VIEWS: After SC verdict, why Roxas is best prepared to lead us

Now that the Supreme Court has decided with finality to allow Grace Poe to run for president, the cast of characters for the presidential race is complete.

The question can thus be asked: who among the five candidates can be considered the best prepared to lead our country from day one in office? To answer this all-important question, three things stand out: character, competence linked to the relevant experience one brings to the task and, finally, the person’s track record as a leader which can be measured by deeds done, not mere promises made.

For over two decades, Mar Roxas has served as legislator and cabinet secretary in three distinct executive departments. As a public servant, he has listened and learned, and demonstrated that he has both the grit and the gifts, the integrity and the capacity, the imagination and the will to pursue priorities that he believes make up the Filipino dream. 

‘Walang drama’

Mar Roxas’ character was forged by learning to work away from home and country soon after graduation and by two tragic deaths in the family both due to serious illness: his father who died at age 57 while the Senate was padlocked during the period of martial law and his only brother Dinggoy who represented the first district of Capiz who succumbed to cancer at age 32.  

His initial inclination was to work in the private sector as a banker after graduating from university.  It was his brother’s death that prompted him to consider a different calling.  Confronted by a choice, Mar Roxas decided to leave behind a comfortable life as an investment banker abroad and pursue public service.  It was a sacrifice he made and readily embraced.  

Mar Roxas’ spirit of sacrifice was once again tested after the death of Cory Aquino created a groundswell of support for Noynoy Aquino. He offered to slide down in his 2010 run for the presidency to become vice presidential candidate instead to give way to the public clamor for Noynoy Aquino.

He has developed character traits which mark the man to this day: honest to a fault, hardworking, hands-on; he consults and listens; he studies, reads and reflects; he relates with people and is sensitive to the needs of the most vulnerable; he combines a high degree of competence and moral courage.  In brief, he truly embodies the tagline: “walang drama, trabaho lang!”

The combination of his sound academic preparation and hands-on training makes him an ideal leader for today’s fast-changing and inter-dependent world, competent to meet its complex challenges.  

His track record provides the best testament to over two decades of accomplished public service as legislator and “doer-in-chief” in three departments he led, focusing his efforts on at least seven strands of endeavor: 

1. Creating Jobs and Providing Employment Opportunities: among initiatives Mar has taken in the creation of jobs are the following: the establishment of the public employment service office in all municipalities to serve as an “employment facilitation and information center” linking job opportunities in the region; the development of IT-enabled services such as the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) market, creating the conditions for thousands of job opportunities through call center operations; direct action on his part resulted in the creation of more jobs in the garment export industry by means of the  “transformation plan and assistance package”; he supported the revival of the National Steel Corporation in Iligan City in Mindanao which helped save thousands of job in northern Mindanao; and at the World Trade Organization 2004 meet in Cancum, Mexico, he sought increased market access for Philippine exports, particularly agricultural products. 
2. Improving the Lives of People, particularly in the area of Health: precisely because Mar lost loved ones due to serious illnesses, he has become a lifelong health advocate deeply committed to health issues; his advocacy of cheaper medicine for all while providing medical access to the more vulnerable are steps in this direction; the project he initiated,  “presyong tama, gamot pampamilya,” is another such initiative;  his promotion of consumer welfare and protection such as the “tamang timbang, tamang presyo” underlines economic measures to help create more healthy families underpinned by more sound  “local market-related economies” on the ground.
3. Focusing on Youth and Children, in the area of Education:  Mar’s experience has shown him the importance of education as a passport to better jobs and more dignified lives. By focusing on our children and our youth, he envisions to sustain the country’s development.  Two examples of this advocacy is the “Fair and Equitable Access to Education Act,” which he authored to eliminate classroom shortages and enhancing construction, replacement and repair of school buildings – free from regional bias and political patronage; and, the other, the initiative to make available personal computers for public schools.
4. Working Closely with Local Officials while Empowering Local Government Units and Communities: Mar’s stint in the department of interior and local government has resulted in more accountable and transparent governance exercised by local governments units building on the sound practices established by the late Jesse Robredo, a champion on good governance, to empower people and create self-reliant communities; moreover, he adheres to the principle of zero-tolerance for corruption and the policy of prohibiting relatives from appointive positions.
5. Engaging Law Enforcement Officials to Create Safe and Secure Communities and Uphold the Rule of Law:  as “doer-in-chief” of the DILG, Mar upgraded and encouraged law enforcement officials to be more pro-active in serving the interests of local people while building safer and more secure communities.  
6. Promoting and Protecting the Interests of Consumers and Small and Medium Enterpreneurs:  he led the department of trade and industry in promoting and protecting the interests of consumers; he helped draft the Magna Carta for Small Enterprises; and he championed the rights of consumers and small and medium enterpreneurs in both houses of Congress.
7. Crafting Strategies of Preparedness and Collaboration in addressing Needs of Communities Dealing with Crisis Situations: as a “hands-on first responder” Mar has been at the forefront of situations confronting both natural and man-made disasters; from this experience, he has  developed strategies of preparedness and collaboration to help craft more resilient responses.

Leadership

Mar Roxas has been tried and tested on the national scene and has not shirked from responsibility. Moreover, he has shown himself to be a man who can walk the talk; who can hold his own in the company of the unlike-minded with grace, who has the convening capacity to bring people together. In brief, he is a steadfast and dedicated leader.

Mar has shown a solid work ethic; honest hard work without the drama; competence without fanfare; cooperation with others based on mutual respect that can span the diverse regions of our country. Mar, in sum, represents a safe pair of hands, and can keep hope alive even in trying times.

As the country looks forward to the increasing integration of the ASEAN community and the greater relevance of the Asia-Pacific region in economic and global affairs, and as the country works with as well as confronts the interests of China and the countries of East Asia such as Japan and the Koreas, as well as the Americas and the European Union we need a leader with experience, with vision and with the stature who can deal firmly and fairly with the other leaders of nations in our part of the globe. – Rappler.com

The author is one of the framers of the 1987 Constitution. He served as researcher at Amnesty International and peace envoy at International Alert, both in London. He’s now a consultant on formation at FEU Diliman