Bro. Eddie, Ping, Roco pass ‘job interview’

Presidential candidates Panfilo Lacson, Raul Roco and Eddie Villanueva passed a "job interview" by the Personnel Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) yesterday.

But Eddie Gil, whom the Supreme Court allowed to rejoin the campaign trail last week, flunked the almost one-hour interview.

President Arroyo and Fernando Poe Jr. did not take part in the screening undertaken by human resource executives from different companies.

The questions evolved from five indicators, which the PMAP considered as the roles and competencies that the country’s president must possess.

The roles included being a servant leader, navigator, mobilizer, captivator, and guardian.

These five pointers were the result of a study conducted by the PMAP prior to the job interview.

Oscar Contreras, PMAP president, said Lacson, Roco and Villanueva manifested strong points on only two out of the five pointers.

However, it does not mean that they do not possess the other roles and competencies of a president, he added.

Contreras said all three showed a "certain degree of manifestation" for the other indicators, but that PMAP merely picked the pointers where each attained the highest.

"Three have shown competencies in certain areas and the voting public should consider them as among their possible candidates," he said.

Contreras said based on their evaluation, Villanueva has manifested strong points on being a mobilizer and captivator.

Contreras said Villanueva presented skills in management, which is vision-oriented rather than personality-centered, through the use of modern management techniques.

Villanueva also demonstrated success in consensus-building and providing inspiring leadership, he added.

Contreras said Lacson manifested strong points on being a mobilizer and guardian, boasting about his successful programs as chief of the Philippine National Police.

Contreras said Lacson described incidents where he showed political will in implementing programs, including the 34-inch waistline policy as part of his effort to reform the PNP.

Contreras also said the senator stressed his ability to focus on things which he believes should be done despite opposition from certain sectors.

Lacson is not easily swayed by criticisms, he added.