stupid is forever (7 page)

Ladies and gentlemen:

I am happy, despite my chronic fatigue syndrome, to
come to this campus of the Lyceum of the Philippines
University at Batangas City. I have several reasons
for defying my doctors in coming here:

In 2009, CHED gave to Lyceum the highest
award for a university — the award of autonomous
status;

In 2012, the Philippine Association of Colleges
and Universities cited Lyceum for the highest
number of accredited programs in this region, and
the second highest in the entire country;

And most important of all — Lyceum Batangas
rivals Metro Manila universities in terms of
population — 9,000 students, who will be voters in
the 2016 presidential and senatorial elections.

Hence, I have come in recognition of the fact
that some of you will become senators like my good
friend and mentor, Dr. Sotero H. Laurel. And
at least one of you, I predict, like President Jose
P. Laurel, will someday become president of the
Philippines.

What Is Leadership?

Leadership is defined as "a process of social influence
in which one person can enlist the aid and support
of others in the accomplishment of a common task.”
According to authorities, leadership has two

dimensions:

Consideration, which emphasizes good relations.
A leader is friendly, approachable, and a good
listener.

Initiating structure, which stresses behaviour
involved in directing the organization and helping
it to define and achieve its goals. This dimension
includes the leader’s ability to understand the
actions others can act upon.

From these two dimensions, we can conclude
that a leader performs three basic functions:
organizational; interpersonal; and decisional.
These functions are essential in the success of a
leader. They are played out in the leader’s actions
and in the leader’s relationship with his or her
followers.

Transactional V. Transformational Leadership
There are two kinds of leadership: transactional and
transformational.

Transactional or managerial leadership is a
leadership style that promotes compliance with
existing organizational norms through supervision
and monitored group performance using traditional
rewards and punishments. Transactional leadership
is an effective strategy for projects that must closely
follow standards to succeed. Transactional leaders
are also especially effective in times of crisis, such as

the supertyphoon Yolanda.

Transactional leadership can be very effective in
the right settings. Good coaches of sports teams are
transactional leaders. Sports teams operate within
rules with very little flexibility, and adherence to
organizational norms is the key to their success.
Good coaches are able to motivate their team
members to play and win.

Transformational leadership focuses on the
followers’ morale and engagement, and attempts to
link the followers’ sense of self with organizational
values. This leadership style stresses leading by
example. This is the kind of leader whom we should
elect in 2016. I call on the legendary courage of
the Batanguenos to reject any leader involved in
the PlO billion pork barrel scandal, and to reelect
senators who are fighting to uphold justice among
the suspects, despite efforts at black propaganda
by the mastermind in the Senate of the plunder
conspiracy.

We do not have to choose between these two kinds
of leadership; instead we should use both of them.

The full range approach of leadership seeks
to blend the best aspects of transactional and
transformational leadership into one comprehensive
approach. In this approach, the leader uses these
techniques from transactional leaders: communicates
clear expectations of outcomes and rewards; gives
rewards and recognition for accomplishments;
and actively monitors the followers’ progress and
provides supportive feedback. At the same time,
the leader, in accordance with transformational
leadership, makes interpersonal connections
with followers; mentors and coaches others;
solicits followers’ ideas; encourages creativity and
individuality; inspires others to perform; and leads
by example.

Other Leadership Perspectives

Aside from transactional and transformational
leadership, there are other leadership perspectives,
namely, moral leadership, servant leadership,
shared leadership, and emotional leadership,
among others.

Moral or ethical leadership focuses on how
leaders use their social power in the decisions
they make, actions they engage in, and ways they
influence others. An effective leader influences a
subordinate’s attitude and values. Thus, a moral
leader has moral influence over his or her followers.

Servant leadership is exercised when the leader
is destined to work for people and the community.
A servant leader looks at what people need and asks
how to help people to solve problems.

Shared leadership means that leadership is
distributed within a team, and people within that

team lead each other.

Emotional leadership is a process that leaders
use to influence their followers in a common goal.
Leaders in a positive mood can impact their group
in a positive way. Charismatic leaders can transmit
their emotions and influence followers through
"emotional contagion.”
¹

Developing Student Leadership
You — the youth who will determine the future of
the Philippines — should not only get involved, but
also each one of you should be a leader. Leadership
is not about personality; it’s about behaviour—an
observable set of skills and abilities. Leaders are
not born; it takes practice to develop the qualities
of a leader. Here are some ways to be a leader and
develop leadership abilities:

Become an officer of the glee club, the debate
team, the student government, or your class. Just
step up!

Play to your strengths. Get involved in something
you are passionate about.

Even when you don’t have the lead role, you can
still stand out by contributing as a team player. Being
a team player is also a valuable leadership skill.

Sign up for more than one activity. You don’t

have to be president of every organization you join,
but it is important to be well rounded. Don’t just
stick to your comfort zone. Take time to branch out.
You might find a hidden talent you never knew you
had.

