Genuine Service, Selfless Service

Post date: Mar 31, 2017 5:41:31 AM

Ruby C. Matawaran

Teacher I - Bataan National High School

Months from now, we will be holding again one of the significant events in our history --- the Philippine Presidential Election.

As early as this stage, different names of possible presidential candidates with their propagandas are already circulating around television news and radio reports and even on printed media. They are all promising for a better future but the mere question here lies more on their ability to serve and not to be served. On what they can do for the country and its people not on what the can the country do for them.

Choosing the right person to vote especially for the presidential post is indeed a crucial responsibility. You have on your hand the chance to change the course of the game. You have both the power and privilege to lift this nation up should you vote for the right and deserving people for the position. Thus, we must all be astute citizens to see and scrutinize who among them are real and who are worthy of our vote. We must begin to look for a ‘leader.’

Many call themselves as leaders but only few recognize the true meaning of leadership. Many of these soon-to-be presidents help the poor --- with media beside them. They are after their personal image and good publicity and not really for the sake of true service. I tell you, these politicians would never be an effective leader because they just wanted the public to see them extending arms for help but they never with the intent of seeing and searching the heart of their constituents.

Some will expose the truth and their rival’s flaws and imperfection imposing in the end that they are valiant and has a good reputation thus they are worthy of the public’s vote. This kind of politician too would never be an effective leader. Exposing other people’s stain is a right thing to do but is not always a courageous act. The consequence depends on their motive for revealing it. If their hidden agenda is to lift their selves they are like fearsome thieves who are afraid to fight on the same ground.

Others will report their accomplishments as public servants. They will show statistics and studies that could support their argument that the lives of Filipinos become better during their administration. They will line up everything that they have done to impress you and to make you realize that they are the busy bees of this government. But likewise, these politicians would never be an effective leader because they count everything that they do for us. It is not really an act of considering the general welfare why they are working but is a figurative way speaking that we owe them a lot thus, demanding for our vote.

My dear fellowmen and women, we should realize that a genuine service is not a selfish service. A true leader works without asking anything in return. They don’t need media because God sees their pure heart. They do not have time to point out other’s flaws because they are busy working for progress and development. They do not need to report numbers and figures because these will never be the basis of effective leadership. Numbers are just numbers and it cannot feed the hungry and quench the thirst of the people. Genuine service is and will always be a service by the people for the people.