Editorial: Our social contract with P-Noy
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
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IT IS good that President Noynoy Aquino punctuated his inaugural address with the declaration that we, the Filipino People, are his Boss. Good also that he fired the first salvo against wrong cultural values with the "wang-wang" prohibition. And good that he exempted no one, including himself, thereby setting himself as an example and role model for public servants and citizens alike.
By these simple gestures, he has actually expressed a norm by which to evaluate his performance as well as ours. First, he acknowledges that he is our society's top servant and that he will serve accordingly. Then he openly avows that we are his boss, or master. In so doing, he also reminds us indirectly to be a good boss, one who is responsible and performs his obligations.
Updates on President Benigno Aquino III's presidency
He was really defining a Social Contract that binds him to us and vice versa, one that guides his conduct as president and commander-in-chief and our behavior as sovereign citizens on whom the welfare of the Republic rests. He exercises state power at the top while we exercise sovereignty and authority below to ensure the smooth functioning of democracy. To the extent that we both perform our respective responsibilities, our Republic's wellbeing is assured.
Under this Contract, his principal obligation is to manage the essential operations of statecraft at the highest level to the best of his ability. He is to do justice to all Filipinos by mobilizing the entire bureaucracy and place it at their service. This duty commenced when he took his oath of office and expires after six years.
For our part, this Contract requires us to be conscientious, law-abiding citizens -- an obligation that we often neglect and that some think ceases with the act of voting, which in turn is corrupted by many, especially by the trapos.
Now it remains for all of us, P-Noy included, to observe and comply with our obligations. And it behooves us, the citizens, to keep in mind at all times that, unlike P-Noy's in his capacity as president, our duties bear no expiration date.
