EVERYTHING is perception, the saying goes. It’s what you think a person is, and not what he really is, that forms your judgment—and decision about the person.
So it is that one’s perception of people, often created from accumulated biases, that directs one’s choices, including the choice of president of the Republic.
I recall an old anecdote, which I retell with some embellishments. A European queen was asked what she thinks would be an ideal royal staff. Influenced by her personal perceptions and biases, she said would want a Frenchman for a chef, an Englishman for a policeman, a German for an engineer, a Swiss for a coordinator, and an Italian for a lover. That would be heavenly, the queen remarked.
For the French are known for their impeccable delicate cooking, the Englishmen for their gentlemanly enforcement of discipline (no guns for police officers even), the Germans for their technological skills, the Swiss for their cold precision (think Swiss watches) and the Italians for, well, la dolce vita.
But it would be hell, she exclaimed, if we had an Englishman for a chef, a German for a policeman, a Frenchman for an engineer, an Italian for a coordinator—and a Swiss for a lover! The queen’s general perception of nationalities is translated to perceptions of individuals. She was revealing her biases.
What a long-winded way to get to my point. What are your perceptions of the persons being presented to be possibly the next president of the Philippines?
There is one who is presented as having a long experience as a local government executive of the premier city of the country, generous to constituents and to other local government units, a human-rights lawyer, but is tainted by grave corruption charges still to be seriously answered to full satisfaction.
There is also a long-serving city mayor known less for executive ability than for his no-nonsense enforcement of law and order, meaning, “kill them all” and never mind that Western concept called the rule of law. Is that all there is to running a country?
Here’s another one with adequate academic preparation, legislative know-how and executive experience, and, indeed, coming from a most notable political ancestry. But, alas, the popularity ratings have never favored him. And there’s the feeling of indecisiveness in his ways, marked by occasional display of public indecorum.
Springing recently into view is this lady, who surprised everybody by topping the last senatorial elections and, during a high-profile Senate investigation of the Mamasapano massacre, displayed a demeanor of equanimity and firmness, even in such an emotionally charged situation. There was a short stint as chairman of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), but, otherwise, she has not much of executive or managerial experience. Yet, her approval ratings are high and catching up with the highest-rating rival.
Still, there is someone being brought out from the shelf of past presidential contenders, a tough crime—fighter himself, with a good record as police commander and, as legislator, is an epitome of behavior in refusing to take advantage of pork barrel funds, the vile source of corruption.
How shall we choose? Unlike the queen, we should not be unduly influenced by our mere current, flitting perceptions, nor, perhaps worse, by the perception of others expressed in publicized surveys. That would be ranking winnability and popularity over tested ability and intrinsic competence.
We should try to dig deeper, examine closer and be objective. Easier said than done. Our judgments are usually formed by what we read, hear, see and pick up—from others.
We are, perhaps, waiting for other alternatives, as we assure ourselves we still have time to election date. Like many, I am struggling. Wrong as it may be, the voter ready to sell his vote will find it no struggle at all. That would be a pity.
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The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Finex. Free Enterprise is a rotating column of members of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines appearing every Wednesday and Friday.