"O Anong Napala mo sa Pagiging Presidente?"

Interesting question, isn’t it? I don't think I answered this sufficiently when a friend asked me this. I have been thinking of the answer from the time we separated and the moment I write this article. Honestly, I don't know what I got from being the President or what it did for me and if I ever accomplished anything by being the President of Behavioral Science Society but one thing is for sure, I learned A LOT.


On Myself


At one point during my incumbency, I was having a very ugly argument with a co-officer, it was really nasty and difficult because you're supposed to work together not fight each other. Issues were not addressed directly so instead of getting it resolved, it snowball-ed into one messy conflict. Instead of threshing out details, dirty glances and non recognition of each other's existence were ways of ignoring the issues. Until we all agreed to talk, just clear everything and confront the issues and persons involved. There was a consensus to forget everything and forgive each other's mistake and start over, though now we have to be conscious of each other's feelings, lessen our paranoia and earnestly give each other a chance. This predicament gave me a glimpse of how paranoid I am when my capabilities are being doubted. That when people try to have second thoughts on my capabilities instead of proving them wrong I build a wall so thick that I isolate people and myself as well. My defenses are indomitable that I hear nothing, nor see anything that would change the whole situation. In simple terms if you like me, come join the party, if you don't just stay out. Then I would get paranoid that they're thinking bad things about me.


I am a sucker for rules. I am bounded by rules, its difficult without rules for me (that's why I have a high inkling to become a lawyer) and sometimes being the President you have to circumvent rules so that you can dispense your duties and you have to go around the rules so as to adapt into the varying situations. I have difficult time adapting and being flexible because I am a CONTROL FREAK, I never understood that term until this day. I want to control everything, I want everything to be just what I want them to be and I want results to come out just the way I imagined it. And seeing this not happening gave me a lot of frustration, headaches and anxiety. That's why at one point my interest and vigour to perform started to dwindle. I forgave myself to much for not doing things perfectly, I forgave people who were not performing well, I forgave mistakes and we started to live in mediocrity. That's why everything suffered. I can't be in situation where you have to leave everything to destiny or circumstance. I don't like that. If I can control it, I will control it. Imagine my frustration when I lost everything (my bag) when every tool I have to control was there. I'm trying to pick up pieces, starting over, wanting to control again.


On Leadership


There are really different kinds of leaders. I realized that I am the sort of leader who values relationship rather that output, that's why I forgave people (referring to preceding paragraph). I feel that when I have good not necessarily working relations with people they would perform well. Not considering that people needs spanking from time to time so that they will perform well. My tendency is to take the task and do it myself which resulted to burden in which quality suffered.


That as followers, we are lenient on our leaders. We feel that once we have voted for them our role as a citizen and voters ended the day we slipped our ballots in the ballot box. We do not hold our leaders liable on services undelivered and promises not met. That's why we continue to condone GMA's actions. We forgive her, we let her do these "pseudo - martial law" actions to us. We are glued to our seats unable to act against her tyranny because we are lenient on her actions. We do not clamor for things that are rightfully ours. We do not hold them accountable for aspirations not met, when in fact leaders should embody the aspirations his people hold. Leaders should not fit everything in a small hole, he should make a bigger hole to let everything fit. Leaders should have high expectations for themselves because; their people have high expectations for them.


For example there were two significant issues that rocked the nation these past ten months, the "Hello Garci Tapes" and Proclamation 1017. In both issues, our leaders failed to act decisively. You as followers should have crucified us for not acting and speaking in your behalf when in fact, as your leaders it is our God forsaken duty to speak for you, to tell the world how you feel. But there was no indignation, no resentment from the students that's why we continue to be lackluster and passive in issues that truly matters. On that aspect alone we have failed immensely. The usual response of leaders when asked during meetings when actions were supposed to be contemplated was, we need to educate and inform and students first. I wonder why the students need to be educated when in fact they should be aware of what is happening around them, they should not read the newspaper just because their PolDy professors told them to do so, it is our responsibilty as citizens to be aware and be critical of issues that the nation confronts. The education should be a continuous process, it shouldn't only happen when there are pivotal issues, it should happen all the time. Do not confuse education from schooling, these two things are way different. Re-think leadership. Leadership is not when people fear you, it is not when you tell people what to do, it is making them understand and owning what you want them to do. Leadership is empowering people so that they can do things on their own. Leadership is not greeting every person you meet in the hallway, it is when people recognizes you bacause you have contributed something substantial.


On Organizations.


The seeming vacuum in leadership stems from the fact that organizations are confused on why they are existing. Take the Student Council as an example.(No, I'm not only talking about the ABSC in particular but all student councils) I don't know if the student's council main objective in life is to provide the students with concerts and beauty pageants. I know they're fun and all but the issues that are really pertinent and substantial to students are not discussed. For example, when asked what the greatest problem of students is, the usual answer would be apathy. You are dead wrong about that one. The student's main problem is staying school. The perils students have to face everyday just to go to school is their biggest problem. Never in my stay in the University did I hear any forum on reproductive health, as young adults these are issues that we need to know. There are no statistics that would provide us with how many students’ parents experience Diaspora. No assistance provided to students who were victims of these falling insurance plans. No help extended to students who are victims inside the classroom, injustices in grades, harassment, abuse, among other things. These issues hinder our continued stay in school. These are issues we face. We don't know if student councils should organize events for us or speak for us, stand up for us, empower and embody the students, but personally I prefer the latter.


The same confusion is evident in Political Organizations. Why does political organizations only exist when there are elections and the moment they wake up from their slumber, you don't see any difference in the ideals that they espouse. The justification in their existence is not really there. You can't see the difference between the leaders that they present, for example, is this leader communist, socialist or democratic in thinking. Is this leader conservative or liberal? When these characteristics have been established their actions can be predicted, you can see how they will react when confronted with issues. Political organizations should not be seen as something dirty or illegal, they should be seen as a tool in empowering the students through ideas and principles aligned to the kind of politics that they espouse. Political organizations should start re-thinking their reason for existence because if they continue the path that they lead, they will soon be irrelevant to student’s life.


So, anong napala ko sa pigging presidente, ay MARAMI!

Maria Francia Posted At 4:26:00 PM

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