President as Chief Communicator - July 16, 2010

Chief Communicator is yet another vital role of President Aquino as Chief Executive. His determination to effectively communicate and share his vision for the nation with the people was enshrined in his Social Contract with the Filipino People that served as the platform for his presidential campaign.

In the Credo embodied in this platform, he declared: “A government, based on core values of transparency, personal and institutional integrity, honesty, and good governance, is a goal we must all share.” Note that transparency is first in the order of his core values. This, too, will be the primary guidepost of the communication program of the people’s government.

The Credo states further: “We shall not hide from debate, suppress the mechanisms for the redress of grievances, or thwart the participation of the public in the formulation of policy.” Stated affirmatively, this is what he is conveying to the people: “We shall engage in debate and promote the mechanisms for the redress of grievances, and encourage the participation of the public in the formulation of policy.”

As he declared, too, in his inaugural address: “Today marks the end of a regime indifferent to the appeals of the people… You are the boss so I cannot ignore your orders. We will design and implement an interaction and feedback mechanism that can effectively respond to your needs and aspirations.”

He emphasized this point in another part of his inaugural speech that outlined his priority programs: “We will strengthen the process of consultation and feedback. We will strive to uphold the constitutional right of citizens to information on matters of public concern.”

Last week, the Office of the President announced the creation of a presidential communication group that will expand on the traditional functions and roles of the press secretary’s office. The most significant change is a paradigm shift. Instead of a one-way process of downloading of presidential policies and pronouncements from the Chief Executive to the people, there will henceforth be open, free-flowing, two-way communication between the President and the people.

Instead of simply reacting to issues arising from daily developments as reported by the mass media, the government will proactively propagate its key messages and, in the process, elicit suggestions and inputs from the people that can reshape and improve the crafting of public policy.

Such is the exciting new terrain of public communication that has been defined by President Aquino. Since his proclamation in Congress, he has projected himself as a media-savvy communicator who is able to convey his key messages in a highly focused and clear-cut manner. Even during the campaign, he made himself available to journalists and broadcasters in a manner that enabled them to perform their reportorial mission effectively. He has impressed upon all that he intends to make himself available for regular press briefings, even as he pleaded for some relief from “ambush” interviews.

Just like in the aftermath of the EDSA People Power revolution in 1986 when his mother, President Corazon Aquino restored democratic institutions and provided democratic space that enabled the Philippine press to reclaim its long-standing reputation as the one of the freest in the world, the new President’s fresh initiatives in redefining the landscape of communications has generated a wave of enthusiastic public support.

It is within this context that, upon President Aquino’s invitation, I have decided to rejoin government service.

This decision entails a necessary consequence: I am now constrained to take leave from my weekly BusinessWorld column. Please note that I have opted to use the phrase “take leave”. In 1998, I took a leave after writing continuously for this paper since it began publication in July 1987. When I left government service in 2000, I was invited back by Ms. Letty Locsin, managing editor. It was Ms. Locsin who invited me to write for this paper in 1987, as I had been writing for its precursor Business Day since 1985.

BusinessWorld is a publication that firmly upholds the code of ethics of the Philippine Press Institute. It firmly believes that a newspaper has the vital role of being a watchdog of government. Hence, columnists who opt to serve in government must quit writing opinion columns as they can no longer be effective watchdogs.

I wish to thank BusinessWorld Chairman Vergel Santos for giving me the opportunity to be associated with an enduring institution in Philippine journalism.

Writing for BusinessWorld has been pure pleasure. It has enabled me not just to express my thoughts but also to shape and clarify my worldview. In the course of interacting with readers, I have learned to appreciate divergent viewpoints and understand why people could take positions that directly contradict my own cherished beliefs.

Sometime in 2005, I had an epiphany. I decided to refrain from writing political commentary that was overly critical, or even cynical. It’s not because I was daunted by the prospect of getting sued for libel or being harassed or harmed by the powers-that-be. Far be it for me to shirk from a journalist’s duty to write the truth from one’s heart.

I simply realized that when I write articles in an angry or skeptical vein, I create and project negative energy, not just among my readers but unto myself as well. Hence, I resolved to take on a different posture. I opted to become what author Marsha Sinetar calls an “artist of encouragement.”

It was then that I found myself drawn into the field of study that eventually became the topic of my doctoral dissertation on Spirit being the key for leading to higher ground. Indeed, I am grateful to BusinessWorld for launching me into this wonderful journey of discovery and lifelong learning. And when my work in public service is done, I look forward to being able to come home to this paper and relish anew the sheer joy of writing.

