by: Mr. Nathaniel A. Saquiban Last Monday, October 30, 2023, we held a national activity or event which is the national election for Barangay officials. It is expected that all Barangay officials vying for leadership function has the heart or intention to promote the common good of all their constituents. It is so because public office especially elective office or position is not for personal aggrandizement or fame but for service to the public with the end in view of upholding the welfare of the populace.
It is just sad to hear that in some parts of the Philippines, there are alleged shooting and other crimes being committed during the recent campaign period. It is surprising to note considering that the election is just in the Barangay level. How much more would these offenders do if they are running for a higher office? Such detestable acts reveal their wicked motives and negative reasons for running to an elective office. It is only for selfish gain and personal satisfaction, and not for the promotion of the general welfare. How many are there in the leadership today who had pure and noble design in aiming for leadership function? Are there still remnants today who envision a better future and desire the public good rather than amassing wealth during their stint in office just to perpetrate their ever, ambitious egocentric career? The above realities made James Freeman Clarke, an American minister, commented in this wise, “A politician thinks of the next election; a statesman thinks of the next generation”. In line with this, Georges Pompidou, the former President of France, also stated, “A statesman is a politician who places himself at the service of the nation. A politician is a statesman who places the nation at his service”. It is quite offensive to hear such quotes but there are levels of truth to what they said. It does not mean though that being a politician is wrong because politics is not wrong as politician is a person who engages in politics. On the other hand, being a statesman or stateswoman refers more of a quality, character, or attitude of a leader. Thus, we can conclude that a politician can also be a statesman or stateswoman if that person possesses the character of being noble and reputable leader. Contemplating on the above discussions, the Philippines is really in need of leaders who are not just politicians but also statesmen and stateswomen. It is looking for people who shall rekindle hope of a bright future upon its citizens. Together with our present leaders, we must be of this kind.
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by: Keren May B. Busaing The admonition to revere and fear God sometimes leads some people to dwell on it, forgetting their freedom and joy in pursuing God’s righteousness. To fear and revere God, does it mean we have to shake and tremble before Him? While this is the case - that we tremble before His holy presence, we would like to bridge the gap between fear and freedom. Understand that reverence and fear of God doesn’t contradict the joy, peace, and freedom we find in Him.
A few people might find it contradictory that we are to fear God and be taught that we should find joy and freedom in our relationship with Him. This, of course, is not the case. Instead, we can receive joy and freedom if we revere Him. As we do so, we discover the inner depths of being free and the immense joy securely locked in our hearts as we consistently pursue righteousness. In other words, fearing God doesn’t mean that we live in fear, restricted by “thou shall nots” and the fear of consequences and punishment. If we do this, there is no freedom and joy, and it reflects God as wrathful and merciless. God’s love for us is so much that it took His Son to redeem us from sin and darkness. We have been saved and are now free from the clutches of evil. We are free to pursue God and His ways; as we do so, we live with peace and joy. To fear and revere God means walking the straight, narrow path toward the Light. We revere God because we are fearful of being without Him. It is more terrifying not to have Him in our lives. Not having God means we live in darkness - a life characterized by uncertainty, insecurity, and worry, leading to sin. Moreover, we may pursue righteousness without Him by our strength, might, and standards. This will eventually lead to despair and slavery. We are mere humans, and the world is too much to bear, especially if we go against wickedness and corruption. Self-righteousness will eventually lead us to grow weary, and we become enslaved by the rules or standards we consider right or wrong. It is a lonely battle to advocate righteousness, and the question if not because of God and His righteousness, is what or who are we doing these things for? The only way to weather these storms is by doing it with joy and freedom that can only be attained through God and his presence in our lives. Revering and fearing God will naturally come if we fully understand His nature, will, and purposes. We will naturally manifest this value because we know His love for us and is not because He is wrathful and without mercy. Revering Him means loving Him, and we regard or lift Him King over our lives. We will not resent His ways; instead, we become his advocates, and such purpose brings about joy and freedom. The reason to do what is right is for Him, and as we do so, His presence will fill and overshadow us, enabling us to do great and mighty exploits. Isn’t this great? To live with power and purpose characterized by peace, joy, and freedom. Now, let us desire to deepen our relationship with God. If the joy and freedom we describe here are unknown, let us pray to the one true God to reveal Himself. Let us pray for a God-encounter that can turn our life around and uncover the mystery in Him. We recognize that some of us may find this incomprehensible, but an excellent place to start is by establishing that there is only one God, and all power belongs to him. A sincere cry in our hearts to encounter Him will surely please Him, and one that He is more than willing to answer. This is the way to the peace, joy, and freedom we long for. It is the kind and level that we are fearful to lose, one that we will treasure and will lead us to revere and fear God truly. by: JESUS V. SISON, PTRP Deputy National Director, CRFV As humans witnessed countless evolutions of ideas, acts, and deeds, does originality and authenticity still exist to inspire change?
