What happened yesterday explains why I love Mar Roxas so much and why I know he’d make a good president. What happened yesterday solidified my resolve to let whoever would listen know what I know about our beloved senator–what a great human being he is, what a wonderful leader.
Yesterday, I sat in a top-level discussion of 20 distinguished guests (including Sen. Roxas, a couple of former cabinet secretaries, and a long-time friend of his–a former adviser to Boris Yeltsin!) as secretary to one of his senior staff. I was the youngest and most inexperienced in the room, and was happy just being there, sitting quietly, absorbing the wisdom of these highly-esteemed people in our society.
It was an FGD, really. They talked about the important issues of today–like the rising cost of the pandesal, or the rising cost of gasoline–and brainstormed on policy-solutions. I realized that this was the type of leader Mar was. He’s consultative yet decisive. He knows that he can learn from other people’s input, and so he is open to their advice.
The discussion found its way to Transco, etc. and one of the participants said: “maybe we are overanalyzing the big and complex issues and straying too far from issues that are simple but yet address people’s daily concerns.”
With hesitation, I raised my hand. The facilitator called on me and everyone turned to look in my direction. I was seated at the back of the room and I felt my face flush with embarassment, but I proceeded with what I wanted to say.
I told them that as one of the people who don’t read newspapers as much, who tend to shut politics out because of our inability to understand–what I would really appreciate from our leaders are policies or programs that would have a tangible, visible effect on my personal economic survival.
Of course, Sen. Roxas is the author of the Cheaper Medicines Bill—and once the house finally decides to approve it, it will have a tremendous effect on all of us. But I want something that I can see and feel and appreciate immediately.
I raised the possibility of job caravans. So many people, including fellow friends and graduates from prestigious universities, have such a hard time getting a decent-paying job. Sometimes it’s not even about lack of skill. It’s simply about bridging the right companies and the right people together–especially in areas where job fairs are not popular/frequent (i.e. provinces or cities far from the metro).
And while my ideas were pretty simple to the point of being somewhat elementary, he gave me time to speak and be heard. And he seemed to take my suggestion into serious consideration too, given that he raised it twice (once during the discussion, and another time while we were eating lunch) to his colleagues. He even suggested conducting an FGD with the youth as its main participants–which I would sincerely enjoy being a part of, hehe.
That’s the kind of president I’d like. One who listens to other people’s ideas, regardless of age, experience or position. One who sincerely cares about our country’s issues and how they affect the common man to the point of dedicating one whole day to figuring out how to solve them.
According to someone in the room, the Archbishop once asked him–“Why do you like Mar Roxas? What has he done for our country?”
The person replied “Marami na po siyang natulungan, sikreto lang.”
And having seen him at work, I’d say that’s completely true.
He helps people outside the glare of the media, because he believes that to convert it into media mileage would make the act insincere. And when he does seek the media’s attention–he is not as visible because he is overshadowed by GMA’s scandals or the opposition calling the administration various names. He is considered “too safe”–because honestly, he is a very decent guy. He’s not the usual politician. He is the true epitome of a public servant, who works behind the scenes and achieves for our country actual results.
And for that, I shout “Oras Na, Roxas Na!” 2 weeks after the LP elections.
Planet Mars! 