Readers are invited to sonnycoloma.blogspot.com or send their comments to sonnycoloma@gmail.com

Communication lessons - July 9, 2010

People Power, as manifested in voter power, catapulted an erstwhile non-candidate to the presidency. President Aquino’s massive mandate was driven by a groundswell of public support that was generated not by a well-heeled political machine but by an army of volunteers at the grassroots level.

When he made a sortie to Masbate, people spontaneously got out of their homes and improvised any sort of poster, placard or yellow-colored material that could convey their affection for the son of two revered national icons of democracy. Instead of the proverbial guns, goons, and gold, Noynoy Aquino’s volunteer-powered campaign distributed yellow wristbands (or, more popularly, “ballers”) by the millions. Instead of receiving money, volunteers willingly shelled money from their own pockets to buy campaign paraphernalia. The deficit in campaign posters was made up by people wearing yellow shirts and displaying yellow ribbons or yellow stickers.

Another unique feature of the people’s campaign was the extensive use of new media, namely: text messaging via mobile phones, e-mailing, and the emergent tools of social networking, Facebook and Twitter.

These more than made up for the candidate’s inability to match the millions poured into television advertising by a dollar-billionaire rival. In fact, the media spending reached such unparalleled heights that taxi drivers and housewives were repelled: “’Yang malaking ginastos, tiyak na babawiin sa ibang paraan.” (“Huge campaign spending will likely be recovered through dubious means.”)

Given that the official campaign period was only 90 days, candidates were compelled to ensure optimum effectiveness of field sorties. Senator Sergio Osmena III, who came in as strategist just as the campaign began in early February, drew up a tightly packed schedule that brought candidate Aquino to areas that had the highest potential for vote generation.

Maximum time utilization was also a key consideration. If the candidate gets tied down to long meetings with limited audiences, or if so much time is devoted to tiring motorcades, then the delivery of key campaign messages is hampered. Hence, there was a focus on interviews or press conferences that could be covered by local media and beamed to thousands of radio listeners or TV viewers even in remote nooks or crannies of an island province or far-flung provincial capitol.

Now that the erstwhile candidate has become President, how does he ensure constant, free-flowing communication between him and his constituents?

The traditional channels of communication will not suffice. Gone are the days when newspapers, radio and TV stations can claim dominant ascendancy in terms of being gatekeepers of information. A clear case in point is the Maguindanao massacre that shocked the nation last November 2009. The first reports on this heinous crime came not from citizen eyewitnesses who used their mobile telephones to take pictures and relay information.

A new phenomenon bears watching: crowd sourcing. This is defined by Jennifer Alsever: “The basic idea is to tap into the collective intelligence of the public at large to complete business-related tasks that a company would normally either perform itself or outsource to a third-party provider. Yet free labor is only a narrow part of crowdsourcing's appeal. More importantly, it enables managers to expand the size of their talent pool while also gaining deeper insight into what customers really want.”

How does this work? Let’s say a company wants to generate quick feedback on a new product or service concept? All it has to do is to announce this in a web-based forum or venue. Observes Ms. Alsever:

“With the rise of user-generated media such as blogs, Wikipedia, MySpace, and YouTube, it's clear that traditional distinctions between producers and consumers are becoming blurry. It's no longer fanciful to speak of the marketplace as having a "collective intelligence"—today that knowledge, passion, creativity, and insight are accessible for all to see. As Time explained after choosing the collective "You" as the magazine's 2006 Person of the Year, "We're looking at an explosion of productivity and innovation, and it's just getting started, as millions of minds that would otherwise have drowned in obscurity get backhauled into the global intellectual economy."

How does government employ crowd sourcing? First, it will select key segments or constituencies that it wants to reach. Next, it will frame the task to be performed in terms of key questions that can elicit clear-cut, action-oriented responses. Third, it can synthesize the inputs and build consensus that can drive further action. But this presupposes the creation and deployment of a technology-driven communication infrastructure that purposefully seeks out citizen input and feedback.

Thus, instead of simply downloading information or messages (sometimes this is viewed as “propaganda”), government can be a generator of new ideas and fresh insights from an enthusiastic citizenry that genuinely wants to be involved in improving the quality of front-line services that they get from government, such as, for example: speed of over the transactions and processes while paying for realty taxes, renewing drivers’ licenses and vehicle registration, or getting business licenses and permits.