People nowadays, if not pressured, are inclined to keep up with the present trend in our society, specifically in social media. As an example, let us refer to the AI-generated images of a person. We cannot help but notice a growing popularity among individuals to post or share their AI-generated photos. It looks fun because they can have the hair, skin complexion, looks, and outfits they never had. However, such practices collide with who we are as a person - our originality and authenticity. Conflict within oneself arises when one tries to stand out and subvert the expectations that the world has formed about who they are. Not everybody seems capable of handling the risk of rejection if they cannot meet the people's perceptions, public opinion, and society's suppositions. So, they surrender to adapt to what is popular, imperiling the worthiness of who they are, how they are built, and why they exist. Who we are, how we were built, and the purpose of why we exist define our originality and authenticity. Cambridge Dictionary defines originality as the quality of being special and interesting and different from anything or anyone else. It sounds daunting. Sometimes, we think of a witty comment or inspiring quote as somewhat unique, only to realize that someone has said it before and somewhere. We have executed an activity or an action only to hear that somebody had done it before. Does that mean we have nothing meaningful or sensible to say or distinctively do that could be considered original? This entails returning to who, what, and why we are. Even if something has been said and done before, as humans, we progressively build on the ideas and concepts that came before us. We develop innovative, creative, and exceptional acts, answers, and viewpoints through that. So yes, sharing our thoughts on things is valuable, even if somebody else has said and done that already. We take, for example, the recently concluded Annual VRO Capacity Building held in Cebu last October 10-13, 2023. We've been doing this event for nine years and listened to countless testimonies and sharing of the different agencies' best practices as they implement the Values Restoration Program. Were those things heard before? Were those programs, projects, and activities done previously? People might answer yes, but listening intently close to every word and observing the details, those practices were innovative and progressively built to bring forth excellent and impactful results. Every action's authenticity and truthfulness were captivating; one would have thought we had never heard such things before. Everything was unique, engaging, and different from the other values programs and advocacies. We can't help but shed tears as every report brought inspiration, encouragement, and reinvigorated passion for the nation's transformation. The originality of such ideas gave the participants a more profound sense of purpose and instilled in every heart that there is a bigger vision for everyone to attain. Reports of innovativeness and uniqueness created an environment where dreams for the agency and nation live and become alive again. It mustered self-re-discovery of inner strength and who they are, thus making them thrive from within. Lastly, it established a culture where people view the benefit of investing in enormous ideas that contribute to something much more daring, inspiring, and bolder than the day-to-day up-and-down routines of implementing VRP. Despite technological advancements, AI-generated ideas and the evolution of principles, originality, and authenticity still exist to inspire change toward national transformation. by: Dr. Laurence A. Mascay A lot of men and women, young and old, rich and poor consider themselves godly or holy because of good attitudes, good works, and for not doing the “big sins” like adultery, murder, robbery, and the like. However, when a person thinks evil thoughts against their neighbors they are akin to murderers. Likewise, when a person entertains lustful thoughts about another person, they are engaging in immorality. Furthermore, if a person places a high priority on things like work, studies, relationships, or hobbies, they are essentially committing idolatry, as anything valued more than God constitutes idolatry . Consequently, no one is truly godly or holy.
