The historic burden of national leadership

The collective decisions and actions of our past leaders brought the country to where we are now – in disarray, and behind our neighbors. The future of our people is always the proverbial burden of our current national managers – and where shall we be.

Civilizations rise and fall, economies expand and collapse, cultures flourish and deteriorate as molded by the aspirations and actions undertaken by the nations’ intellectuals, business drivers, religious leaders, cultural icons and ultimately, the political captains.

Thus, one of the reasons why the Philippines lag behind the proud community of nations is the long history of failure of our national management to achieve economic progress and international honor… if we were a corporation, we failed in the competition. Phils. Inc. is at the lower bracket of the list.

Common agenda for the nation, by the leaders

The vast masses of the people are followers. They are patient herds that go with the unseen flow of nation building. They cast, sometimes consciously but more often unknowingly, their fate to their leaders. Most of them helplessly endure their endless hunger, or blindly grope in the darkness of educational ignorance, and desperately hope to be uplifted by the busy hands of their leaders.

Even Marx in his enormous dedication for the plight of the masses and laborers recognized the pivotal role that leaders, whether of bourgeois or proletarian origin, undertake to deliver fundamental and revolutionary changes. But the masses must first be awakened, organized, and empowered… Meanwhile, they must be led.  And be led well.

Leaders must design the national roadmap for survival, development and ultimately, economic and social progress. Leaders must sustain the blueprint to achieve long term nationwide and permanent success. The common agenda for the country, must be seriously and sincerely hammered by our national leaders.

Most of all, leaders must first enshrine the paramount welfare of the nation far above their own selfish agenda. Without which, national collapse is inevitable. Just look at the ongoing scandal involving PDAF and Malampaya Funds  where the people’s money that are supposedly allotted for nationwide micro development are diverted to the colluding few who have totally forgotten their patriotic obligation to help free our country from backwardness.

And again, if we were a corporation, the past generations of our leaders did not succeed in beating the managers of other nations.

At a crossroad

Our country has to make bold decisions now. Our leaders must take a crucial historic turn. Shall we finally scrap the current PDAF, shall we become parliamentary, is the constitution ripe for its long overdue amendments, will the political will of the Palace ultimately defeat the hideous roots of corruption, will the rebels of the extreme left and the secessionist south concede to the laurels of peace?

Will the people help carry the burden by paying the right amount of taxes, by safeguarding the integrity of elections, by simply saying no to the systematic plunder of our patrimony.

We are in the middle of choosing between the high road to progress where difficult sacrifices shall nurture long term nationwide success, prosperity and peace. Or the dark path that has kept the entire nation in the vicious cycle of poverty, mediocrity, and despair.

Torch in the dark tunnel

The Philippines has her abundant share of great minds, heroes, globally competitive entrepreneurs, world renowned athletes and artists, top caliber professionals, academic luminaries, and even charismatic religious leaders. And the world has witnessed the heart breaking resilience of Filipino workers whose love for their families made them ignore the perils and loneliness of toiling in foreign lands.

Hope is not lost. Our golden chance is now being painfully conceived. Filipinos are now aware of their collective power. The inherent yearning for the common good is now openly expressed in all available democratic channels. See EDSA I and II, the anti-PDAF protests, and the relentless street marches… The people could now clearly distinguish saviors from villains. And best of all, it seems that we are now seeing the renaissance of a true crusader leading the country away from the old system of greed, deceit, and betrayal in the highest office of the land.

President Noy Aquino, no matter what critics might say, can be fairly credited for his determination to end corruption in government. Not an easy task. But he’s performing well on this battlefront.

The world is now slowly recognizing our strong economic fundamentals, our strategic regional value, and the long term benefits of conducting business in the country. Tourism, though still in trickles, is improving in quantity. Our human resource is comparable to most other working citizens of the world.

Soon, and should not be later, our national leaders will be compelled by the people themselves to address their historic role of restoring our pride among nations. Soon, our leaders must effectively and successfully carry the burden of building our nation – strong and prosperous.

(Ariel F. Nepomuceno is a magna cum laude graduate of the University of the Philippines, Bachelor of Arts in History. He is also a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1987. He is former Director & Executive Officer of the Office of Civil Defense of the Department of National Defense.)