Shortcuts
In my previous column, I quoted rather extensively Filipino author Nick Joaquin’s essay “A Heritage of Smallness.” This classic essay provides timeless insights into our perceived inability as a people to reach the heights of excellence that we are capable of. It seeks to provide context to our past, and warns us about our future if we continue “thinking and doing small.”
As Joaquin points out, our predisposition for smallness stands in the way of progress. Yet, if we change our thinking and attitude from small to big, we may yet unlock our greater potential. But first we must identify what these small things are.
In my previous column I mentioned examples of what I call our “smallness in attitude”: lack of discipline and its most obvious manifestation, the affliction of tardiness.
Let me dwell a bit on another affliction. We seek connections to get things done or to get ahead.
It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.
“May kakilala ka ba dyan?” is a question often asked by those with dealings with government agencies. It has been called the patronage system, a throwback to feudal times. The Tagalog term is stronger: “palakasan.”
As a former government official, I have been requested countless times to personally intervene in government processes, whether it’s getting a permit or getting out of a traffic violation. Assurances that the process ensures the release of permits within the promised time period -- assuming that all requirements are complied -- are often ignored in favor of a call or a handwritten note to whoever is in charge.
On the other hand, those who seek my intervention after receiving traffic violation tickets conveniently forget that, unless the traffic enforcer erred or abused his authority, there would have been no traffic ticket if there was no violation committed in the first place.
Connections are also seen as indispensable in getting a promotion, especially in government. Even those who are highly qualified find it necessary to get endorsements to further improve their chances of clinching the promotion. Merit, sadly, is not enough to get ahead in government.
Several military officers I have spoken to have lamented that some officers are able to jump ahead of senior and qualified officers because of the backing of politicians and more senior officers. I feel we need more reforms within the military organization to address the problem of patronage.
The recent conflict within the Supreme Court, culminating in the removal of Lourdes Sereno as chief justice, stemmed from patronage.
Our new chief justice, Teresita de Castro, had spoken out about the ills of political patronage and why it should not substitute for merit. There are no shortcuts to a successful career, she once told a gathering of new lawyers, and those who take the short road to aid their quick rise are destined to fall as quickly.
This should also be our advice to all Filipinos, particularly those who are just starting out in the chosen careers: avoid shortcuts.
“Every shortcut,” says inspirational writer Bryant McGill, “has a price usually greater than the reward.”
A person’s worth should not be judged on the basis of whom one knows, one’s hometown, or family ties, but based on merit and character.
Another attitude that we should dispense with is the “pwede na yan” attitude. Rather than demanding or expecting excellence -- from ourselves and from others -- we are content with the quick fix.
Taxpayers’ money is being spent to maintain the MRT system that runs along the stretch of EDSA. It has become the transportation of choice for thousands of commuters who are willing to endure long lines, jampacked trains, and frequent train breakdowns just to escape EDSA’s horrendous traffic jam.
Yet providing commuters with safe and efficient trains seems to be the least of government’s priorities. The problems of our MRT system have been there since the previous administration, and solutions have long been proposed by transport experts, yet we see little action on the part of our authorities. So what we have are run-down MRT trains running on recycled parts. And our hapless commuters have no choice. Compared to enduring hours on EDSA’s immovable traffic, the MRT is “pwede na.”
It’s not that there are no choices. Excellence is a choice, but it seems it is not the default choice.
These are but a few of my observations. By pointing out these attitudes of smallness, I do not intend to spare the inefficient and lazy bureaucrats from any responsibility. We have procedures to make them accountable. What we need to focus on are these small attitudes that we can change ourselves.
I fear that unless we ourselves change the small things, we will be trapped forever in a box of smallness, regretting the failed opportunity to become big.