A brilliant lawyer by the name of Paul said in anguish: “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?” As a person realizes his real condition that he is neither godly nor holy and is inevitably doomed to eternal punishment leads him to desperately seek an answer and help as Paul did. The answer is Jesus Christ for an ungodly person to become genuinely godly. With this, every person must admit his ungodliness and ask God for forgiveness. God is the only One who could make a person in His likeness because if anyone is in Christ he is a new person as the ungodliness has gone and godliness has come. A “godly” man named John Wesley was traveling by ship to the United States for charitable work. While amid the journey the sea broke over, split the main sail into pieces, covered the ship, and a terrible screaming began among the passengers. A group of people, however, calmly worshiped God. John asked one of them afterward, “Were you not afraid?” The person answered, “I thank God, no.” John then asked, “But were not your women and children afraid?” He replied, mildly, “No; our women and children are not afraid to die.” His response struck John Wesley when he realized that he feared death and lacked assurance of heaven despite his “godliness.” He then repented from his sins and his own “godliness,” put his trust in Jesus, and lived for Him a life of holiness or a life set apart for a greater purpose and eternal significance. by: Micah Tecne In the early years of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, he faced sleepless nights haunted by unsettling dreams. Troubled, he summoned the kingdom's learned scholars - magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers - hoping they could decipher the meaning behind his dreams. When they stood before him, Nebuchadnezzar demanded not only an interpretation but that they reveal the dream itself. Failing this, dire consequences awaited them, including destruction and ruin.
In this high-stakes scenario, we encounter a valuable lesson in navigating life's challenges with wisdom. Wisdom, drawn from a reliable source, offers three essential benefits: Protection When Arioch, the commander of the king's guard, embarked on a mission to execute Babylon's wise men, a young man named Daniel intervened with wisdom and diplomacy. Rather than rushing to judgment, Daniel inquired about the king's harsh decree. This action not only spared lives but also allowed time for a solution to be found. The adage “Ang taong nagmamadali, nagkakamali,” highlights the importance of wisdom in handling pressure and challenging circumstances. It shields us from exacerbating problems and making impulsive decisions. Wisdom, rooted in an authentic source, encourages us to seek guidance and understanding from a higher power. Provision Turning to his friends for support, Daniel urged them to seek divine intervention from the God of heaven. In a moment of clarity during the night, Daniel received a vision that unveiled the mystery of the king's dream. Grateful, he praised the God of heaven, acknowledging the divine wisdom that had been bestowed upon him. Wisdom derived from a reliable source expands our perspective, enabling us to make informed choices and decisions. As the Apostle Paul noted, divine wisdom surpasses human understanding, revealing hidden truths. It elevates our discernment and empowers us to stand out in challenging situations. Promotion With newfound insight, Daniel persuaded Arioch not to execute Babylon's wise men and was brought before the king. Nebuchadnezzar, astounded by Daniel's wisdom, recognized the presence of a higher power at work. As a result, Daniel received not only honor and respect but also a high-ranking position and abundant gifts. Daniel's pursuit of wisdom from an authentic source propelled his rise and brought about his promotion. When we rely solely on our limited human wisdom, we find ourselves constrained. However, by seeking wisdom from a trustworthy source, we tap into boundless possibilities. In moments when we feel confined by our limitations, the key is to seek the right source of wisdom. By doing so, we can unlock the power of wisdom, allowing it to guide our decisions, protect us from rash actions, provide us with clarity, and ultimately promote our growth and success. by: Nathaniel A. Saquiban When discussing trust, we always think of that famous statement in our Constitution: “Public office is a public trust.” This statement will never be fulfilled without the civil servants meeting the requirement of being trustworthy and accurate representatives of the public office concerned. In the past, we heard some stories that some clientele lost their trust in government offices due to bureaucratic inconveniences, illegal schemes, and taxing procedures in availing their services. It is more alarming to hear on a broader scale when investors refuse to invest their resources in our country because of a loss of trust. Allegedly, some are being unduly required to pay a sum long before the contract is executed or as early as in the proposal stage. It is a sad story in our local jurisdiction.
