Editorial: Goodbye

WE WERE among those who silently prayed, hanging on a tiny hope. A hope that was not realized. Thus, we say goodbye.

But in saying goodbye, we hope that the sharing of how good a man Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo was will inspire present-day politicos to do as he did, with minimal fanfare but lots of hard work, and a keen eye out for how people can contribute to governance.

No doubt, he was among the best. And no doubt, very few can ever hold a candle to his integrity. But in his death, we hope that what he did will bring to light what other Cabinet members and those wielding power are doing, so that those who are not true to their calling as public servants will cringe at the glare, have enough soul left to ponder on their wrongdoings and try to emulate a leader whom not even the Commission on Appointments didn’t favor.

We grieve, not just because he’s dead, but because he was taken away when the country most needed someone like him.

But maybe there is indeed some truth in what has been said, that the Lord God took Secretary Robredo away so as not to corrupt him as his environment is trying to corrupt him.

Maybe he was taken away so that there will no longer be unnecessary but very noisy political bickering once he has to step out of the interior and local government department simply because he is not a politician enough to pass muster from the gods of appointments.

Having said that, still we pray that all these exchanges and reminiscing will not only underline what was good about Secretary Robredo but what was good and should be emulated.

You set such a good example, dear Secretary. We hope those left behind will carry on with what you have started with the same fervor and integrity.