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In the context of servant-leadership, “relevance,” while synonymous with “importance,” is never about getting special treatment, as in a red-carpet welcome or a 21-gun salute. Relevance in public service is about doing what one is expected to do. A public servant, particularly one occupying a high-level position, such as head of agency or department, should not be concerned or preoccupied with the title of his office. Given the opportunity to lead, he becomes more by being less. A leader becomes relevant not because of designation; he earns relevance by reason of his actions or deeds.
When he took over as the head of the entire Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis’s actions departed markedly from what people expected of a leader of the Vatican. As he preached a life of modesty, Pope Francis eschewed all luxuries in all aspects of his life. For instance, while abroad, the pope shunned riding in late model cars or sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) and preferred the Fiat 500L, a compact car for getting around. While in Rome, the Pope uses his old reliable Ford Focus. This simple way of life tells us that the Pope sees himself as an ordinary person like the rest of us. By being little, Pope Francis shows us how to be great, how to be relevant.
Our country is fortunate to have elected two servant-leaders—President Duterte and Vice President Ma. Leonor G. Robredo. These two leaders exemplify that relevance begins with how one sees himself or herself as a leader. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “A great man is always willing to be little.” Both President Duterte and Robredo have chosen to be “little.”
On a recent trip to Davao, President Duterte traveled onboard Philippine Airlines, economy class. He followed airport-security procedures, and even fell in line, while waiting for his turn to go through the x-ray machine. “Blue-collar” in style, he has worn maong and khaki pants during formal ceremonies. And just like Pope Francis, President Duterte believes that government officials should set the example in leading modest lives, and has required all public officers to use an Asian utility vehicles (Innova), instead of an SUV, for their service vehicles. Rightly so, as public officers should be examples of modesty and humility and not of extravagance or arrogance.
Robredo, on the other hand, has embraced the tsinelas (slippers) as her brand, a symbol of her humility, modesty and down-to-earth approach in life. Her late husband Jesse Robredo was known to have worn tsinelas while performing his duties as mayor. It is widely-known that Robredo prefers to take public transport for her trips back and forth from Naga City to Manila.
When I was in government service, part of my conscious effort to remind me that I was more of a servant than a boss was the title I used in my business card, in the name card by my office door, and in my office desk nameplate. They all read Public Servant instead of Associate Commissioner or Commissioner. While on business trips abroad, my business card was always an instant but positive topic with my foreign counterparts. I explained to them that although I am the head of the agency, I am first a servant.
No one ever stays on top forever. When a famous climber successfully reached the peak of Mt. Everest, he said that being on top of the world gave him a temporary exhilarating feeling. But he remained grounded and humble knowing fully well that coming down from the summit was mandatory.
Those who humble themselves shall be exalted. The simplicity of President Duterte and humility of Robredo have set the standard, which the present crop of government officials should emulate. It is high time that public employees cease to see their government positions as an opportunity for self-promotion and entitlement, but rather, as a privilege to be relevant by rendering selfless service to the Filipino people.