Will businessmen make good leaders?

I recall game show host Edu Manzano once said on TV that if he had to choose someone to run this country after PGMA's term, MVP would be the best man to do it. At first, I didn't get who he was alluding to as I know Edu, his humor is best signatured for his stoic face 'til he drops the bomb. At 53, the guy never ceases to amuse me. And so I figured that MVP was probably "Manny V. Pacquiao" and thought he couldn't be at all serious. But I never heard him drop the bomb in that interview or I must have missed that part where he said who MVP was. But as I searched wiki, Manny Pacquiao's initial is D for Dapidran. So when I followed him intently, he was after all referring to PLDT Chairman Manny V. Pangilinan.

Well, I thought "Why not?." He is more than qualified and is even more respectable than all the men in congress combined aside years of proven leadership in the business domain. And being in the ranks of the wealthiest in the country and running many of the high-performing bluechip companies around, corruption will only bore the guy. Lest I be accused of endorsing MVP, who by the way, had already declared recently that politics is not his cup of tea, let's try to get through the key properties of an entrepreneur and why he would make good in public service as what most people think.

First of all, a businessman strives for efficiency. He perseveres to get optimum results at the least possible resource. He is thus driven to relentlessly find and adopt better ways to make the business perform productively and in an economic manner as possible. If such ideals were put to action in government service, wouldn't it be great to finally cut the long waits in government offices?             

Second, the goal of every business is to make money. A businessman is not only driven to reduce his operating expense he is as determined to get back more for what he spends. The more profitable his business becomes, the more he returns the blessing to his people with good pay, bonuses and other benefits. Only if such resourcefulness exists in government, we probably had more money to spend for basic and health services. 

There is no doubt that this country needs such virtues. But as I reflect more deeply about them, the more evasive or complicated they become and that they are not the only virtues we need.

Yes, businessmen would make good leaders but they are as vulnerable as anyone of us. Even if such virtues live in them, we will never know if their efficiency is loyal to serve the office they are sworn into or to the private office they once held or currently serve. And even if such resourcefulness would earn the government the needed money it wants, we'll never know if they'd like it to emanate from taxation.

Perhaps, we may not need a businessman at all. I think we need someone who runs the government like a capitalist and at the same time someone who thinks like a communist. That you will never find in a businessman.  

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