Press Release
December 14, 2015

The Virtues of Student Leadership and Patriotism
by
SENATOR MIRIAM DEFENSOR SANTIAGO
(Keynote speaker at the Youth Forum on Student Leadership and Nationalism at the Rizal Technological University on 14 December 2015)

What is leadership?

Ano ba ang ibig-sabihin ng leadership, lalo na sa May 2016, mamimili tayo ng leader. Saan kaya ang leader ng Pilipinas ngayon, baka nandirito sa Rizal Technological University. Marami dyan ang pinupuri nila ang sarili nila pero wala naman silang nagawa pa, gusto nang ihalal sila bilang presidente ng Pilipinas. Iyon ba ang natutunan ninyo dito sa university na ito: Na kahit wala ka pang napakita sa taumbayan, ang lakas ng loob mong mamilit na ikaw dapat ang mag-presidente? At bakit ang isang kandidato, ang dami-dami niyang bukirin at mga garden sa kung saan-saang malayong lugar. Meron pang isang garden na kamukha ng Kew Garden sa London, sa Europe? Wala tayong ganoon. Meron ding isa na 'pag tinignan lang niya, namamatay kaagad ang tao. As we advance toward the 2016 elections, we must understand what we are doing. In 2016, we are not engaged in entertainment for the Filipino public. We are choosing the next leader of the Philippines who will represent the Filipino leader in the forefront of international issues. Pwede bang sabihin natin na 'yun ang presidente natin na hindi nakakahiya?

Leadership has been described 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." Kaya kung leader ka, may impluwensya ka, and you should have an influence for the better, not for the worst. Dapat ipakita mo sa taumbayan kung ano ang makakayanan ng Pilipino. Hindi lang puro tayo yabang nang yabang na wala namang nakamtan. Hindi lang na ang yayaman nila, 'yun pala ninakaw lang nila sa PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund). Nakita naman ninyo yung mga imbestigasyon sa Senado, wala silang maisagot kung anong ginawa nila sa pera. Kami, noong last Christmas, lahat ng senador, binigyan ng 2 million, pero ako at dalawa pa, hindi binigyan. Bakit kaya ganoon na lang sila kagalit sa akin? Iyong iba 2 million, ako wala. At ang iba pa, noong impeachment, iyon palang mga senador binigyan ng tig-50 million. Fifty! Ako naman wala din. May problema na siguro talaga ako.

Young people should not only participate in the community, but strive to become leaders in their community. Taga-Rizal Technological kayo. Dapat pagkatapos ninyo, leader na kayo ng inyong barangay o ng inyong kabayanan. Leadership is not about personality. Hindi dahil sa matangkad siya, gwapo siya, o charming siya. Leadership is about behavior-- ano ang nagawa mo? Leaders are not born; it takes practice to develop the qualities of a leader. Good student leaders share the following characteristics:

1. Integrity. Integrity is the foundation of leadership, and it is especially important for students trying to establish themselves as lifetime leaders. Anong ibig-sabihin ng integrity? Trustworthy, honest, consistent - yan ang ibig-sabihin ng leader. Kaya unang-una, ang leader hindi nango-ngopya. 'Wag kang mangopya sa katabi mo 'pag exam time na because that is a characteristic of leadership. Ganon din ang presidente. Karamihan sa kasaysayan sa ating politika, ang presidente, kaunti lang ang ninakaw. Ang malaking nakaw ay 'yung mga nakapaligid sa kanya na kinukupkop naman niya.

2. Compassion for others. Ang leader, dinadamdam niya ang kahirapan ng kanyang bansa; hindi siya nagpapaubaya, hindi siya nag-o-orate lamang, kundi gumagawa ng paraan para matulungan ang mga mahihirap.