In the above situation, trust should be earned. Before we can expect others to trust us, we should exert effort that we deserve that trust in integrity and reliability. We should ensure that we are trustworthy enough to assume the office assigned to us and committed to performing the duties and responsibilities attached to it diligently. Thus, our laws prohibit any civil servant from having a financial or pecuniary interest in any business, contract, or transaction in which he/she intervenes or takes part in his/her official capacity. In like manner, it is required that public officials and employees shall perform and discharge their duties with the highest degree of excellence, professionalism, intelligence, and skill and shall enter public service with utmost devotion and dedication to duty. If we belong to government service, do we deserve the trust of others, both from our colleagues and clientele? Are we building the trust of the people transacting in our office? Do we remain on guard in our conduct and character to preserve the dignity of public office? If part of the corporate world transacts with the government, do we comply with the standard requirements imposed? These are reflective questions we must answer and contemplate if we are to preserve public trust in any public office. It is a must for all who believe that trust is a non-negotiable value. It cannot be compromised, nor can it be downgraded. Know how valuable trust is. Due to trust, opportunities will be opened. It is the foundation for promotion, rewards, grants, appointments, elections, and other favors or benefits. On the contrary, if trust is lost, opportunities will be closed. As mentioned by Invajy, “Trust is fragile, don’t break it: Once broken, it will never come back to its original shape.” We concede to that statement. Similarly, it further states: “Trust takes many years to build, few seconds to break, and forever to repair.” It is indeed vital yet delicate and must be handled with care. Trust is a vital ingredient in all forms of relationships, partnerships, and engagements. It is a stepping stone to unity and progress. by: Atty. Carolina Lim-Gamban Our challenges today are different from yesterday – even obstacles have different kinds and levels, so we must be ready to face and overcome them. It takes courage to hurdle these obstacles and so, we must endeavor to develop courage in all its facets. Courage, according to Merriam-Webster, is a mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty. In their separate articles, Dr. Chris Drew and Sonia McDonald, expound on six types of courage.
One is physical courage where one enters a situation that may put to risk his or her body, even his or her life to help someone else. An example of this is the courage exemplified by our firefighters who are to the rescue even though their lives may be at risk in extinguishing consuming fires. Physical courage was also manifested by our heroes when they fought for our nation’s freedom from tyrants and invaders. They sacrificed their own freedom, even their lives, so that we could experience better lives. Another type of courage is social courage. Dr. Drew defines this as the courage to expose yourself to social situations where you may be vulnerable to embarrassment, ridicule, or discomfort. Speaking, performing, or presenting before a crowd or an audience takes social courage. Social courage is needed when we speak before an assembly, especially when we are taking a stand or defending a right. It takes social courage to create a people movement just like Nelson Mandela when he stood for equality and multiracial democracy to eliminate apartheid. The third one is called emotional courage. Emotional courage is the ability to deal with your emotions in a productive and healthy way rather than a destructive one. Emotional courage is needed when we face rejection, hurt, or even loss. Emotional courage allows us to move forward by being optimistic and having vision for our lives. Remember the story of Joseph the Dreamer? He did not allow his emotions to overcome him when he was sold into slavery by his brothers. He had the emotional courage to forgive his brothers and save them from the famine. The fourth kind is called intellectual courage where one is willing to learn and expand their horizons. When we travel to or live in other places – the territories we are not familiar with, we expose ourselves to different cultures, habits, or ways of living. Same happens when we accept new and higher positions in our employment. It takes this kind of courage to learn new things, to perform our new tasks, and to lead people with different perspectives and values. Intellectual courage takes proactivity and growth mindset. Just like at the time of Daniel, he and his friends were taken as captives in Babylon, a land that is foreign to them. This did not hinder them from growing, but even prospered and Daniel even became the governor of the province of Babylon. Another kind of courage is spiritual courage, where Sonia McDonald describes as standing up for what we believe. Daniel also possessed this kind of courage. He did not bow down to the gods of Babylon nor to Nebuchadnezzar, but held on to his faith to worship God Almighty alone. During the time of Saint Peter, Saint Paul, and the disciples of Jesus Christ, it took spiritual courage for them to speak with boldness before the religious leaders, so that their minds