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Monday, August 21, 2006
Rebollido: Building trust
By Rommel G. Rebollido
Open Card
I WOULD say this has been long overdue, my friend Edwin has offered me months ago this column space, but hectic schedule hardly allowed us then the needed time to write a column.
As they say "Huli man daw at magaling, naihahabol din." We'll try to live by that.
I am not really that hooked to card games, much less to gambling. But I picked the name for this column to show its basic intent - to uncover, reveal and impart something that could really be interesting, relevant and useful to this paper's readers.
Open Card is about putting forward sensible ideas or unbridled opinions, especially on issues and matters that affects or influences the daily grind of life in this part of the globe.
This column shall strive to live up its part in providing a fair venue for exchanges of ideas and opinions, not to destroy anyone, but, to help in policy and decision making processes.
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Public service is a public trust.
As such, it follows that those in public offices should be open to criticisms and not be onion-skinned when they fall short of public expectations.
Many people in government are aware of this. Many others appear oblivious of the real essence of public service.
The latter seemingly do not care about the fact that their jobs exist mainly because of the public.
The Civil Service Commission has had several fora and seminars that remind those in the government why they are called "public servants."
In fact, the phrase "Mamamayan muna, huwag mamaya na" is not only a slogan of the CSC. As it appears, I would read it more as a reminder than an assurance.
The slogan may have been put that way as there are still those in government who obviously failed to comprehend their role and don't give a damn about what the public say about them or on what they do.
The General Santos City District Hospital has for years been plagued with criticisms from the public, mainly on inadequate facilities, lack of supplies and expired medicines.
The hospital has also been hounded with scandals, which in a way affected into the kind of service that the hospital delivers.
Apparently, the criticisms fell on deaf ears, as the hospital's sorry state remained as shown recently on national television.
That TV show revealed a lot of discrepancies at the hospital that have put the public at a great disadvantage.
It showed concern on the inadequacy of the public health facility to provide quality service to the public and for officials to do something to resolve issues and improve hospital service.
Thereafter, a press release from city hall said the city mayor of General Santos "told hospital employees to ignore a recent publicity against the city hospital when it featured in a national TV recounting graphically "bad practices" by its personnel and staff."
This is quite disturbing, coming from a city official at that. If we have to believe what was written in that August 14 press release. We should not anymore wonder why the hospital remained as such.
The said press release apparently gave hint on how city hall deals with criticisms when it referred to the TV show as "publicity against the City Hospital." I find this quite ironic.
If there were any publicity against the hospital, it would be one that does nothing to resolve the problems there and pretend that all is fine and well in that public facility.
The TV program showed certain faults and flaws at the district hospital that may have been overlooked by those tasked to improve the facility. Clearly, the intention of the TV show was to help best improve hospital services and facilities. Now, is that publicity against the hospital?
Criticism is a part of our daily grind as a people. It is where we try to pick up as we all learn and grow in life.
A true wise man will accept criticisms, as long as it is constructive, since it will add to his wisdom and give him an idea how to improve and develop.
By trying to ignore or deny that there is really a problem that triggered criticisms, is actually doing nothing to resolve that problem.
If such exists in government offices or public facilities like the district hospital, how then can workers in these offices and facilities build public trust?
For Bisaya stories from General Santos.Click here. (This section is updated every Monday)
(August 21, 2006 issue)
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