By Atty. Antonio P. Pekas
While that might be a welcome news to some, others might want a more militaristic leadership if it results in efficiency. For the thinking and what is readily apparent to those doing business there, is that more discipline is required. By this, we mean, employees should be present at their work places when they are supposed to be there. That they should perform their duties with dispatch, not while doing tsismis with their colleagues in adjoining tables, thereby wasting a lot of time.
Another important area is discipline amongst those supposed to be supervising underlings to make sure everyone is working properly. That cleaning, for instance, means cleaning. Not just pretending to be doing so just to pass the time away, or to wait for the bell or siren to sound signifying the end of the day.
Another thing to be looked at closely is the proper number of people doing a certain task.. Too many people spoils the broth and it results in red tape. Often times in government, three people would be doing some work that only one in the private sector can accomplish.
Politically appointed people who are actually not qualified should be evaluated well. If they were just hired because they knew somebody instead of “because they knew the job”, then these people should be shown the exit door.
Proper programs should also be instituted for workers to become motivated in doing a good job and to have initiative instead of being afraid to institute innovative measures in work processes as these might not be properly appreciated. Such people should be kept and promoted. They will enhance the bureaucracy, but this can only happen if their bosses are competent and intelligent enough. Otherwise, these superiors will feel threatened and even would find ways for a promising employee to be demoted or even dismissed from the service.
This of course will be a tall order as many government employees are just reporting for work to do just enough without striving to do better. For in a government setup, the question that is always being asked is, “What for?”
Even trainings and “lakbay aral” activities must be properly examined for these are very expensive. If these are not really required, the budget allotted can be used for some other beneficial activities. It is high time the word junket should be treated like a crime among government employees and officers.
A government leader should strive to make people in his department to think that their employment is not just a dead end job. It should be an opportunity to develop one’s potential and as a stepping stone for better jobs in the future due to expected improved capability and skills due to experience and concomitant meaningful trainings to be provided.
To help in this process, competition must be encouraged but it must be made sure that evaluation would be very objective. Otherwise, everybody’s thinking will be back to zero— that is, all government offices are ruled by politics where connections are more important instead of ability, competitiveness and initiative.
Yes, politics is our incurable sickness. **