The more significant area of public engagement is in policy formulation. Town hall meetings, whether face-to-face or virtual, can be more effective tools. Instant polling may also be conducted in order to ascertain the public pulse. Indeed, technology offers many exciting possibilities for mobilizing citizens in support of socially significant causes.

The fight against government corruption can also be waged more effectively when there is greater transparency that is engendered by citizen vigilance. My good friend, Rotary past governor Willy Segovia has an interesting proposal. He recommends a partnership between model local governments and civic organizations that would strengthen good governance at the grassroots level.

For instance, a local Rotary club may wish to adopt key government units, such as: a police precinct or the license and permits office in city hall. The civic organization commits to act as the watchdog of these vital government offices. But aside from watching out for wrongdoing, it will also reward public servants that do well. In adopting the LGU office, the civic organization will put a “seal of good housekeeping” that assures people of honest and dedicated service.

When there are complaints of poor service or indications of possible anomalies, then the watchdog organization calls the attention of the head of office and encourages the immediate adoption of remedial measures. At the end of the year, employees who have rendered commendable or outstanding work will be given due recognition.

This is simply one of the many ways a new paradigm of governance may be instituted through active public sector-private organization partnership. It all starts with good communication and a will to serve the people.

Readers are invited to visit sonnycoloma.blosgspot.com or send their comments to sonnycoloma@gmail.com

President as servant-leader - July 2, 2010

‘Kayo ang boss ko’ (‘You’re my boss’) was the catch phrase that made the headlines on President Benigno Aquino III’s inauguration. This was a reprise of his campaign message, ‘Kayo ang aking lakas’ (‘You are my strength’) and while it sounds simple, it represents a paradigm shift from traditional to transformational leadership. He has, in fact, declared that he will be a servant-leader.

The inaugural speech evoked memories of the response that he gave at the memorial service for his late mother, former President Corazon Aquino in Manila Cathedral last year. He echoed then the sentiments of Juan de la Cruz as he asked: Why is it that people who study and work hard, lead honest and simple lives just can’t seem to make it out in Philippine society today?

Without giving an answer, he mirrored the feelings of millions of Filipinos who had quietly yet painstakingly endured many years of arrogant misrule. It’s simply because of a national leadership that had become too heady with power and too preoccupied with transactional politics and self-aggrandizement.

People warmed up to his message during the campaign because he connected with them like a simple, no-nonsense and reliable friend. No fiery oratory, no claim to charisma, just plain honesty and sincerity. The other day at the Luneta, Noynoy Aquino had come full circle from Manila Cathedral: he was already articulating the dreams and aspirations of his people, this time as their President.

Recall that at the start of the formal campaign period last February, he was struggling to maintain his frontrunner status as one of his rivals poured in tens of millions in television advertising. He had difficulty connecting with the younger voters, mostly from Class D and those that composed the main working force of the nation because his message wasn’t delivered in a blunt and direct manner.

In his inaugural, there were no abstract platitudes or lofty philosophy, only plain speak: “Kayo ba ay minsan ring nalimutan ng pamahalaang inyong iniluklok sa puwesto? Ako rin. Kayo ba ay nagtiis na sa trapiko para lamang masingitan ng isang naghahari-hariang de-wangwang sa kalsada? Ako rin. Kayo ba ay sawang-sawa na sa pamahalaang sa halip na magsilbi sa taumbayan ay kailangan pa nila itong pagpasensiyahan at tiisin? Ako rin.”

(“Have you ever been ignored by the very government you helped put in power? I have. Have you had to endure being rudely shoved aside by the siren-blaring escorts of those who love to display their position and power over you? I have, too. Have you experienced exasperation and anger at a government that instead of serving you, needs to be endured by you? So have I.”)

In the face of such rude awakening, this is he proposed a common pact between him as leader and the people: “Inaanyayahan ko kayo ngayon na manumpa sa ating mga sarili, sa sambayanan, walang maiiwan.Walang pangingibang-bayan at gastusan na walang wastong dahilan. Walang pagtalikod sa mga salitang binitawan noong kampanya, ngayon at hanggang sa mga susunod pang pagsubok na pagdadaanan sa loob ng anim na taon.Walang lamangan, walang padrino, at walang pagnanakaw. Walang wang-wang, walang counterflow, walang tong. Panahon na upang tayo ay muling magkawang-gawa.”

