Basics
Basics
Updated 01:52am (Mla time) Aug 28, 2004
Inquirer News Service
Editor's Note: Published on page A12 of the August 28, 2004 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Manila Metropolitan Area, Philippines -- BARBERSHOP and coffee shop talk has long revolved around the need for government to get back to basics. The detachment of government from the public is demonstrated by the inability of many officials to observe this basic and widespread yearning. How often have we heard the average person grumble, after some grand political pronouncement, that if only the little things could be made to work, the big things might eventually get better?
The optimism--fanciful or not--and the big plans of government have been made hollow by the experience of the average person. Nothing is more revealing than the anecdotal evidence of widespread petty criminality affecting the average shopper, commuter and worker. In particular, cell phone and wristwatch snatching, jeepney and bus holdups, pickpocketing and other petty crimes have added paranoia to the ever-increasing misery of our daily lives.
So when newly minted PNP Director General Edgardo Aglipay announced that he would concentrate on deploying cops to markets, malls, commuter centers and congested thoroughfares, people stood up to listen. We are prepared, at this point, to withhold the usual skepticism that an increased police presence will just increase opportunities for cops to mulct the people. Rather, we hope, as many citizens do, that we will see a corresponding drop in the occurrence of petty crimes.
If Aglipay's zeal to make a splash in the lives of the many brings results, it only goes to show what we have pointed out over and over again: things can get done, if only people concentrated on doing their jobs. If an increased police presence results not in trumpeted, manufactured government statistics, but in the best whispering campaign of all--the anecdotal accounts of happier, safer citizens--then we would have seen that a fresh start is possible.
And really, the possibilities are endless. If all it takes is an energetic PNP chief willing to make surprise dawn inspections and actually issue sensible deployment orders to his men and women, then we can reasonably expect the same in other agencies of government.
Who would not want to see less disorder and greater discipline in the many government offices which people deal with throughout the working week? All too often we have had to endure brief spurts of energy among officials, which only results in our briefly enjoying decent government service, only for things to get worse after a few months.
Fewer forms, more organized lines, less waiting, an end to people with connections cutting lines and people paying fixers to ensure forms are attended to--in how many thousands of government offices could things improve, at no cost to the government?
Things have to start somewhere. Let it start in our streets. At a time of national depression and anxiety, public places that are a little safer, a little more organized, can result in a tremendous amount of public relief and provide a big boost to our people's flagging morale.
However, even as Aglipay gets off to a good start, we have to look to the future. Presuming he does well, does his six-month stint leave him enough time to really make things better?
The ability of a talented leader to actually get things done in our personalistic culture cannot be underestimated. But just as things can quickly turn around, they can, as quickly, degenerate. It is perhaps, a good thing that at least his term has already been extended to six months, affording him the chance to get his plans going. After that, however, what? Back to the revolving door? Is this just all a "palabas" (show) to allow Aglipay to retire in a blaze of glory?
Either he can do the job or he can't. If he can't, he shouldn't have been appointed. If he can, he deserves, and the country should expect, a full term as PNP chief. We cannot continue with half-baked, temporary, primarily politically motivated appointments to top positions. We have called the President to task for doing just that with her Cabinet; she shouldn't think she can get away with the same thing when it comes to peace and order.
Still, after the bungling and fumbling of the past, it is good to observe a new sense of dynamism in the police. Let's just hope it's not all for show. Going back to basics is serious business.
Updated 01:52am (Mla time) Aug 28, 2004
Inquirer News Service
Editor's Note: Published on page A12 of the August 28, 2004 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Manila Metropolitan Area, Philippines -- BARBERSHOP and coffee shop talk has long revolved around the need for government to get back to basics. The detachment of government from the public is demonstrated by the inability of many officials to observe this basic and widespread yearning. How often have we heard the average person grumble, after some grand political pronouncement, that if only the little things could be made to work, the big things might eventually get better?
The optimism--fanciful or not--and the big plans of government have been made hollow by the experience of the average person. Nothing is more revealing than the anecdotal evidence of widespread petty criminality affecting the average shopper, commuter and worker. In particular, cell phone and wristwatch snatching, jeepney and bus holdups, pickpocketing and other petty crimes have added paranoia to the ever-increasing misery of our daily lives.
So when newly minted PNP Director General Edgardo Aglipay announced that he would concentrate on deploying cops to markets, malls, commuter centers and congested thoroughfares, people stood up to listen. We are prepared, at this point, to withhold the usual skepticism that an increased police presence will just increase opportunities for cops to mulct the people. Rather, we hope, as many citizens do, that we will see a corresponding drop in the occurrence of petty crimes.
If Aglipay's zeal to make a splash in the lives of the many brings results, it only goes to show what we have pointed out over and over again: things can get done, if only people concentrated on doing their jobs. If an increased police presence results not in trumpeted, manufactured government statistics, but in the best whispering campaign of all--the anecdotal accounts of happier, safer citizens--then we would have seen that a fresh start is possible.
And really, the possibilities are endless. If all it takes is an energetic PNP chief willing to make surprise dawn inspections and actually issue sensible deployment orders to his men and women, then we can reasonably expect the same in other agencies of government.
Who would not want to see less disorder and greater discipline in the many government offices which people deal with throughout the working week? All too often we have had to endure brief spurts of energy among officials, which only results in our briefly enjoying decent government service, only for things to get worse after a few months.
Fewer forms, more organized lines, less waiting, an end to people with connections cutting lines and people paying fixers to ensure forms are attended to--in how many thousands of government offices could things improve, at no cost to the government?
Things have to start somewhere. Let it start in our streets. At a time of national depression and anxiety, public places that are a little safer, a little more organized, can result in a tremendous amount of public relief and provide a big boost to our people's flagging morale.
However, even as Aglipay gets off to a good start, we have to look to the future. Presuming he does well, does his six-month stint leave him enough time to really make things better?
The ability of a talented leader to actually get things done in our personalistic culture cannot be underestimated. But just as things can quickly turn around, they can, as quickly, degenerate. It is perhaps, a good thing that at least his term has already been extended to six months, affording him the chance to get his plans going. After that, however, what? Back to the revolving door? Is this just all a "palabas" (show) to allow Aglipay to retire in a blaze of glory?
Either he can do the job or he can't. If he can't, he shouldn't have been appointed. If he can, he deserves, and the country should expect, a full term as PNP chief. We cannot continue with half-baked, temporary, primarily politically motivated appointments to top positions. We have called the President to task for doing just that with her Cabinet; she shouldn't think she can get away with the same thing when it comes to peace and order.
Still, after the bungling and fumbling of the past, it is good to observe a new sense of dynamism in the police. Let's just hope it's not all for show. Going back to basics is serious business.
posted by Dante at 5:45 PM
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