Monday, August 28, 2006

Why Manny Pacquiao Should Not Join Politics?

MANILA, AUGUST 28, 2006 (STAR) BULL MARKET, BULL SHEET By Wilson Lee Flores (Democracy is a process by which the people are free to choose the man who will get the blame. –Dr. Laurence J. Peter, author of The Peter Principle)

I was aghast when ex-President Cory C. Aquino recently told me that international boxing champion Manny Pacquiao and movie actor Cesar Montano are both planning to run for Manila vice mayor next year as running mates – of Mayor Lito Atienza’s son and of Senator Ping Lacson, respectively. I believe Pacquiao and even Montano might fall victim to that management maxim called the "Peter Principle."

Dr. Laurence Johnston Peter formulated the Peter Principle in his 1968 book based on the idea that employees within an organization will advance to their highest level of competence and then are often promoted to and remain at a level at which they are incompetent. He said: "In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence." How many companies, organizations or governments have people rise to their level of incompetence, then wreaked havoc and caused so much trouble for everybody?

It would be tragic for the rags-to-riches icon and sports hero Manny Pacquiao – if he makes the mistake of joining politics – to fall victim to the Peter Principle. Even if he wins the 2007 election as Manila vice mayor, what next? I am not against showbiz or sports stars going into politics, like Lipa Mayor Vilma Santos, who is a successful leader. However, I believe politics will not do Pacquiao good. If you love your country, Manila and yourself, don’t enter politics, Manny Pacquiao.

King of Comedy Dolphy once told Philippine STAR Entertainment editor Ricky Lo that if he wins the election, the problem is what will happen next. For that wisdom and humility, I salute Dolphy as a great man with genuine concern for the public welfare. In fact, I dare say comedian and movie producer Dolphy – another rags-to-riches icon – is smarter and more honest than 95 percent of our politicians in this republic, who often act like clowns and dumb fools without shame or remorse!

Manny Pacquaio is a world-class athlete and top advertising endorser. He has already climbed the Mount Everest of success, wealth and fame; why jump into the dark abyss of politics which is not his field of expertise? Pacquiao is already a national symbol. Why risk his prestige and good name by joining Philippine politics and possibly rising to his "level of his incompetence"? What does he know of governance? How will he solve Manila’s perennial problems with poverty, garbage, traffic, slums, floods, public education, law and order?

If Manny Pacquiao plans to retire from boxing and wants to look for more excitement, I suggest he follow what Kris Aquino once did and approach Mother Lily of Regal Films to join showbiz. Or, follow China’s Olympic-gold-medal gymnastics champion Li Ning, who parlayed his fame into big business. Or, better yet, donate the bulk of his wealth and be a philanthropist!

I believe other examples of successful people who have sadly risen to the level of their incompetence include the following:

Former President Joseph Estrada – Erap was a good actor who became a very effective Mayor of San Juan for decades. However, Erap reached the level of his incompetence when he aspired for and won the election as Senator (accomplishing only a few laws such as a bill on carabao propagation, but I’m sure not a bill outlawing carabao English!), and then as President. Erap should have sought advice from his friend Dolphy!

Imelda Romualdez Marcos – Perhaps no First Lady in Asian history can match Imeldific in elegance, prestige, charisma and indefatigable energy. In her prime, she excelled as patron of the arts, political campaigner, civic leader and diplomat, but she rose to the level of her incompetence as political co-ruler of the Marcos regime.

Michael Jordan – The greatest athlete in the history of professional basketball and multi-awarded superstar of the National Basketball Association (NBA) retired in 2003. Sadly, he rose to the level of his incompetence as director and then president of basketball operations with the Washington Wizards team and made lousy executive decisions. In May 2003, the Wizards team owner unceremoniously fired Jordan, who said he was shocked "by the callous refusal to offer me any justification for it."

Mao Zedong – Perhaps world history’s greatest revolutionary leader ever, Mao’s passion, fury, eloquence and genius turned the biggest nation upside down with upheaval and sweeping changes. Mao was a great revolutionary and talented romantic poet, but he reached the level of his incompetence when he administered China, plunged it towards the economically disastrous Great Leap Forward, and the chaotic, 10-year Cultural Revolution. Mao should have stopped while he was ahead in 1949, after overthrowing the corrupt Chiang Kai Shek regime, and should have passed on authority to others such as his capable ally Premier Zhou Enlai.

