By Liling
Magtolis Briones
From her Business Mirror Opinion Column: Boiled Green Bananas
July 2, 2007
‘Young
Politics” was the theme of my June 18, 2007, column. I wrote
that in the wake of the multiple crises faced by the country,
the trend is not only toward New Politics but primarily Young
Politics.
In response,
Wick Veloso, treasurer of HSBC Manila texted: “I fully agree
with your point. The other area where a lot of young minds can
assist is the executive side of government, primarily in education,
finance [revenue collection] and health services. Unfortunately,
unlike the political field, their need for financial considerations
forces them to go to the private sector and the overseas market.
We need to reduce the bureaucracy and let it work like a corporation
where you rise due to meritocracy instead of patronage.”
Wick proves
my contention that the business sector is just as interested and
concerned about governance issues as all other citizens. Young
Politics must be matched by Young Bureaucracy.
Actually,
the government has recognized the need not only to attract young
bureaucrats but also to retain them. Agencies like the Department
of Budget and Management, National Economic and Development Authority,
and the Civil Service Commission (CSC) welcome young graduates
with bachelor’s degrees from the University of the Philippines
National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG).
However, as Wick observes, they tend to move on to the private
sector after a short stint.
The CSC has
a program of scholarships in graduate studies for bright young
professionals who have the potential to move on to higher positions.
Called “The Brightest for the Bureaucracy Program (BBP),”
the strategy allows qualifiers full-time leaves of absence to
undertake graduate studies in public administration. They are
awarded grants for free tuition, other fees and allowances.
Hundreds of
young professionals have graduated from this program. As a professor,
it is such a delight to work with bright students and with “out-of-the-box
“ thinking.
Nonetheless,
when these graduates return to their respective offices, the picture
is mixed. A number get promoted and move on to better positions
and pay. Many go back to their old jobs, and wait in vain for
promotions and retirement of their bosses. The ironclad rule of
seniority in the hierarchy still prevails. Armed with their new
learning and qualifications, the impatient graduates transfer
to other agencies, or move on to the private sector. Worse, some
go abroad.
We have had
instances where the private sector partnered with the government
to ensure that committed public servants remain in the public
sector.
When Dr. Juan
Flavier was secretary of health, he initiated a comprehensive
program to induce medical graduates to go to the countryside and
serve their rural kababayan. The program was supported by the
private sector, which offered generous financial packages, as
well as opportunities for professional growth. Senator Flavier
has moved to the Senate since then. However, many of the doctors
he has sent to the countryside have stayed on and continue serving
the people they have learned to love.
Perhaps it
is time for the private sector and the government to partner once
more in the efforts to encourage trained young professionals to
stay on and bring their energies, commitment and love of country
to the bureaucracy. How about it, Wick?
Who
is afraid of Ping Lacson?
Newly reelected
Sen. Ping Lacson tends to elicit mixed reactions from people.
There are those who believe the horror tales of Rosebud (remember
her)? There are those who are unsettled and nervous when he looks
at them straight in the eye and fixes his unwavering glance on
them. They can’t abide his stern, unsmiling visage. Others
see him as a potential rival for even higher positions.
Those who
know him well are continually amazed by his prodigious memory,
his keen analytical mind and the consistency of his position on
national issues. They are impressed with the way he disciplined
the police forces. They are awed by his courage and dogged pursuit
of corruption cases which many fear to touch.
In my province,
one of the best-known Ping stories is about the kidnapping of
the only son of the owner of a shopping mall in Cebu. Ping, a
young lieutenant colonel of the then-Philippine Constabulary,
was in charge of recovery operations. After days of frustration
and frantic fundraising, the family resigned itself to paying
the multimillion-peso ransom. Ping and his men recovered the boy
unharmed. In gratitude, the father offered him the entire ransom
intended for the kidnappers. Ping refused.
The child
is now a young man. The mother continues to tell the story of
the young man who saved the life of her son and absolutely refused
payment.
A number of
people worry about Ping. Not the more than 15 million people who
voted for him. They trust him.
Other
Feature articles:
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Command and commandeered votes
