EDITORIAL - Next challenge: Keep the momentum

Two recent events in Cebu (the Willie Revillame show at the SRP not included) drew very large numbers of people. By most estimates, those who participated in the Movement Against Drugs (MAD) march-rally and the regional launch of the National Greening Program ran into thousands. 

And because the twin initiatives against drugs and for the environment involve pressing concerns that need sustained and long-term attention, the huge turnout of cannot be anything less than encouraging.

So, to the initiators of both activities, congratulations are certainly in order. There is, however, a corollary concern that comes to mind at the mention of initiators. And that is precisely the fact that both activities were initiated rather than spontaneous.

Things would have been a lot better in this world if entire communities simply rose up spontaneously to act against identifiable threats to society. A lot more would be accomplished if people, on their own, simply did what was right instead of needing to be marshaled by others.

But that, unfortunately, is now how things work in this world. People need leaders to initiate the things that work for the greater good of all. That is why leadership is very crucial to the success of societies.

The success of the two recent events in Cebu underscores the leadership qualities of the people who initiated them. Now we look forward to seeing these leaders whip up the same kind of enthusiasm to finish what they have started.

Marching and rallying against drugs and planting trees are just the first steps toward a very long journey. There is a need to keep the enthusiasm burning. There is a need to transform the starting energy into momentum and then sustain it.

For the greater challenge is not to whip up a march and rally against drugs but to take the fight to the next level. It is not to simply plant a tree but to see the tree grow to its full potential and do the very thing that required its planting in the first place.