George Walker Bush – Though I support Bush in his war on terror in Afghanistan and Iraq, I think history will judge Bush as a substandard US President. This Yale and Harvard MBA graduate was once a successful governor of Texas, but he seems to have risen to the level of his incompetence as US President and world leader with his clumsy handling of the Iraq war, the weak US economy bedevilled with budget and trade deficits, and other troubles. For the sake of world stability, I hope Bush immediately gets better advisers to compensate for his mindboggling incompetence!

Many Philippine politicians – It is tragic that one of the reasons our Philippine economy is weak and massive poverty still confronts us is the disgusting phenomenon of so many hordes of immoral, incompetent, thick-faced and selfish people – including those with fancy degrees and high education – whom we have allowed to rise to the level of their incompetence as political leaders, legislators, generals and bureaucrats.

We deserve the leaders we get if we do not care, if we do not dare criticize cheating or bad governance, if we do not jail any big-time political crooks for corruption, if we do not demand higher standards, if we accept as "fate" the sad state of the nation. I’ve always believed this – the Philippines is not hopeless, it is our many inutile and corrupt politicians who are hopeless!


more news here: Newsflash.org

This not only points to Manny, I think everyone is..But the sad thing is more people, especially those in showbiz, thinks they have the brain power and the guts to run the country. The feeling of wanting to help the poor cannot fathom the responsibility of running for a government post. I hope, before they even try to think of running into public office, they pray for it..think of it..and think of it..realistically..their are other ways how to help the country.. many other ways..Just think...

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Senate has lost right to exist..

MANILA, AUGUST 14, 2006 (STAR) The Senate has lost the moral right to claim that it has been working for the people after ignoring hundreds of legislation and the nationwide clamor by millions of Filipinos to amend the Constitution, two House leaders say.

Deputy Majority Leader Rodolfo Antonino of Nueva Ecija and Rep. Monico Puentevella of Bacolod City blasted opposition Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. for "grossly diverting" attention from the real issue of the Senate’s "monumental failure" to focus on its primary constitutional duty of legislation.

Antonino and Puentevella were reacting to the Senate’s regular conduct of inquiries on alleged government anomalies, the latest of which is the reported misuse of the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration’s (OWWA) fund meant for Filipinos working overseas.

The Senate and MalacaƱang, however, are at odds anew over the refusal of the administration to allow Cabinet members and other officials to attend the Senate inquiry.

Pimentel on Saturday urged his colleagues to arrest and hold in contempt government officials who continue to snub Senate inquiries in aid of legislation.

"Pimentel is in a period of denial — like most people when afflicted with a terminal disease. The truth is, the Senate has not been able to carry out its constitutionally mandated function as a legislative body and all its other actions are geared toward self-promotion," Antonino said.

Puentevella had this to say: "The Senate is a terminal case –no amount of denial can save it from abolition."

He added that the Senate "is in the intensive-care unit and most Filipinos believe that it has lost its reason to exist because it has failed to respond to peoples’ needs."

The administration and proponents of Charter change are pushing for the shift in the country’s form of government from presidential to parliamentary system, which would effectively abolish the Senate in the process.

More than 820 local and national legislative measures, which the House of Representatives already passed on third reading during the last two regular sessions of the 13th Congress, are still awaiting Senate action.

House leaders and members said the Senate in the 12th Congress had the same track record.

According to Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. in his statement opening the third regular session last month, the measures are of utmost importance to the nation and to millions of our local constituencies who want schools, roads, anti-poverty programs that have already been earmarked especially for depressed areas.

The Senate has also been accused of dragging its feet on Charter reforms proposed by the House, forcing the pro-Charter change Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) to seek a coalition with the multi-sectoral group Sigaw ng Bayan to campaign for a shift this year from the present bicameral-presidential system to a unicameral-parliamentary government through a people’s initiative to amend the Charter.

A newspaper advertisement by Cha-cha advocates has quoted opposition Sen. Edgardo Angara’s statement that the Senate may have "started to lose its purpose" by focusing more on investigation and less on lawmaking, which is its primary task.

Lawyer Raul Lambino, spokesman for the pro-Cha-cha coalition Sigaw ng Bayan, said the Senate has passed less than a dozen laws but conducted more than 250 congressional inquiries, none of which, he pointed out, has resulted in any remedial legislation. — Cecille Suerte Felipe


News Brought to you By: Newsflash.org

Featured Posts

AFP Modernization 2017: Highlights and Review

The modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines was on a roll this year, as we've seen a few big ticket items having completely...

Popular Posts