All about Jesse

CEBU, Philippines - (This writer delivered this speech in the Be a Robredo Negros Movement last August 23. Camarines Sur Representative Leni Robredo shared the stage with him in La Salle University Bacolod.)

It is an honor to be asked to speak about a man who has inspired and challenged all of us to be involved in nation building — the late Jesse Robredo. While I am not here to canonize him, my talk hopes to inspire our public servants with the call, “MAGPAKAROBREDO KA” and to all of us citizens, “BE A ROBREDO”.

My talk has three parts: Jesse, the LASER Man; Jesse, the family man; and Jesse, a man on fire.

I first met Jesse in a gathering of nonprofit organizations in Manila about seven years ago. He had been our main speaker. During the open forum, I asked him how he managed to be reelected several times as mayor. He answered, "Good governance." His former boss at San Miguel's Magnolia Division, Mr. Mario Nery, tells me that his former subordinate, after being elected as mayor in the late 1980s shared to him his secret for being considered unbeatable: "Simple lang boss, 'Transparency', and because of this, we have reduced our costs by 40%, and my 'enemies' have filed 9 cases against me and I have won all of them."

Elected officials should focus on good governance and transparency and make these their ticket to reelection. Jesse proved this could be done.

Yet getting reelected, however pragmatic and needful for sustaining good programs, really becomes secondary when one becomes immersed in the joys and travails of governance. After all "politics" means "giving birth to the city" from its Greek etymology. Each one of us, from elected officials to voters, from public servants to citizens, has a role to play in the birthing process of our nation. Giving birth is a full-time job with no room for mediocrity and distraction.

I texted Jesse for some tips on good governance along with other champions, like Heidi Mendoza, Sonny Marcelo, Cesar Binag, Alex Lacson. Their trios became the basis of what came to be known as the LASER test, which stands for Lifestyle, Accomplishments, Supporters, Election conduct, and Reputation. Like the amplified light of laser that cuts through steel and heals visual defects, the LASER test cuts through the superficial rhetoric of much of campaign politics and provides a more objective framework for discerning the right candidate to choose. Last election at least 20 dioceses utilized the test. Jesse was more than "pasado" - for me he is a LASER man.

Consider his answers:

Never spend what you cannot earn legally. This unburdens you the pressure to get the funds from some other sources. Avoid bad company. Limit your "social life". Live a frugal life. Request relatives and family members to "stay away" from all transactions with your local government. This might entail some sacrifices because they might have been dealing with the local government before you got elected. Leaders should not only be honest but should be perceived to be honest, as well.

Besides heart and system, Jesse also believed in networking. In January 2011, Sec. Robredo wrote a letter to the CBCP inviting bishops and their local churches to collaborate with him on grassroots good governance. The bishops of Quezon City responded. The result was UBAS: Ugnayan ng Barangay at Simbahan, “a partnership between the barangays and the parishes to pool resources and synchronize efforts in the advocacy of good governance and the pursuit of projects and services for community development,” as the DILG website puts it. UBAS was launched April 7, 2011 at St. Peter’s parish, Shrine of Leaders with the DILG secretary and bishops signing. Fr. Tony Labiao, parish priest of St. Peter, provided background support.

UBAS brings together barangay officials, police officers, and parish priests – starting with a cup of coffee - for the common good at the barangay level. There are, after all, concerns common to all three groups of leaders: welfare of women and children, poverty alleviation, and disaster preparedness and management, to cite just three. Like parallel railroad tracks that seem to fuse in the horizon, each sector has a distinct contribution to make even as the common good merges as a common goal.

He got a similarly response in an UBAS gathering in Cebu in July 20 last year. We were preparing for another covenant signing in Kidapawan in September 5 when tragedy struck. The bishop of Kidapawan, Monsignor Romy de la Cruz, continued with the covenant signing with DILG, provincial, and local officials.

Jesse connected with people. He went to them; he did not wait for them to come to him. We shall miss the LASER Man but his legacy lives on.

But Jesse was also the FAMILY MAN. Let me just make three points here.

The first has to do with the Robredo brand. The family is strongly committed to keep the honor of their family name. It is not always easy. If only our public servants and citizens would realize that a good family name is worth more than all the treasures in this world.

A second point. We all know that behind every good public servant is a good family. Section 1 of Article XI of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Accountability of Public Servants, has this to say: “Public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must, at all times, be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency; act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives.”

There is a "Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees” (Republic Act 6713). Although there are tangential references to family members of public servants, nowhere did I find a code of conduct and ethical standards for spouses and family members of public servants. Why not craft one for our nation?

A third point on the family, something very close to the heart of Jesse. A little more than two years ago, Dilaab did a piggy-back survey on the public’s perception on the SK. We wanted to know about the public’s view of the Sangguniang Kabataan or SK. We had three questions:

• Overall, in the past few years, how much help has the SK done for the youth in your barangay?

• Do you agree on the statement? “Officials of the SK learn to be corrupt early on and continue these habits when they run for higher positions.”

• Do you agree on the statement? “The present law regarding election of the youth council or Sangguniang Kabataan should be continued.”

The results were interesting: first, the respondents were nearly evenly split regarding the SK as having a positive or having little impact in the barangay; second, most view the SK as being a breeding ground for corruption; but third, an overwhelming number also think that the SK should still be continued. Unfortunately no follow through questions enabled us to clarify these responses.

Finally, Jesse was a MAN ON FIRE WITH MISSION. In last Sunday’s gospel Jesus says: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing” (Luke 12:49). If “corruption” in Latin means “a broken heart” or “breaking down together”, a good public servant brings people together. He serves even those who did not vote for him. He does not have to throw his weight around. No need for the outward display of power. No power play.

Such a leader is an authority in the truest sense of the word. After all, “authority” literally means “out of one’s being” in biblical Greek. Only those who have the assurance of being loved in the depths of their being can handle power. Again the testimony of Mr. Nery: “I knew that Jesse was a prayerful person, and very close to his family. The job he had in Magnolia had many kinds of temptation, but he had a very clean record and was very close to his subordinates as well.”

Our friend Jesse was also a Christian believer who took risks. As Jorge Cardinal Bergolglio – the future Pope Francis – once said: “It’s true that when you get out into the street, as happens to every man and woman, there can be accidents. However, if the church remains closed in on itself, self-referential, it gets old. Between a church that suffers accidents in the street, and a church that’s sick because it’s self-referential, I have no doubts about preferring the former.”

Very much like Jesse.

Dios Mabalos, Jesse. (FREEMAN)