House Deputy Speaker Pia S. Cayetano on Friday urged her fellow public servants in Metro Manila to set the bar for good leadership, while noting that other countries primarily look to the National Capital Region (NCR) as the ‘face’ of the nation.
Speaking before the second general assembly of the Metro Manila Councilors League held in Pasay City, the Taguig City representative said that NCR councilors play an important role in building the image of what the rest of the world sees about the Philippines.
“Everybody looks at us in Metro Manila, what we do here,” Cayetano told the assembly. ‘The country is watching us, the world is watching us, and they look to Metro Manila. Tayo po ang nasa frontline in creating our image (before the world).”
Cayetano likewise emphasized the importance of accountability and transparency for government leaders, especially in the era of social media.
“In this age of social media, the demands are very high. You, me, all of us can easily be questioned. Our decisions can be easily attacked, and so the least we can do is to be transparent,” she explained.
“If we follow fair play, then to a certain extent, they (critics) would have no reason to question our decisions. If we follow the procedures that we ourselves helped legislate, clean na tayo doon. And beyond that, the most we can do is to how to make ourselves better. This makes it easier (to do our jobs) because we become accountable to every single person.”
In ending her speech, Cayetano urged her fellow public servants, especially young and first-time elected leaders, to reflect on their purpose for joining public service, and what can they do to make a difference in the lives of their respective constituents in Metro Manila. #
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