Poe says leaders should possess integrity

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Grace Poe warned that having a national leader with credibility issues would most likely lead to a return of the culture of corruption and bring down the country as a whole.

Speaking at the 4th Integrity Summit held in Makati City yesterday, Poe emphasized the need to install national leaders with unquestionable integrity in order to inspire people to do good for the sake of the country.

“Integrity is a very important and an almost indispensable virtue that all leaders must possess. This is especially true in the Philippine context because we Filipinos really respond to leadership by example,” Poe said.

This is evident in government offices where the “underlings look up to the boss for behavioral cues, subtle signs, hints and gestures.”

“If the boss is corrupt or perceived to be corrupt, then everyone feels justified to be corrupt. But if the boss is good or perceived to be good, then employees will be on their toes and even the habitual grafters will moderate their greed, so to speak. Thus, given this Filipino cultural trait of follow the leader, a leader’s integrity and credibility becomes a crucial determinant towards governance outcomes in the country,” she explained.

Poe also said that a national leader with little or no credibility, just as the country experienced in the past, would be faced with continuous protests, coup rumors, allegations of corruption, abuse of power and, consequently, adversely impact the economy.

Poe, who topped the 2013 senatorial elections as a first-time candidate, is among the handful of politicians being eyed for president or vice president in the 2016 elections.

Despite being mentioned by several politicians as their possible running mate in the 2016 polls and topping the surveys of voter preferences for vice president, Poe has remained non-committal to the idea of running for higher office.

So far, only Vice President Jejomar Binay and Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano have openly declared their intentions to run for president in 2016.

For the position of vice president, only Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV has aired interest at this time.