The old and new ones

October 21, 2018 Opinion Sideglance

The air these days seem pregnant with expectation, the atmosphere tense but lively as politicians, both those starting out and those already old in the tooth in public service, are once again presenting themselves as worthy public servants of the people.

Even with the present problematic situation of the government considering the rising inflation, traffic woes, unstable economy and threat of terrorism we still find ourselves anticipating the arrival of the next local elections this May of 2019 so that once more we can exercise our right of suffrage.

There is nothing wrong of course with that kind of expectation and our desire to witness the results of the elections but perhaps this may also have something to do with our longing to see change in the way our lives are being run by the government.

Because truly, even if we have a capable president at the helm he can only do so much to influence those below him and convince them to follow his lead. Also, it is a fact that there are many local concerns that cannot or may not be easily addressed in the national level hence the need for our local government officials who are more less aware and attuned to the needs of their local constituencies.

But good governance at the local level is not so easy to achieve. A local government unit such as the City of Baguio needs leaders who are not only capable but should already be well versed in the nuances and daily as well as continuing concerns that need to be addressed and resolved.

In this aspect the veteran politicians have the advantage because having served for a long time as public servants they are more or less acutely aware of the concerns of their constituency and have already tried various approaches on how to solve these challenges and problems. For these veteran public servants there may be already nothing new under the sun to surprise them in the course of their governance.

What about the new politicians who would also want to cast their lot in the next elections in the hope of landing a public office and thus become a public servant.

While they may claim to know the solution to all the ills of the city and may even boast of being the epitome of good governance everything that they say now are at best only promises that have yet to be granted or achieved. This is the dilemma of new politicians and public servants who, while perhaps dedicated and committed to serving the people have yet to earn their spurs in public service.

It is admitted that for change to occur there is need to replace the old ways of doing things but it does not necessarily mean that for that to happen there is a need to also replace those who have already served and are still serving at the moment. It is important to understand that not all leaders are resistant to change especially when it is determined to better advance the interests of the constituency that they serve.

Here in the city of Baguio we have old ones and new ones running in the next elections. It is vital for these political candidates to show proof of their ability to lead and govern the people of the locality and present evidence of their capabilities in terms of local governance inclusive of all sectors and not only those they perceive are supporting their political aspirations.