(“Today, I am inviting you to pledge to yourselves and to our people. No one shall be left behind. No more junkets, no more senseless spending. No more turning back on pledges made during the campaign, whether today or in the coming challenges that will confront us over the next six years. No more influence-peddling, no more patronage politics, no more stealing. No more sirens, no more short cuts, no more bribes. It is time for us to work together once more.”)

President Aquino breaks new ground as he offers Filipinos a new brand of servant-leadership that departs from the norms of traditional and transactional politics that his predecessor personified. The People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) has come up with a competency profile for the Philippine President that was developed for the 2004 presidential elections and updated last year.

Servant leadership was among the key competencies listed and the servant leader was defined as one who “serves the people with a genuinely caring heart. Works hard and well to achieve the goals of government.”

What makes servant leadership essential? PMAP’s rationale:

“The Philippine president must genuinely desire to serve the interests of the Filipino people instead of simply using the powers of the position to enrich himself and his/her relatives and cronies. The President sets the tone for the entire bureaucracy. Government servants pick up subtle and not- so- subtle cues from the President’s speech and behavior; thus (s)he should be beyond reproach. At the same time, the president’s job follows an exacting work pace. Equally very important tasks demand his/her attention given the limited time of the day. Thus, S/he must be able to exemplify very good work habits of working and learning continuously to discern and act effectively on the issues of the day.”

The behaviors associated with being a servant leader are: a) sacrifices personal, familial or other vested interests for the common good; b) displays humility and reaches out to all sectors; c) practices good work ethic; and d) learns continuously. The associated competencies are integrity, humility, continuous learning, and decisiveness and stress tolerance.

P. Noy (as he himself wants to be called by the people) has sufficiently demonstrated many of the aforementioned traits that have, in fact, endeared him to the people. In the months and years ahead, he will have abundant opportunities to cultivate and develop especially the competencies of continuous learning, decisiveness and stress tolerance.

From the professor to the student: this was another facet of the Arroyo to Aquino transition. P. Noy’s presidency represents a great leap forward by a much younger generation of Filipinos. He is not just the first President to be elected in automated national elections. He is also the first to be elected in the era of social networking.

This is why it is absolutely important that the second Aquino presidency be characterized by yet another clear break from the past: that it will be a presidency that truly initiates and promotes open, free-flowing and continuous two-way communication between the government and the people. Gone is the era of unilateral downloading (or cascading) of directives and pronouncements from the mountaintop. If the people are truly the boss, they deserve full and untrammeled access to the proverbial corridors of power --- if not physically, then virtually, 24 by 7.

P. Noy may not be able to text back an answer to every question pronto, but it certainly feels good for his boss Juan de la Cruz to know that he is only an SMS away.

Readers are invited to visit sonnycoloma.blogspot.com or send their comments to sonnycoloma@gmail.com

When disaster strikes - June 25, 2010

Last April, an offshore oil drilling platform, the Deepwater Horizon, exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 persons and setting off a massive environmental disaster that has placed the Obama administration on the defensive and sparked a spirited political debate on the sustainability of dependence on fossil fuels. This brought back the nightmare of a similar oil spill in 1989 after Exxon’s Valdez tanker hit Prince William Sound’s Bligh reef in Alaska.

What caused the Deepwater Horizon disaster? According to Wikipedia:

“Attention has focused on the cementing procedure and the blowout preventer, which failed to fully engage. A number of significant problems have been identified with the blowout preventer: There was a leak in the hydraulic system that provides power to the shear rams. The underwater control panel had been disconnected from the bore ram, and instead connected to a test hydraulic rams.”

It is apparent that there was a failure in a procedure and in one of the elements of the technical operating system. Both are under human control and malfunction could have been prevented. Further findings revealed that: “The blowout preventer schematic drawings, provided by Transocean (a contractor) to BP (majority owner of the oil rig), do not correspond to the structure that is on the ocean bottom. The shear rams are not designed to function on the joints where the drill pipes are screwed together or on tools that are passed through the blowout preventer during well construction.”

This is similar to a discovery after a fire that the actual layout of a gutted structure was not the same as the proposed scheme that was approved when the building permit was given.

While full-blown investigations are still ongoing, the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), oil policy arm of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) whose 31 members are among the richest and most progressive countries, has deplored the “accumulation of human errors” that caused the catastrophe.

In the case of the Exxon Valdez disaster, the findings are stark and startling:

“Exxon Shipping Company failed to repair the Raycas sonar system, which would have indicated to the third mate an impending collision with the Bligh reef. The third mate failed to properly maneuver the vessel, possibly due to fatigue or excessive workload. Exxon also failed to supervise the master and provide a rested and sufficient crew for the Exxon Valdez.”

