Why HR will not hire actors as legislators

Our column last October 22 concerning our views on why the Filipino voters should not vote for movie actors, boxers, TV hosts, and action stars has become a sensational and viral opinion piece that was shared by more than one million readers and other friends and followers here and abroad. I got calls, emails, text messages, and other transmissions of positive responses. Thus I conclude that there are now more and more Filipinos who really use their minds, hearts, and conscience and will in choosing legislators.

As a former president of PMAP, the longest running and the only recognized and widely-acclaimed organization of HR professionals in the whole country, supported by no less than 7,000 employer companies in the Philippines, I have received feedbacks from HR vice presidents, HR directors, managers, officers and other HR professionals and practitioners, confirming that my column about unworthy candidates enjoy their support. As HR managers, if the position of senators and congressmen were to be filled up by HR, they would not even grant an interview to some of the candidates.

For instance, if Manny Pacquiao, Willie Revillame, and Philip Salvador were to be interviewed by HR, how would they answer the following questions: As senatorial aspirants, you aim to become legislators to pass legislation that shall protect the global competitiveness of Philippine products while also promoting a living wage for our workers and assuring sufficient incentive for foreign investments to come in?. What kind of legislative measures shall you propose in the Senate to make sure that all the players in our agricultural and industrial sectors: capital, labor and other stakeholders are amply protected, while your legislative proposals shall assure that our exports are competitive in the global markets? They cannot delegate the answers to their consultants because they are the ones running.

Also, if Senators Lito Lapid, Bong Revilla, and other aspiring senators from Movielandia will be asked by HR managers what shall they legislate to address the issues about the UNCLOS or the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas as well as China's perfidious so-called Nine-Dash Line, what will they answer? We are not insulting these honorable men or putting them on the spot. But it is our right as the voting populace to scrutinize their competence on matters that shall necessarily be put on the discussion table. Are they going to remain perennial members of the Senate Committee on Silence? How much are the taxpayers paying them and their thousands of underlings and subalterns?

If HR managers are going to ask those who aspire to become members of the House, like Nora Aunor, the son of Vilma Santos, the son of Bong Revilla and Lani Mercado, the son of Joey Marquez, and many others these questions: What are you going to do to improve the Tariff Code and the Tax Code, how would you amend the Labor Code, and the Civil Code, as well as the Revised Penal Code? Have you studied the areas for improvement of the Magna Carta for Migrant Workers, the Magna Carta for Seafarers, the Magna Carta for Women? What shall you do about the wage-formulation system of the Philippines? Can the accused be convicted of both illegal recruitment and trafficking in person without violating the principle against double jeopardy?

We are therefore challenging all senatorial and congressional aspirants to express willingness in writing to be interviewed on the air by HR managers. They should be able to display the depth and expanse of their wisdom on parliamentary rules, on constitutional and political law and on other laws that they shall necessarily discuss in committee and plenary sessions. They must demonstrate competence and preparedness.

If and when they are fully convinced that they are not really prepared to exhibit their competence in these areas of knowledge, I challenge all of them to show their love of country by withdrawing their certificates of candidacy. They should show a little kindness to their own selves so that they avoid becoming the laughing stock in the august body of both chambers of Congress.