AGACITA, PRUDENCIO RUIZ A.

LS 21 3:00 4:00pm MWF P503

BA LEGAL STUDIES IV LOC.GOV. AUGUST 18, 2017

CRITIC ON THE ROBREDO STYLE

Each leader has their own style that defines who they are and show glimpse of
what the future of their follower may be. Here in the Philippines there are a lot of leaders
but only two in the current age that has truly redefine the political ball game, Robredo
and Duterte. Two opposite styles of leadership that share the same results.

Robredos Naga and Dutertes Davao have been the talk of the town, attracting
the attention of the people, in and out Naga and Davao, in the matter of how these
leaders change their locality for the better, showing result that the people want to
happen. In a way, it pave way to a new era that the people desire, leaders that can make
a difference.

Jesse Robredo, before become the secretary of the department of interior and
local government, he served as the mayor of Naga for 9 years. He was characterized by
the people as a person that performs well in the government and is down to earth.

On the other hand, even before Rodrigo Duterte became the President of the
Philippines. He was the well-known mayor of Davao, serving for 10 long years having
the vision of recreating and fixing the situation of the locality for a better davao.
Though his methods were unorthodox and unconventional to the eyes of the public,
it did its job. Making Davao one of the highly acclaimed Cities of the country.

During the reign of the two mayors, they revolutionized the political standard in
governance and maximizing the limited terms given to them in public service, producing
results that the people desired. But what really is the difference between the two?

Robredos Style and Dutertes Style are two different sides of a coin. When we talk
about Robredos style of leadership it is more inline of taking the government to the
people. He promoted the idea that everyone has a role to play in order to attain that
dream of living in a better city, a better society.

Robredo was able to institutionalize organizations of residents by sectors, and

incorporate them into the public services and city governance. This is his most
remarkable accomplishment. The highly institutionalized organizations work as (1) a
system to provide benefits to residents as part of public service, (2) an instrument to
maintain ward leader loyal to and active in the Robredo administration, and lastly (3) a
mechanism to gather information. Then, in order to take care of the organizations,
Robredo set up some offices in the city government. These offices facilitate the activities
of organizations and provide several kinds of assistance to the members thereof.

Another aspect that makes Robredo unique or unlike any other poilitician is his
quality of being interpersonal. Robredo is often seen in a T-shirt and shorts at the city
hall. One does not need to make an appointment to see him. The process of meeting the
mayor involves entering his room and waiting for ones turn. Robredo walks the street
like a normal resident and plays basketball with the children. These help make people
see Robredo as a very approachable mayor. Past mayors were not as open to contact.
One ward leader recalls the time when she wanted to talk to Mayor Sibulo, she was only
allowed to talk to his driver. Another ward leader said Mayor del Castillo always wore
barong tagalog and never met with people who did not have an appointment. There is a
talk going around that Ms. Magtuto during her failed bid in the 1992 elections washed
her hands with alcohol after shaking hands with residents.

On the other hand when we talk about the Dutertes Style of Leadership, it is
more of over exercising of local autonomy and taking matters into his own hands,
instilling fear to those that violate the law. As negative as this sounds, the people
conforms to this kind of system because of the many great positive impacts it produced.

According to Lopez (2015), character traits and sterling qualities that

Duterte possess are the following;

He has been in politics for many years but he is not a trapo or traditional
politician. He speaks candidly without fear of the political consequences of what
he says. Case in point: He chided the Catholic hierarchy for their opposition to
the Reproductive Health Law and stated that he would abolish Congress once
elected.
He is a problem solver. He has successfully addressed the problems of illegal
drugs, traffic, criminality and the firecracker menace in Davao City.
He has a track record of good governance.

These aforementioned traits are they very traits that helped him gain the support of
his constituents whether or not the manner in which he applies this is good or not.

In my analysis, the style of Robredo is better than Dutertes style when it comes to
the micro level or Politics and governance in the Local Government. The style resonates
the voice of the people when it comes to good governance. Such style is effective because
it is ground-level and it takes the problem to themselves, thereby producing ground root
results that are desirable and very effective.

Article XI Section States that: Public office is a public trust. Public officers and
employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost
responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead
modest lives.

Public office is a public trust. For Robredo, he showed this aspect through exemplifying
justice and loyalty to the people. For him, the position was not honor, prestige or
power,but the position of rendering service for the public good. He effected the end for
which the government has been instituted which is the common good, and not for profit
or private interest. He is, in truth, and not merely figuratively, the trustee and servant
of the people, and as such, he is enjoined to serve his office with a highest degree of
integrity, loyalty, and efficiency to the people, which he has fulfilled in his time of service.

Lastly, Robredo has a high standard of ethics in public service. He deemed

himself accountable to the people and faithfully discharged his duties with utmost
responsibility, integrity, competence, and loyalty, act with patriotism and justice, lead
modest lives, and upheld public interest over personal interest, as prescribed in the
Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

In conclusion, we can say that Robredos style is effective in the Local

government. But when it comes to application in the National Government, such style
deems to be inefficient. When we would look at it, such style has two negative styles.
First is the diversity of the people. He cannot satisfy all people all over the country. It is
much more difficult to handle a whole country than only a unit in the locality. People
have different perspectives with regards to governance, and it would only create chaos
if in the case he would try to implement measures that some people would not agree to.
And Second would be the current state of the Philippines, having gone through different
presidents that werent able to satisfy the expectation of the people, the people wanted
a president could have a great impact upon his appoint like Dutertes style, which
cannot be attained by Robredo style.

References:

1. TAKESHI KAWANAKA. The Robredo Style: Philippine Local Politics in Transition

2. LEONARDO LOPEZ. (2015) Why our country needs to make Duterte president.
Retrieved from: http://opinion.inquirer.net/86793/why-our-country-needs-to-
make-duterte-president#ixzz4q435HGMQ
3. 1987 Philippine Constitution. Art. XI Sec. 1
4. Republic Act No. 6713. An act establishing a code of conduct and ethical
standards for public officials and employees, to uphold the time-honored
principle of public office being a public trust, granting incentives and rewards for
exemplary service, enumerating prohibited acts and transactions and providing
penalties for violations thereof and for other purposes