What is evident from the foregoing analysis is that there was a failure in management. A sonar or radar system is so basic to the operation of a vessel. It is unthinkable that a giant multinational company like Exxon did not have the resources to replace or repair the broken system, so why did this happen at all?

Greg Palasi, an investigative reporter, offers this account in Wikipedia: “"Forget the drunken skipper fable. As to Captain Joe Hazelwood, he was below decks, sleeping off his bender. At the helm, the third mate would never have collided with Bligh Reef had he looked at his Raycas sonar. But the sonar was not turned on. In fact, the tanker's sonar was left broken and disabled for more than a year before the disaster, and Exxon management knew it. It was in Exxon's view just too expensive to fix and operate.”

Indeed, history has a way of repeating itself. As it was in Exxon Valdez, circa 1989, it happened again in Deepwater Horizon, circa 2010. When will we ever learn?

In Global Disasters, Robert Allinson argues that a basic respect for human life and a strong ethical position taken on by leaders of organizations is key to preventing disasters. He cites Winston Churchill’s famous quotation after Japanese forces invaded and occupied Singapore: “I ought to have known. My advisers ought to have known and I ought to have been told and I ought to have asked.”

Mr. Churchill took full responsibility for the consequences of his government’s failure to anticipate, forestall and prevent the Japanese invasion. Another war-timer leader, US President Harry Truman is credited with the famous line: “The buck stops here.”

Mr. Allinson believes this should be modified into: “The buck stops here and it stops everywhere else.” Not just the CEO or top honcho but all members of an organization at every level must step up and assume responsibility for all actions and interactions that affect other people’s lives. This is the only way that safety may be assured and that human life may be safeguarded from human error.

Recall, too, that in the Challenger disaster in 1987, it was discovered that a simple O-ring seal that gave up due to extreme temperature caused the explosion that killed seven astronauts, including a schoolteacher, less than a minute after it was launched and in full view of thousands of viewers on the ground and on global television. In 2003, another space shuttle vehicle exploded upon re-entry due to the tearing off of tiles that were installed for heat insulation, killing the astronauts aboard.

After the Bhopal gas tragedy that killed almost 3,000 people in 1984, it was found out that Union Carbide stored large quantities of the toxic gas methyl isocyanate, a chemical used in making pesticides. A storage tank containing the lethal gas could not withstand the high pressure that had built up, thereby emitting noxious fumes that killed and immobilized hundreds.

Moreover, the plant was located very near a train station and adjacent to shanty towns in the capital city of Madhya Pradesh state.

Investigations later showed that laxity in safety measures was largely due to the cozy relationship between the company and the government regulatory authorities. It was even reported that “lavish parties for local dignitaries were often thrown at Union Carbide’s luxurious guest house.”

In the case of Deepwater Horizon, BP’s CEO initially denied, then downplayed the company’s responsibility for the disaster. When later events proved BP’s undoing, and he had to face irate legislators at a congressional hearing, he presented a more contrite stance and meekly apologized.

Mr. Allison cites the unbridled greed for profits as the ultimate culprit. Today, many enlightened corporations have adopted the principle of the triple bottom line that upholds the primacy of people and planet (respect for the environment) over profits as the only clear path toward sustainable business growth.

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Rooted & uprooted - June 18, 2010

From Oprah to the new Wowowee is not really a quantum leap. All it takes is a flick of the remote controller. Last Monday, a holiday, my wife and I chanced upon a unique segment of Oprah’s show where she had as guest Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates. It was a truly engaging and educational episode.

In-between, we flicked into ABS-CBN’s Wowowee, hosted by Luis Manzano and Mariel Rodriguez.

Prof. Gates hogged the spotlight in early 2009 when President Obama publicly criticized a Cambridge, Massachusetts police officer for arresting and handcuffing Prof. Gates. He then invited both Prof. Gates and the police officer to a round of beer at the White House garden with him and Vice President Joe Biden.

But that’s not why he was invited by Oprah.

Last March, PBS launched a four part series on Faces of America, an interesting feature by Prof. Gates on 12 American celebrities and their family histories: professor and poet Elizabeth Alexander, chef Mario Batali, comedian Stephen Colbert, novelist Louise Erdrich, journalist Malcolm Gladwell, actress Eva Longoria, musician Yo-Yo Ma, director Mike Nichols, Her Majesty Queen Noor, television host/heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz, actress Meryl Streep, and figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi.