will be enlighten to see the truth, and for them to be set free from the bondage of hypocrisy. We too can have the spiritual courage when we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Last, but not the least especially for all public servants, is moral courage. A good definition from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing says that moral courage is the ability to stand up for and practice that which one considers ethical, moral behavior when faced with a dilemma, even if it means going against countervailing pressure to do otherwise. Uncompromising public servants who do not bend to graft and corruption are those who have moral courage – they stand for what is right. They do not give in to temptation but hold on to the north of their moral compass. Again, Joseph the dreamer sets a good example. When he was being tempted by the wife of Potiphar, he never gave in because he honored his master and has deep reverence for God. As public servants, let us not give in to the temptation of love of money, power, fame, and immorality. Let us have the moral courage to uphold the Code of Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, the laws of the land, and most importantly, the laws of God. These faces of courage help us identify which kind we are manifesting and which we need to improve on. Aristotle said, “You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor.” In the challenges we face in the present VUCA world, there is one way we could be strong and courageous in all these – know and believe that God is with you. God was with David when he faced the bear, the lion, and Goliath. God was with Moses when they escaped from Egypt. God was Daniel in governing Babylon. God was Josua when he led the people to the promise land. Remember, for God did not give us the spirit of fear, but He has given us power, love, and a sound mind for us to overcome this world. by; Micah A. Tecne Communication is one of the essential means of achieving a stronger bond or connection with someone. When we constantly talk to someone, we get to know them in a deeper sense, we develop a more intimate relationship with them. We eventually trust them even with our inner struggles and deepest secrets. We love to be with them through thick and thin, knowing they’ll be with you. Constant and healthy communication cultivates a stronger connection.
If we want to be closer to someone or to strengthen our connection with others, we make every effort to reach out to them and continuously communicate with them. Most of the time, however, we fail to remember that healthy communication is two-way, sometimes we are the ones who listen and there are times that we are the ones who talk. It is why we must have good relationships with people around us, we need an avenue to express and communicate our thoughts, feelings, and ideas. What more if we can communicate with God, our Creator? How much more will good communication with Him accomplish? Prayer is among the most effective way of communication with God, a vital ingredient to strengthen our spirituality - we are able express our joy, victories, pains, struggles and give our burdens to the One who knows us and can understand us. Through prayer we can receive peace and assurance from the Almighty God who is all powerful to turn things around for us. As we establish our prayer lives strong, expressing and exposing to him the fulness of our being, including our faults and flaws, dreams, and desires, we begin a two-way communication with Him. This prayerful way of communicating with Him will eventually sharpen our spiritual senses to hear and receive His active response to everything we say to Him. And yes, to everything, whether silently or with direct response, God hears and responds to everything we pray to Him. Saint Paul encourages us to not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. It is the desire of our Father to be with us in all of our seasons. He wants to have a healthier, deeper and closer relationship with us. For He has a lot in store for us. He wants us to be great! To have a stronger connection with Him, to be friends with Him like Moses, King David, Daniel, and other great and prayerful men in history. As we reflect on the value focus on prayerfulness under the core value of spirituality, we realize the importance of making prayerfulness as our lifestyle and establish strong connection with the Only Source of everything - the Almighty God. Whether we are walking through tunnels of uncertainties, confusions, heartaches, trials and testing or we are walking on the clouds of celebrations, happiness, and victories, we will remain connected to Him, who is all-knowing, ever present and all powerful. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. by: Nathaniel A. Saquiban Sense of responsibility, by the term itself, is being sensitive to responsibility. It is simply doing our best to perform our work completely and excellently. It is staying focus of what needs to be done rather than being lax, procrastinate, and in a lackadaisical attitude. It is like being haunted by the task and cannot rest until the work is finished. A person who has sense of responsibility is uncomfortable or uneasy seeing an unfinished business. Normally, that person is not living in a comfort zone and always on the go or up to the task. He or she need not be reminded or motivated to do the work as he or she is on top of every situation.
