THIS week’s speaker at the monthly general membership meeting of the American Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Philippines (Amcham) was the Philippine ambassador to the United States, the Hon. Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez. Like his predecessor, the Hon. Jose “Joey” S. Cuisia, Ambassador Romualdez is well known among the Amcham community, and is well respected by many members of the foreign business community.
Though not quite possessing the sterling credentials of his predecessor, they share a lot in common, both being Lasallians in alma mater, and also hailing from the business community as industry leaders in their field. Not surprising, therefore, that both are taken fairly seriously whenever they get their turn at the Amcham rostrum.
Thing is, although both are credible in their own right, seems to me that Joey had an easier time convincing chamber members to believe what he was saying, than does the current ambassador. And I think the reason is that the bosses they served have very different credibility profiles, which like it or not, has a substantial impact on their own personal credibilities too.
Kind of reminds me of what the advisers and administration officials working for the current American president have to live with, when they are trying to walk back or mitigate the frequent gaffes that the tweeting president often makes. Think about the latest fiasco that took place when Trump tweeted, seemingly in ignorance of his own immigrant background, that some congresswomen with “immigrant” roots should go back to their countries instead, rather than live in the US and continue to criticize his government’s policies.
Trying to contain the fallout, especially to the imminent mid-term presidential race, White House staffers immediately set about frantically trying to explain that the president meant no malice in his tweet, and that his words were being misconstrued by his critics. But what does Trump do? Instead of keeping mum and saying nothing that would inflame the situation even more, he doubles down on his stance, effectively throwing egg on the face of his apologists—a situation not unlike firemen dousing a burning building with water, only for the fire marshal to dump gasoline into the raging inferno as it was threatening to be extinguished.
As the ambassador was talking to the Amcham, I felt like he was struggling—like Trump’s staffers—to make them believe the veracity of what he was saying, knowing full well that the boss he works for isn’t exactly known for being an advocate of the truth. “I know you may not believe what I am telling you...” was a phrase he kept repeating over and over, seemingly to disabuse his listeners from the tendency to pre-judge what he was saying as made-up truth, based purely on what they know his boss was wont to do.
It used to be that the leader of a country’s personal credibility would rub off on the people who work for him, making them more believable to the audience they were addressing. Past presidents like Kennedy, Reagan and even ones as recent as Bush and Obama come to mind as having that effect. Closer to home, someone like the late President Corazon Aquino also had the same halo effect on her people, making even her Cabinet members who had known credibility issues—like her Foreign Secretary, the late Salvador “Doy” Laurel; and her erstwhile Defense Secretary and later senator Juan Ponce “Johnny” Enrile—more believable. Because they worked for Cory, their credibility stock appreciated again, as did their flagging careers resurrect, notwithstanding that their loyalties to the President were never really fully established.
Lots of good people serve the current Philippine president. People like the ambassador, and many others in the Cabinet. But rather than political revival, their affiliation to the current President may not be a shot in the arm for their political careers as it was for Doy and Johnny. Rather, like Trump’s advisers, their association may be the kiss of death to their political futures that they may yet live to regret.