Want it – will it

During the Arroyo administration, I was invited by a high ranking official of TESDA to give a “seminar” on values and morals as part of the agency’s compliance with a presidential decree or memorandum requiring all government agencies to conduct such seminars in the interest of creating and strengthening the proper values and morals among government officials.

Due to the time limit I was given, the talk or mini seminar lasted all of two hours and as expected, there were hardly any queries during the Q&A, perhaps because I repeatedly touched raw nerves or points of personal guilt regarding discipline, accountability and conduct both at home, at work and especially after work. Needless to say, the women in the audience enjoyed the experience more than the men.

Last week, when a survey revealed that the Philippine National Police has fallen into the category of being one of the most if not “the most” graft ridden agency of government in recent times, someone asked if I conduct seminars to address such problems. Having evolved from the corporate world, to Media, to public speaking and executive training, one would be tempted to jump right in an stand up to the invitation if not the challenge. But anyone who understands “cultural re-engineering” will tell you that there are no “drive-thru” solutions or instant answers to something that is more of a lingering disease rather than a mere problem.

To begin with, you cannot legislate or decree values and morals. They are taught, explained, exemplified and integrated to become part of the psychology and the operating system of a culture or agency. Decrees force people to comply but not necessarily adhere to the purpose. Decrees might help initiate or jump start the process but the process itself must in turn acknowledge certain realities and truth however awkward they may be.

First and foremost is that “You” must will it and not just want it.  Being voted the most corrupt agency of the year is not sufficient reason because once the ratings change or improve, so will the sense of urgency or priority and before you know it people forget, funding is removed and the gatekeepers or “watchdogs” are removed. Stamping out corruption must be done as a continuing preventive maintenance and not just emergency repairs.

After willing and wanting it, comes the second most difficult part: Admission. Whether you are a sinner or a criminal you don’t need to be reminded of your sin or your crime. That’s the easy part, you did it or you did not do anything about it; you know it. The hard part is admitting or “confessing” that you are part of the problem or failed to act on it. Whether you are a top official, officer or the guy at the academy, somewhere along the chain of command you are guilty by commission or omission.

When the negative results came out, I remember a government official being quoted as saying “we have to improve our recruitment process”.

In the context of systemic or widespread corruption, it would be safe to suggest that the PNP is not recruiting corruption, it is breeding it”. Any “germ” that enters into an organization that is totally anti-germ will eventually weed out or eliminate that germ if there are enough screens, preventive mechanisms or measures to do so. Recruitment assumes the bad seed will come from the gate, but in the PNP the good seed inside grows weak, infected or turn bad from within. Sooner or later others will follow if the operating system does not provide preventive maintenance.

Then the third would be correcting fundamental mistakes that undermine efforts to establish the correct culture of values and morals. For instance, lawyers and legislators may be inclined to think that morals and values should be based on operational dictates that are separate and distinct from religion and faith especially where people compartmentalize and insist on the separation of Church and State.

While that sounds good and legal, separation of Church and State is about minding each other’s specific business and not trying to influence or meddle. However in the context of morals and values these cannot be achieved if you begin by divorcing GOD from the equation or the operating system of an organization such as the PNP. The PNP may not have divorced GOD from the equation but like many other government agencies, it has marginalized or minimalized the value, importance and contribution that GOD brings into an organization.

The PNP has accommodated “religions”, religious activities, churches and chaplains for different faiths, but much like the accountants in corporations who are rarely ever invited to meetings in the Board Room, the representatives of faith are not actively part of the plans, strategies and development of the PNP because all that is under the political control of the Department of the Interior & Local Government (DILG). As a result the members of the PNP do not experience regular mentoring, seminars and trainings as much as civilian followers of their faith. The programs that could greatly strengthen morals and values are incidental and not fundamental to the operating system.

Consider this for instance, as a member of Victory Christian Fellowship, I am not a mere Sunday worshipper. We are encouraged to be part of weekly small groups where we learn Biblical doctrine, share real life challenges and answers, as well as have a small circle of fellow believers to share burdens and be accountable to. As married couples, we are provided regular opportunity to participate in out of town or church based trainings to strengthen marriages and better equip us as spouses.

As parents, various types of parenting seminars are made available so that we are successful at home before we even attempt at being successful outside, as singles there are regular talks and training for financial literacy and moral integrity. As citizens and as Christians we have access to leadership training to help us become leaders in our church, community and work place. All this has GOD at the center yet absolutely relevant to market place realities. All this is available and all you have to do is ask or sign up. Our operating system does not take the challenges of the world for granted, we prepare for it, we work at it and we provide the support in order to survive in it.

You have to want it. You have to will it!

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