Crucial task

Incoming President Noynoy Aquino cannot really be faulted if he chooses people close to him as members of his cabinet. Being his alter ego in those various government departments it is his privilege to appoint people he can fully and truly trust. Trustworthiness really takes precedence especially for the position of Executive Secretary, the primus inter pares among the cabinet members who is also looked up to as the “little president”. Fortunately his choice of long time friend and legal counsel Jojo Ochoa as ES seems to be a wise one not only because Ochoa can be trusted but more importantly because of his competence and integrity based on his experience and unblemished record as City Administrator of Quezon City. So far so good.

But he should also watch out for so many pitfalls. People are expecting reforms in our government, so the first thing he should guard against is paying back political debts with sinecure government positions for those who supported him or worked for his victory. This is the greatest bane of the outgoing and even past administrations. This is one of the roots of corruption he promised to eradicate.

He knows or should know for example that inherent in every person and at the very core of human nature is the selfish instinct of expecting something in return for services rendered and/or assistance extended; and that includes his supporters and volunteer workers even if they appear to be sincere and purely motivated. There will always be that “what’s in it for me” attitude in almost all of his volunteers and supporters. Of course there may be exceptions like perhaps Jojo Ochoa who has served him as counsel and helped him as long time friend even before he decided to run for President working quietly behind the scenes; or, surprisingly indeed, Boy Abunda who is among his first backers but who has displayed some kind of a rare trait akin to delicadeza by declining the position allegedly offered to him lest it be misunderstood as a reward.

Forming a “Search Committee” may also be a great help in looking for the right man for the right government job. Somehow however there is always the perception that such committee is nothing more but a cordon sanitaire that has isolated past presidents from reality or has kept them from finding out the truth. Besides as previously shown, this is the kind of committee where the palakasan system thrives best. Those jockeying for juicy positions have indeed found that the best way to taste the spoils of victory is to ingratiate themselves or become “malakas” to some committee members; the luckier ones are those who are already friends or happen to be “malakas” to somebody who has been named as member or head of said committee. A “search committee” just cannot be disassociated with the same old politics plaguing our country ever since.

Undoubtedly there are myriads of positions up for grabs that Noynoy will fill up. The task really looks overwhelming and bound to cause lots of headaches. In fact, Noynoy may have been forced to take a “study break” because of this task among others. To lighten his burden, it may be good for Noynoy to just concentrate in forming his official family or the members of his Cabinet. Since many other positions to be filled up fall under any of these Cabinet Departments, he could just ask his Cabinet secretaries to help him search for the appointees to these other positions. They could take over the function of the search committee.

The choice of his cabinet members is therefore more crucial for Noynoy. Admittedly it is his prerogative to choose people whom he can trust or those who have close personal ties with him. But if his avowed intention and commitment is to change and improve governance in our country, his choices should be based more on the appointees’ loyalty to our country and people than on their personal loyalties to him. In other words, he should break away from, and avoid emulating the practices of the outgoing administration that has plunged our country and our government into the present despicable situation. Noynoy won precisely because people expected him to get them out of this rut. 

Actually in appointing members of his cabinet he could simply use as guide the basic precept of our Constitution which says that “public office is a public trust” and that all public officials shall be accountable to the people at all times. So, taking a cue from the Pastoral Statement issued by the Bishops on April 23, 2004, he should choose persons of: competence, i.e. in terms of leadership, experience, professional qualifications and record of governance; of conscience i.e. with personal integrity, transparency, accountability, and respect for human rights; and of commitment to a vision and program of action on key issues affecting the department such as family and life, environment, drugs and gambling, justice peace and order, poverty alleviation, education, etc .   

For this purpose, Noynoy should widen his field of choice beyond his friends, acquaintances and party mates. It is a surer way to get the best and the brightest. To be sure there are many persons in the private sector who are better qualified and would render genuine public service. But out of delicadeza, they prefer to be called into public service rather seek the position.

These are not unsolicited advices but sincere suggestions coming from one who wants next President Noynoy Aquino to succeed in making good on his promise to change our government so as to eliminate corruption and solve our problem of poverty.

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