3. Initiative. Student leaders should be self-starters. Kayo mismo ang mag-umpisa ng anong dapat gagawin.

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

The importance of participating in national issues You are never too young to make a difference and to participate in the political affairs of our country. To borrow a quotation from Mahatma Ghandi, be the change you want to see in the world. You want change in the Philippines, be the first to change this country. Palagi nalang turo tayo nang turo. Itong mga kandidato natin, mapa-congressman, mapa-mayor, mapa-senador, good government daw ang plataporma, pero kapag nahalal na sila, dahil binili lang nila ang mga boto nila, nakaw na naman sila nang nakaw para mabili na naman nila ang kasunod na halalan. Iyan ang dahilan kung bakit hindi nagbabago ang Pilipinas, kasi naupabaya natin ang leksyon na dapat ang boto, hindi binebenta. Kung may inaalok na pera, edi tanggapin mo. Libre, eh. Pero 'wag mong iboto iyong taong iyon kung ganoon pala ang palakad niya. At dapat tayo, mga nationalistic, dapat ang ating mga produkto, mga made in the Philippines. Sa ibang mga bansa, kapag pumunta ka, lahat ng ginagamit ng pamilya nila, made sa country nila. They are very proud to say, if they are living in France, for example, that this car is made in France, or [if they are living in Japan], that this pen is made in Japan. Eh tayo wala tayong sense of national history, hindi tayo nahihiya na magnakaw nang magnakaw. Hindi nahihiya iyong mga kasamahan ko sa Senado na tumayo-tayo doon sa mga napaka-mahal nilang Amerikana, mali naman ang mga Ingles nila. Kaya tayo madaling nasakop noon ng mga foreign conquerors dahil ganyan ang mga Pilipino. Sa hangad nating makipagkaibigan, madali tayong nadaig ng mga dayuhan. You will be inheriting this country along with its problems. Before these problems can get any worse, be concerned, do something about them.

We have no sense of national history. Nationalism is perhaps one of the most misunderstood, abused and adulterated concepts in modern history. Nationalism takes many forms and shapes. And it doesn't necessarily have to take an expansionist, fascist character.

Patriotism and nationalism are similar but distinct phenomena. One can be extremely nationalist and always extoll the virtues of his national culture, but at the same time act like an irresponsible citizen and not directly contribute to the safety and welfare of the larger community. One person may be willing to sacrifice his life defending a state in which he resides in as a citizen, but not necessarily feel too strong about the supposed glory and beauty of its national heritage and culture.

The lessons for the Philippines are clear. As a relatively small nation, it was precisely the lack of nationalism that allowed foreign predators to conveniently conquer and exploit the country. The tragic demise of General Luna--the genius of Filipino resistance against American colonizers, who went the extra mile to build a modern national army out of a myriad of squabbling ethnic groups in the country--is a poignant reminder of the deleterious impact of tribal divisions and narrow loyalties.

We are yet to develop a fully inclusive form of nationalism that allows all Filipinos--regardless of ethnicity, religion and class--to feel a profound sense of belongingness to the idea and legal-territorial reality that is the Philippines.

Perhaps, more than nationalism (emotional attachment to our culture, food and traditions), we also need more patriotism. The West Philippine Sea disputes, pitting a valiant southeast maritime nation against the Chinese juggernaut, could serve as a catalyst for a new sense of unity among ourselves, regardless of our ethnicity, religion and social class.

Our basic educational curriculum should further emphasize our shared values and history as Filipinos. As citizens, we have a responsibility to ensure that we can, in whichever form possible, contribute to the protection of our national welfare and territorial integrity. We can fulfill such duty either by responsibly voting for patriotic leaders, who have our national interest in mind, and voting out those who have betrayed our national interest, or/and directly participating in the policy-making realm, whether as elected officials, career bureaucrats, advisers, among others. Outside the institutions of governance, we can exhibit our nationalism and patriotism through establishing civil society groups that foster greater national consciousness on the West Philippine Sea disputes, emphasizing the necessity for national unity in the face of common dangers. More than ever, we have a unique opportunity to shelve aside our differences -whether ideological or interest-based-in favor of a common cause. More than ever, we need nationalism and patriotism. Our country needs it. We need it. We have to, however, be careful. We have to ensure that our quest for national unity doesn't come at the expense of our admirable legacy of cosmopolitanism. We have to guard against xenophobia and ethnically-based conceptions of nationalism. It doesn't matter whether you are a Muslim or of Chinese descent. What matters is that our nationalism is faithful to the fundamental principles of our Constitution, which upholds secularism, pluralism, and democracy. Let us show to the world that we are unified around a courageous and valiant vision of a Filipino nation.

I have only one message for the Filipino youth. You are too brilliant to be lectured to at this hour of the noon time. What I want to say is this: We can achieve the best, the most excellent form of government only if we can have a sense of shared destiny. Dapat ramdam natin na lahat tayo pare-pareho; magkakasama tayo. That is why I came here to see you personally for myself; I came to see the faces of hope of our country.

Ladies and gentlemen of the Rizal Technological University, look into the future, for the future of our country lies in your hands. Whatever might happen to our country is to be decided today. Tell the older people in your community and in your household that elections are not an exercise in entertainment or in humor. Elections are an exercise of the will--the mental will--to improve ourselves and to prove to the world that the Philippines is one of the proudest people on earth, and we can prove it.

Thank you very much.

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