Using the latest tools of genealogy (family trees) and genetics (DNA analysis), Prof. Gates unearthed interesting facets of family life that pleasantly surpised --- even astounded --- the celebrities. Here’s an excerpt from Olympic skating champion Kristi Yamaguchi:

“Yamaguchi’s heritage can be traced back to the Wakayama and Saga prefectures in Japan. Kristi’s paternal grandfather, Tatsuichi Yamaguchi, immigrated to Hawaii in 1899, making his way to the United States a few years later. Over a span of five decades, he persevered time and time again, living through the changing restrictions on immigrants from Japan. He finally was able to naturalize just four years before his death. During World War II, most Japanese-Americans served in the segregated, all Japanese-American, 442nd Regimental Combat Team. But Kristi’s maternal grandfather, George Akira Doi, served in the 100th Infantry Division, an otherwise all-white unit. He saw combat in Europe and was decorated as “unquestionably the company’s best soldier,” even as his wife and family spent the war years incarcerated in concentration camps.”

Ms. Yamaguchi was teary-eyed as she looked at the faded newspaper clipping that recorded her grandfather’s heroism.

Yo-yo Ma, the celebrated cellist, shared his family’s realization that all traces of their family heritage may have been lost during the tumultuous cultural revolution. Fortunately, one of his cousins had hidden valuable records in the walls of his home and these were speared from destruction. How did he get his unusual first name “Yo”? It’s a marker name for his generation that he shares with his siblings and cousins. Then, he said in levity, his parents may have resorted to “sick humor” and decided to append another “Yo”, thereby associating his name with the famous American yo-yo. But then, “Yo” also means friendly, so Yo-Yo means double friendly.

Flicking over to Wowowee, it was a refreshing change to watch and hear Luis Manzano and Mariel Rodriguez taking over main hosting chores from the controversial Willie Revillame. Instead of bullying or insulting the program participants (as it was the norm with Willie), they asked sensible questions and demonstrated genuine empathy.

One noteworthy participant was Macky, a struggling musician. Macky lives with his grandmother and uncle. His mother works in Dubai, separated for many years from his father. His loneliness and sense of alienation were apparent. He tried to put on a brave face when asked to deliver messages to each of his parents.

Then, as dictated by the show’s format, Macky was asked to introduce his parent or guardian. His companion that day was neither parent or guardian. It was Jordan (not his real name), his fellow band member who wore sunglasses to mask the redness of his eyes due to lack of sleep. When asked for a message, Jordan surprised the hosts and the audience. Instead of giving words of encouragement to Macky, he issued a call to his father whom, he said, he has not seen for 28 years. His father left their home when he was an infant, and like Macky, he is also living with relatives.

It’s unlikely there will be a Filipino version of Prof. Gates doing a remarkable educational film series. But isn’t it great to know one’s roots and discover you’re part of a bigger family of humanity?

It’s also unlikely there will be an early reunion for Jordan and his long-lost father. But what Wowowee is holding up to us is a big mirror of stark reality. Over the past decades, many Filipino families have been broken. Many childhood dreams have turned into nightmares.

There are many Filipino youth struggling to find out who they really are while trying to keep body and soul together. What Wowowee is able to offer them is temporary, short-term pain relief. Young Filipinos are looking up to their leaders to help and enable them to look forward to a better future.

Comments may be sent to sonnycoloma@gmail.com

From anti-candidate to President - June 11, 2010

Noynoy Aquino was a most reluctant candidate. In fact, he was an anti-candidate: the antithesis of the prototypical politician seeking election to public office. He was neither eloquent nor charismatic. He was averse to delivering sound bites that could produce dramatic headlines next day. But as the campaign progressed, people began to see him evolve into a more confident, more adept campaigner. Here are notes from a memorable campaign:

Saturday, January 8, 2010 at the La Salle Zobel Auditorium, Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa City:

He was the first to arrive. He was also the first to answer every question from the forum moderator. It was one of the earliest debates of the campaign. On the morning of that day, the newspaper announced that his leading rival had closed in on him in the presidential voter preference surveys.

Before Christmas 2009, he enjoyed what many thought was an insurmountable lead: 45-23 in Pulse Asia and 46-29 in SWS. But Manny Villar had narrowed the gap to just 11 points in the SWS poll at 33 to 44. By that time, the effects of massive TV advertising by Villar became evident. He had spent almost a billion pesos for TV ads during the “window of opportunity” before the start of the election campaign when there was no spending limit.

