No rush – no worries

They can hold down the Fort until the new President completes his team.

Incoming President Rodrigo Duterte does not have to rush his selection and appointment of officials and cabinet members (as some fear) because the government has a complete line-up of competent senior and middle managers in the Civil Service.  In fact, it would be to the advantage of President Duterte to take his sweet time picking his choice while watching how the intramurals bring out the real character of those jockeying for positions.

This early, we have already heard of “tampo” and tantrums of supporters and allies who obviously expect to be treated as VIPs revealing that in the end, those who claim to be for change are having trouble changing their own spots or their being predisposed to being “Trapos.”

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While President Duterte has appointed several selection committees, I noticed that none of them were reviewing candidates from within the bureaucracy. I have not heard of any invitations or requests from Duterte’s staff for government bureaus, agencies or even major departments to submit resumes of highly qualified career officers. Why do we always assume that the best choices are from outside of government and not within the career pool?

This to me is the greatest injustice constantly done to career civil servants who have invested in their knowledge, expertise and have served longer than political appointees. I know so many qualified individuals who could make a difference in government, but they don’t get the same opportunities because they are busy serving and not politicking! The biggest roadblock to performance enhancement in our civil service comes in the form of POLITICAL APPOINTEES who get posts from Cabinet Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Undersecretaries, and Executive Directors etc.

As long as hardworking civil servant see or realize that they have no chance of getting higher promotions leading to a retirement package that will take care of them in the future, it comes as no surprise that several of them decide to create income streams on the job by way of corruption to save up for their retirement. That’s what happens when you have to suck up, pay up or lobby your way to a position in order to serve or have a future!

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It might be a good idea if the Duterte Management team were to set up a performance and assessment committee either with the Civil Service Commission or in every department of government where ALL employees will be allowed to send in their review or opinion of each and every POLITICAL APPOINTEE currently attached with their office. This should allow for anonymity just like the Office of the Ombudsman.

In this way, the Duterte administration will quickly discover how many over - over staying political appointees there are in many Departments particularly the DOTC and exactly what insiders and career civil servants have to say about them.  Government should also have a unified data system where Black sheep in government may be reported and black listed so they can’t recycle themselves into every new administration.

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At the rate the Naysayers are going, chances are whatever radical change President Duterte plans to implement will soon be turned into a political and public opinion dogfight where certain Key Opinion Leaders, losing politicians, Church, interest groups and media might be encouraged to band together “To save the nation from Do-dirty.”

Even before the dust settles, President Duterte should work on staging a referendum and let people decide on key issues and agenda of his government. Given his fresh mandate and bored supporters, Duterte could simplify things by letting people decide on: Restoration of the death penalty, Federal system of government, Hanging drug makers/dealers, rapists and contract killers etc.  Once the majority votes, it will make Duterte’s job easier while he manages expectations, which is something that needs to be addressed immediately.

At the moment it is media and the big mouths that seem to dictate where the discussion is going on issues and not the most affected sector: the citizenry. It is the majority that has to live with the consequence so let them make the choice.

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I recall hearing President Duterte saying that he will not have a Press Secretary but just a spokesperson. I get that, but what happens to all the employees/staff of the office of the Press Secretary? I’m sure down-sizing will look good initially, but getting rid of an office that IF USED CORRECTLY could be a big boost for public information and governance, would be a serious slip.

The problem with all the past administration before Duterte is that the Office of the Press Secretary worked mostly as a propaganda production and Lap dog broadcast center, or in the case of Arroyo and PNoy focused all their efforts on making their President look good at all cost.

From Ministry of Public Information to Office of the Press Secretary, the particular office should have focused on running or managing all the public information units of all government departments, bureaus or agencies. The government has thousands of Public Information Officers down to the LGU level costing us billions but most of the people in these positions don’t have the knowledge, skills or are not aligned to a public information thrust that will spread the news about what government officials and offices are doing. There is nothing strategic about the government’s communication program. In fact I doubt if there is a real program under a “Maestro” that organizes and conducts all teams for all departments not just Malacañang. A spokesperson is fine but a “Program” is even better!

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 “Please protect our department as well”

That was the appeal of a middle manager from the DTI who read my column about certain political appointees who’ve been flying to Davao in order to lobby for a new lease on life and moneymaking opportunities. It seems that the DTI has had problems in the past with political appointees also at the “directorial” level who eventually caused problems, got into trouble or became disruptive of the DTI’s otherwise highly professional and satisfactory performance and services. Just like the LTO flyboys to Davao, DTI insiders have also spotted former colleagues lobbying or attempting to connect with the Duterte Manpower Services and Employment Agency.

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