8/9/2019 14 a Quest for Leaders 2010 and Beyond Electoral Choice as Public Philosophy - Dr Edna EA Co

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EDNA ESTIFANIA A. CO

5 February 2010

A QUEST FOR LEADERS 2010 AND BEYOND:

ELECTORAL CHOICE AS PUBLIC PHILOSOPHY

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1. INTRODUCTION

2. THE SOCIO-POLITICAL JUNCTURE

3. THE CHOICE OF LEADERS AS PUBLIC PHILOSOPHY

4. SETTING THE CRITERIA OF LEADERSHIP

5. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

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1. INTRODUCTION

A. SEARCH FOR THE LEADER IS LIKE A HUNT FOR THE

HOLY GRAIL

* NO SINGLE CANDIDATE POSSESSES ALL THE IDEAL

QUALITIES

* PROMISES, PROMISES

B. HOW TO CHOOSE LEADERS?

C. MOVEMENT FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE + PUBLIC

PHILOSOPHY FRAMEWORK

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2. THE SOCIO-POLITICAL JUNCTURE

-HUGE POTENTIALS : PEOPLE, RESOURCES, USED TO BE

ALL FIRSTS

- OVERTAKEN BY COUNTRIES IN THE REGION

- INEQUALITY, MASSIVE POVERTY, AND

DEMOCRATIC RECESSION

-WEAKENING OF PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS:

> LOCAL GOVERNMENTS> COMELEC

> OMBUDSMAN

> CONGRESS

> JUDICIARY

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MGGs agenda for Good Governance:

1. Chief Executive, Vice President, major leaders in Govt to

demonstrate excellence & honesty (Robredo, 2009)

2. Change the balance of power away from the Executive towards

congress & local governments

3. Make appointments transparent & merit-based, professionalize

and depoliticize the Civil Service

4. Strengthen performance evaluation of public offices, awards &sanctions to improve meritocracy. Outcome & impact rather

than inputs

5. Enhance peoples access to & influence on public policy

processes

6. Institutionalize transparencyamend the Bank Secrecy Act

7. Appoint competent & credible Ombudsman

8. Engage civil society & media in monitoring govt. performance

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3. THE CHOICE OF LEADERS AS PUBLIC PHILOSOPHY

A. NORMS normative grounded theorizing (as opposed to

norms as theory) - norms are subjected to the field and thereality

- What norms are necessary at this political juncture?

-Choice of leaders as a moral enterprise aligned with the

agenda for good government

-Moral : abidance by the constitution & the law, transparency,

willingness to subject to judicious scrutiny based on rules

and account for responsibilities of public office

-Is moral only a theory? Only Rhetoric?

NO! It is as real & grounded as the brazenness ofcorruption, the shamelessness of the exploits of power at

the expense of resources that could have been invested in

more school buildings, textbooks, hospitals, medicines

It is as real as favoured bids granted to family, friends &

associates and which corrodes trust in govt. by young

people

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-Worn out by the weakening of institutions, the nation

needs a decent public system

-A decent system and transparent rule of law shall draw ininvestments that will yield jobs; reduced corruption that will

mean more & better services

B. DEMOCRATIC EXERCISE peoples voice & choice aspolitical wisdom are an input to the direction of the

future

- The leader should provide ample mechanism & opportunities

to integrate this wisdom into the public processes

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C. LEADERSHIP AS INSPIRATION : BUILDING A TEAM &

A FOLLOWING THAT COULD DELIVER RESULTS

-NOT PATRONAGE OF PERSONALITY & WEALTH

- A TRULY PLAYING FIELD; DOES NOT NEED TO BE A

CRONY TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS

-A REFORM CONSTITUENCY THAT WOULD PURSUE

CHANGE & VET REFORMS

LEADERSHIP AS PUBLIC PHILOSOPHY: (Charles GOODSELL)

1. CHOICE OF LEADERS WHO COULD BRING THE NATION TO

THE RESTORATION OF TRUST & HOPE IN PUBLIC

INSTITUTIONSTO ACHIEVE DECENT PUBLICGOVERNANCE

- PUBLIC TRUST IS THE PINNACLE BYPRODUCT OF

GOVERNANCE

- FOOTHILL GOALS OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION :

LEGITIMACY, TRANSPARENCY, EFFICIENCY, INTEGRITY,INVOLVEMENT, FAIRNESS

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PUBLIC TRUST

Legality, Integrity, Efficiency,

Effectiveness, Involvement,

Dependability, Transparency,

Fairness

The Pinnacle

Byproduct

Foothill Goals

The Mountain of Public Administration

Goodsell, 2006

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4. SETTING THE CRITERIA OF LEADERSHIP

A. ETHICAL

B. EFFECTIVE

C. EMPOWERING

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A. ETHICAL

-GOD FEARING, CLEAN & HONEST TRACK RECORD, PROVENINTEGRITY

-ROLE OF LEADER : BANTAY NG BAYAN (Promotes rule of

law, protects public resources, fights injustice, graft &

corruption)

-INDICATORS : demonstrate good moral character (lifestyle)?,circle of associates who are people of integrity & pro-reform,

advocate for meritocracy in government, prosecute & punish

offenders, transparent use & accounting of public funds,

protect natural resources & sustainable development, has

initiated inquiry to expose corruption & led to enactment of

laws?

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B. EFFECTIVE

-COMPETENT, GOOD TRACK RECORD, DECISIVE & PRO-

ACTIVE

-ROLE OF LEADER : KAPITAN NG BARKO (Steers the ship of

the state to arrive at the destination just, humane,

prosperous society)

-INDICATORS : clear & comprehensive platforms of

governance, consistent & clear position on key issues,

hardworking & smart, exhibit maturity in intelligence

& emotion, demonstrate political will, action taken to

address poverty & social injustice, reform programs,

crisis management, legislation/policy, sound &effective legislative record

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C. EMPOWERING

-PARTICIPATIVE, ENGAGING, INSPIRING, SOCIALLY JUST

-ROLE OF THE LEADER : INSPIRING SERVANT LEADER

-INDICATORS : Involve stakeholders in decision making,

promote social justice, consulted both strong & marginalized

stakeholders, peers, colleagues, constituencies

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5. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

A. SELECTION OF LEADERS IN 2010 HAS CONTEXT, TIME &

SPACELOCATED WITHIN A POLITICAL JUNCTURE

B. WEAKENING OF PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS & BROKENNESS OF

PUBLIC GOVERNANCE SYSTEM

C. AGENDA FOR THE CHOICE OF LEADERS IS A CHOICE FOR

CHANGECANNOT REMAIN AS STATUS QUO

D. REVISIT THE MANTRA OF PUBLIC PHILOSOPHY OR THE

MOUNTAIN OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION WHICH CONSISTS

OF : 1) NORMS THAT ARE GROUNDED, 2) CENTRALITY OF

THE PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS AND PUTTING BACK THE

PEOPLES TRUST IN THE PUBLIC SYSTEM

E. CRUCIAL LINK BETWEEN SELECTION OF LEADERS &CREDIBLE PUBLIC INSTITUTIONSTHE FILIPINOS NEED

TRUSTWORTHY LEADERS, ETHICAL, EFFECTIVE, &

EMPOWERING

F. THE CHALLENGE TO THE LEADERS IS TO DEMONSTRATE

THE PUBLIC PHILOSOPHY (A DEMOCRATICADMINISTRATION & ADMINISTERING DEMOCRATICALLY)