Even children had memorized the lyrics of Villar’s jingle: “Nakaligo na ba kayo sa dagat ng basura, nag-Pasko na ba kayo sa gitna ng kalsada…”

The Noynoy Aquino campaign was just beginning to be organized. It had been launched only four months earlier, on Sept. 9, the 40^th day after the death of the candidate’s mother.

Villar and Dick Gordon hammered Noynoy on the issue of competence and performance.

Many in the audience observed that Noynoy was not a very effective public speaker. He did not project his voice loudly enough. He spoke very fast. He did not deliver punch lines. He gave very lengthy answers and explanations. It just wasn’t easy for him to get to the focal points of an issue.

I wrote in an e-mail to fellow volunteers in the campaign organization: “In terms of audience impact, he probably ranked third behind Gordon and Gibo, who were more articulate and eloquent. In terms of audience empathy, I still believe he was the most loved.” Even after the debate, many of those who wore the colors of his rivals, begged to have their pictures taken with him.

Take note that this happened one month before the start of the official campaign on February 9. Now let’s move fast forward to just three and a half weeks before election day.

Thursday, 15 April 2010 – Great Eastern Hotel, Quezon City:

He strode into the hall confidently, shook hands, then got the wireless mike. He began speaking --- no, not speaking, but conversing with his audience. He wore a trademark yellow campaign shirt. He faced a veritable sea of yellow. ‘Yellow Force’ read the emblem on their shirts. These were more than 300 regional, provincial and city coordinators of the Yellow Force that was committed to guard his votes on election day.

They had just been through a day-long briefing and orientation on how to organize groups of at least 50 volunteers for each of the more than 76,000 clustered precincts. What his campaign lacked in money, it was more than made up for by many hearts, many heads, many hands and feet of tens of thousands of volunteers. They came from four main organizations: Noynoy Aquino for President Movement (NAPM), Tuloy Pnoy, Mabuting Pilipino, and NoyPI (for Noynoy for President Initiative).

He had been through several days of out-of-town sorties mostly in Eastern Visayas.

He narrated how difficult it was for him to get any reasonable measure of private time since the start of the campaign on February 9.

He thought for a while he could snatch some while riding on Ro-Ro vessels. But no, when passengers learned he was aboard, they all --- repeat, all --- insisted on having their pictures taken with him. And there were several decks of passengers on Ro-Ro vessels.

Of course, it was even more difficult on the road, during the day.

The point was reached when local contacts were informed of his arrival barely an hour before the plane touched down at the airport. Giving them a longer lead time or advance notice would have meant more motorcades, more interviews, more rallies than could be packed reasonably into a campaign day and night.

Still and all, it was well worth it. Everywhere he went, he said, the crowds came out, not just physically but emotionally.

One elderly woman tugged at him and told him. “Mag-ingat ka, anak. Mahalaga ka sa amin. Ang buhay mo ay buhay namin.”

This, he said, meant a lot more than the survey numbers.

Then he got his slim cell phone from his pocket and started to read some text message from supporters. These were all field reports on surveys conducted by local radio-TV stations and community newspapers. Support for him and his running mate ranged from 40% to 70%, but most of the cities reported more than 60% and a lead of at least 20% over the closest rivals.

‘Tila sinasabi sa atin ng ating mga kababayan, na nais na nila tayong mamuno sa tunay na pagbabago” (“It seems like our countrymen are asking me to lead a process of real change.”)

I told a fellow volunteer: “Our candidate has crossed the threshold of his own modesty. He himself is now saying he is confident of winning.”

(Next: Defining moments and the surge)

Readers are invited to visit sonnycoloma.blogspot.com or send their comments to sonnycoloma@gmail.com

Saint Pio: champion of the spirit - June 4, 2010

We live in an age of comfort and ease. Progress is measured in terms of quantum leaps in medical science that have prolonged human life. Hence, pain and suffering are definitely not considered pleasant topics of thought and conversation. In business, risk is managed and avoided so that stakeholders are assured of a healthy return on investment. Paradoxically, the hectic pace of business also spawns stress and illness. Worse than this, people often turn their backs to the kinder and gentler world that has become almost anachronistic in the face of cutthroat competition.

But what about those who have to live with the reality of pain and suffering that illness and other frailties of the human condition bring about? They have an iconic role model, Padre Pio of Pietrelcina (Italy).

