MALAYA EDITORIAL: NOYNOY'S MANAGEMENT STYLE
MANILA, OCTOBER 21, 2010 (MALAYA) 'For his management style to work, however, his officials must absolutely be competent.'
PRESIDENT Aquino will likely draw flak for being a no-show at the Camp Aguinaldo briefing on Monday on preparations for super typhoon Juan, but we agree with his call. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council was running smoothly. His presence was unnecessary.
(And by the way, who changed the council's name? It was long, long overdue. The old name was National Disaster Coordinating Council, prompting the usual wags to ask how one could go about coordinating a disaster.)
At the briefing, officials whose agencies have a hand in weather forecasting, evacuation of threatened communities, and rescue and relief work reported they were at the highest state of readiness. The social work department was ready with food and other relief goods. The military and the police had troops and equipment on standby. The trade department was monitoring prices of basic commodities.
What could the President conceivably contribute to the preparations?
There was, of course, the matter of the President projecting that he was on the job and on top of the situation. All presidents past (with the notable exception of Noynoy's mother Cory) used to preside over such meetings. Perhaps that practice was in keeping with our political culture where the Chief Executive must appear to have a tight grip on the reins of government.
But it was more PR than anything else. For example, Gloria Arroyo used to snatch every opportunity where she could project herself as the indispensable leader. As her popularity nosedived, Gloria would become more frenetic in trying to prop up her image as a caring president.
Noynoy has time and again said micro-managing is not his style. We believe him. We could not imagine him barking orders left and right on nationwide television just to impress the people that he was in charge. For his management style to work, however, his officials must absolutely be competent. Giving incompetents their heads is a formula for disaster.
Remember the botched August 23 rescue of the Hong Kong tourists?
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Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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Lily (Lee) Quesada
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