Be involved in the larger community outside your
campus. It shows that you care, that you are versatile,
and that you want to make a difference.

Good student leaders share the following
characteristics:

Integrity. Integrity is the foundation of
leadership, and it is especially important for
students trying to establish themselves as lifetime
leaders. Leaders with integrity are trustworthy,
honest, and able to consistently follow-through on
their promises.

Compassion for others. A desire to help others
succeed and a simple willingness to help others is
the most genuine trait of a student leader. Showing
you care motivates other students to follow your
example.

Initiative. Student leaders step in when help is
needed, they offer support to fellow students, and
they overcome peer pressure to do what is right.
Student leaders are typically self-starters who push
themselves to succeed.

Vision. Student leaders need to have a vision and
a sense of purpose to accomplish things.

Conclusion: The 2016 Elections

I have one final word on student leadership. The
2016 presidential elections will be a test of leadership
during these dark days, these particular times
when government is investigating the
PlO
billion
pork barrel scandal. As potential leaders of our
country, you should practice as leaders by advising
your respective communities about the pork barrel
scandal in relation to the 2016 elections, as follows:
The Supreme Court has declared pork barrel as
unconstitutional. But during the time when pork
barrel was still a legitimate exercise of the power
to reduce poverty, it became a widespread source
of corruption from no less than the leaders of our
country. I refer to those who are elected senators
and representatives. This sordid case of plunder in
our political history is evidence that corruption is
caused by a top-down process.

Therefore, we should not reelect any senators or
congressmen running for reelection in 2016, if they
are among those against whom the Ombudsman will
file criminal charges for plunder or malversation
in the trial court known as the Sandiganbayan.
Of course, every person enjoys a presumption of
innocence. But when the Ombudsman conducts
the preliminary investigation, she goes over
voluminous papers and other documents, as well as
affidavits executed by eyewitnesses. She has to do
this, because under the law, the Ombudsman who
is the prosecutor in this case, has to prove what the
law calls a prima facie case. The term prima facie
is a Latin phrase which means at first sight, or on
first appearance, but subject to further evidence
or information. Hence, if the Ombudsman files
a case against a reelectionist for plunder in the
Sandiganbayan, this means that she has in her
possession enough evidence to allow the trial court
to rule in favor of the government.

While all this investigation is going on,
particularly on television when the Blue Ribbon
Committee conducts hearings and examines alleged
witnesses, you will notice that certain politicians and
other members of the high and mighty in society
are conspicuous by their silence. Politicians who
purposely refrain from participating in the national
debate on the pork barrel scandal are politicians who
are cowards, because they refuse to take a position
for fear of incurring the anger of the guilty ones.
This kind of cowardice is anathema to leadership.

Hence, in conclusion, I urge you to go back to
your community, and advise your relatives and
neighbors to reject politicians who are consistently
silent on the pork barrel scandal. Silence means that
the particular politician is willing to make friends
with anybody, right or wrong, corrupt or honest, as
long as the politician can gather votes. This is the
mantra of the unprincipled person. In other words,
that candidate is an opportunist. He does not act
out of conviction, but acts out of what is convenient
for himself. This is the test I want you to apply,
as the 2016 elections approach. Apply the test of
leadership among the candidates.

In my view, leadership is the courage to take
risks in defense of a position that is both legal and
moral. The politician who tries to become a wise
guy by becoming friends to everybody — corrupt
or not — is not a leader. That kind of a politician
does not deserve to be invited to the Lyceum of the
Philippines University.

That kind of politician I abhor at first sight, and
that kind of crook I will fight to the death, even if
he has all the money and power in our country;
and even if he can afford to pay an entire army of
corrupt journalists to destroy me, and an entire
army of paid assassins to threaten me. I will take my
courage from you people — the great, the good, the
very brave Batanguenos

94

I think divorce should be available to people who
become homicidal at the sight of each other.

A survey was conducted to find out what is the first
thing men look at when a beautiful woman passes by.
According to single men—

35
% said they look at the woman’s face;

30% said they look at the woman’s breasts;

20% said they look at the woman’s
buttocks when she walks away;

15% said they look at the woman’s legs.

But—

IOO% of married men said they first look at their
wives to check if they are looking at them.

Men are like horoscopes, they always tell
you what to do and are usually wrong.

A smart wife is one who makes sure she spends so
much that her husband can’t afford another woman.

Question: What is the punishment for bigamy?
Answer: Two wives.

It is very important that you should choose the person
you will marry and stay with that person. There are
many people now who believe in serial love, loving one
person after another. I don’t think that is good for our
mental health. I think we should get it over with. It’s like
measles, you know. You only get it once in your lifetime
and you are immune forever. I am very happy to say that
is what happened to me. I am completely immune to any
temptation. All men who have passed my life after I got
married might as well have been sticks of furniture.