Almost eight years ago, on 16 June 2002, declared Blessed Pio of Pietrelcina a Saint of the Catholic Church, 34 years after his death. For fifty years, he bore the wounds of Christ on his hands. He suffered quietly and nobly, regarding himself as a willing victim. Unlike Simon of Cyrene who carried Christ’s cross, he voluntarily carried his own and other people’s crosses as he endured five decades of stigmatization.

At his shrine in San Giovanni Rotondo in southeast Italy, the erstwhile Padre Pio is honored by thousands of pilgrims who find solace and inspiration in his shining example of saintly perseverance. Nestled on top of a hill with a panoramic view of the fertile plains of Mount San Angelo in Foggia, the new shrine dedicated to the memory of Saint Pio beckons to pilgrims from all over the world who want to immerse themselves in the same ambience that nurtured the sainthood of a simple man.

To understand the agony of Padre Pio’s stigmatization is to comprehend the rationale behind suffering and illness that is part of the reality of mankind’s earthly existence. But unlike ordinary mortals who have experienced sickness either in sporadic episodes strewn throughout their lives, or as a lingering or painful terminal condition, Padre Pio suffered stigmatization from age 31 to the time of his death in September 1968 at age 81.

The depth and breadth of Padre Pio’s epic struggle is best understood by reading the book, 100 Letters for You edited by an Italian priest, Father Francesco de Colacelli. The letters were written to his spiritual directors in the Capuchin order, Fathers Benedetto and Agostinho, both of San Marco, Italy and his spiritual children who corresponded with him regularly. The letters serve as a “clear and luminous mirror,” writes Father Colacelli in the preface, for gleaning Padre Pio’s spiritual heroism.

His letter to Padre Agostino on 13 February 1913 (he was only 26 years old and into the third year of his priesthood) is particularly instructive. Padre Pio writes: “Do not fear, I will make you suffer, but I will also give you the strength to suffer,” Jesus tells me continually.”

This is an article of faith that is yet to become embedded in many Christians’ consciousness. Pain and suffering are not eagerly sought but studiously avoided. In Padre Pio’s stigmatization we find a sterling example of a man who not only endured pain and suffering. He also made his personal battle a platform for glorifying the splendor of God’s grace and mercy.

He writes about the message conveyed to him by Jesus Christ:

“I want your soul to be purified and tried by a daily hidden martyrdom; do not be frightened if I allow the devil to torment you, the world to disgust you and your nearest and dearest to afflict you, for nothing will prevail against those who groan beneath the Cross for love of me and whom I have taken care to protect.”

To understand the foregoing statement, we need to realize that every day for nearly 50 years, Padre Pio found himself engaging the devil in actual combat, both physical and psychological. As he felt the pain from his wounds, he actually experienced the presence of a devil that perennially taunted and teased him.

The phrase about “your nearest and dearest to afflict you” also brings to mind Christ’s own experience in being betrayed by his dearest disciple Peter, not just once but three times, in the garden of Gethsemane before his crucifixion. We feel most aggrieved and pained when it is those closest to us --- be they parents or siblings, close relatives, direct superiors or subordinates, or business associates --- who afflict us with their infidelity, disloyalty or even sheer indifference.

The next passage in Padre Pio’s recollection evokes deep thought and reflection:

“How many times,” said Jesus to me a little while ago, “would you not have abandoned me if I had not crucified you? And again from Jesus: “Beneath the Cross one learns to love and I do not grant this to everyone, but only to those souls who are dearest to me.”

Christ was the one who was crucified, so why is it that, according to Padre Pio, the Lord says, “If I had not crucified you?” Truly, it is us who feel we have been crucified every time we are afflicted by “the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” and this often drives us away from the path of faith and goodness, thereby “abandoning” the Lord in the process, or turning away from God.

In a letter to Raffaelina Cerase, one of his spiritual children, on 29 March 1914, Padre Pio points out: “The storm that rages around you and perturbs you is certainly proof of this love (of Jesus for you).” This is borne our by his own daily struggle, from which he derived abundant joy despite unspeakable pain, as he describes in this passage:

“My joy is by no means foolish, for in the combat there is a crown to be won and the better fight put up by the soul the more numerous the palms of victory. Don’t you know how the apostle St. James exhorted his brethren to rejoice when they were harassed by various storms and numerous reverses: ‘Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials.’” (James 1:2)

Indeed, Padre Pio is the champion of the spirit, who cheerfully embraced pain and suffering, as he demonstrated his solidarity with Christ.

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