before the nation within six months, on the status of the commitments they made.

"To make meaningful progress, everyone must get to work now. And time is running out on this country," Concepcion said.