The Quest for Good Governance

We cannot fail to be gripped by the news that surfeits every day over newspaper, TV and radio regarding the recent political turmoil in Egypt brought by alleged corruption and thirty year old dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak in the said country. As I glued on CNN and Fox News watching the number of protesters criticizing Mubarak’s ineptitude and sheer incompetence, I remember the Philippine’s own story of 1986 EDSA People’s Power Revolution although at that time when such event occurred I was a little child then innocent to the waywards of things around me.

The story behind the Egypt’s political crisis and 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution including all states all over the world which have experienced the same political struggles conveyed only one strong message, that is, the people no longer remain passive participants of political change and they want good governance and total accountability from the people who lead them. Indeed, we want to eliminate if not totally eradicate the root cause of corruption for it degrades and taints the moral fabric of our society and replicates the vicious cycle of poverty. 

The crusade against corruption is a long standing quest since time immemorial for we value that government was created by the people or individual members by means of the social contract agreed upon in order to attain a higher purpose – to achieve the common good. Such is the underlying principles of Jean Jacques-Rosseau in his Social Contract Theory.  In this sense, we can say that “[1]government is a trust, and the officers of the government are trustees; and both the trust and the trustees are created for the benefit of the people”. That cited phrase/statement from Harvey Rosen indicates that we as individual members of society should be cautious and vigilant of the action of our political leaders and Chief Executives in order to determine whether the road they are heading is for the common good and general welfare of the people and the country.

What we aspire for then is a transparent and accountable government that is sensitive and responsive to the needs of the people. We are conscious that the attainment of good governance and total accountability faces many challenges; however, I believe that if we have the commitment and will to conquer the so-called cancer of society, we can make it.

We all truly deserved a competent, efficient and effective government that caters to the benefit of the common good. It is hoped that the political uproar in Egypt would ultimately come to an end. May the people there be reminded of the spirit of the successful Philippine’s 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution – a God-centered and bloodless revolution. 

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[1] Rosen, Harvey S. Public Finance, 4^th Edition. “Public Finance and Attitudes Toward Government”