In part, sense of responsibility is not only in terms of work performance but also in the area of accountability. It is assuming responsibility or accountability when something went wrong under a person’s watch or supervision. Naturally, a person passes the blame to others and run away from responsibility when setbacks occur. Not so for a person with sense of responsibility because he or she even answers for the mistakes committed by others or his or her subordinates. As John Maxwell said, “A sense of responsibility is the clearest indication of mature leadership”. How many leaders today have this kind of character? Sometimes, it is disheartening to watch and listen to the responses of leaders under panel of investigators who put their subordinates to peril and in a precarious situation even if the matter is under their command and authority. They hastily, negligently, and selfishly make wrong decisions for their personal advantage but when problems arise, they deny involvement to such thing or to such subject of investigation. Never did they know that they will be all the more esteemed when they take responsibility of the consequences of their actions or decisions. Leaders with sense of responsibility, thus, is not after position or fame but rather service. They are always mindful of what they can accomplish rather than what they can gain. They know that every function they take is not for personal glory but an additional responsibility. The more they accept responsibility, the more they get promoted to higher office and become great. Winston Churchill said in this wise, “The price of greatness is responsibility”. Nonetheless, in some parts of the world, only few are willing to pay the price yet they want the benefits. Thus, they resort to swift yet illegal means to get what they wanted. Our country is in need of leaders with sense of responsibility. People who feel responsible for the ongoing poverty among large number of the populace and whenever there is economic challenges. They are prompted or alerted by the negative circumstances and forced to arise in order to find solution. They cannot afford to sit back and relax knowing that their constituents or fellow citizens are in the midst of trouble. These are the type of leaders who do not only give the answer but they become the answer themselves because their existence brings confidence and assurance to many that Philippines has a better future. May their tribe multiply and be countless. by: Keren May B. Busaing Our lives are a tapestry of diverse circumstances, each person having their unique story to tell—filled with joy or sorrow, encouragement or despair, triumph or defeat, and countless other experiences. While we may share common goals and visions with others, the complexity of individuality demands a varied approach to navigating life's challenges. Amidst this intricacy, the value of self-reflection and analysis emerges as a powerful tool applicable across our differences.
Often, our struggles and difficulties can be traced back to a lack of self-reflection. Reacting instinctively to situations may lead to irreversible negative consequences, making self-analysis crucial for personal development. Self-reflection and analysis involve diving deep within ourselves, setting aside external influences, and opening ourselves to personal moments of introspection — an intimate connection with our own thoughts and most especially, with God. In this process, we lay our hearts bare, acknowledging the true condition of our being—the good, the bad, and the ugly. We assess our intentions and motivations, seeking to abandon the negative and align ourselves with higher purposes. This act prevents us from falling into the trap of self-justification, ensuring that our responses are rooted in pure intentions rather than ego-driven reactions. Recognizing that self-reflection isn't an innate trait, we must consciously choose to cultivate it. This begins by confronting the worst version of ourselves and deciding that it is not the path we wish to follow. By developing an attitude of self-reflection, we create a foundation for instinctively responding to life's challenges in a constructive and growth-oriented manner. As men and women called to serve and inspire others, let us sow the seed of self-reflection and analysis deep within our hearts. Often overlooked, this essential element can be the missing ingredient in great causes and advocacies. When those involved are consistently guided by self-reflection, clarity of purpose, pure intent, and humility emerge as defining traits. By staying in touch with our hearts and remaining aligned with the Almighty God, we avoid being deceived by external influences. Today, let us take a look within ourselves, examining our actions and intentions. Tomorrow, let us continue this practice, ensuring that self-reflection becomes an integral part of our lives. As we grow and learn, our ability to inspire and positively impact others will be enriched, creating a ripple effect of transformation in the world around us. |
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