Monday, July 12, 2010

Governors and governed relationship

There's a good article by Prof. Winnie Monsod -- my former undergrad thesis adviser in UP in the 80s -- "We, the people, in P.Noy's governance". Prof. Winnie wrote,

"Can he do it? There’s the rub. He can do it only if we are with him every step of the way—looking over his shoulder and those of other officials, breathing down their necks, exercising countervailing power on business lobby groups, and making sure we toe the line, too. (Who do you think does the corrupting?)"

The governors and the governed, the administrators and the administered, have intertwining relationship. Governors and administrators can be corrupt if the governed will allow it.

But beyond pushing people, us, to be "vigilant" of what the government is doing, I would still encourage or remind my fellow private citizens that government is us. The elected and appointed officials and bureaucrats are imposed upon us but the real challenge is on us as responsible individuals and parents or guardians. Do we allow our kids to become drunkards and drug addicts then we run to the government later so that government will heal our kids from liver cancer and drug dependence?

If parents and individuals are responsible enough, we need less external government.
Instead, we need more "internal" government -- within us, within our voluntary organizations (from our sports club or civic club or alumni association or church group, etc.).

No comments: