PUBLIC service is a privilege that carries immense responsibility. For Filipino politicians, this means they must never lose sight of their role as humble servants of the people, not rulers basking in power (sadly, there are too many of this kind). Elected officials must remember that their positions exist to uplift the public, not to serve their own personal ambitions. The authority they wield is not theirs; it is borrowed from the citizens who entrusted them with that power. It is the people’s money and future they are tasked with managing.
First and foremost, politicians must recognize that they are stewards of the nation’s resources. The taxes that fund their projects come from the hard-earned money of Filipino citizens, like the MMDA traffic enforcer, who directs traffic all day under the scorching heat of the sun or sudden pouring rain, the overseas Filipino worker who tends to families and homes abroad, because sometimes, they are also made to clean and tend to their employers’ relatives, or the Shopee live vendor vying for viewers’ attention, sometimes dressing up or making quirky jokes to encourage them to buy.
Every peso they earn contributes to the taxes that fund government salaries and projects. Politicians must ensure these resources are used wisely and transparently, for the betterment of society, not to amass luxury items or add another designer handbag to a Hermes collection.
Humility must also be a cornerstone of every public servant’s character. Public office should never be viewed as a throne of privilege but as a responsibility to serve with compassion and empathy. Yet, many politicians, once in office, fall into the trap of entitlement and feel invincible. They surround themselves with their staff for cordon sanitaire and hold events where the public is kept at a distance.
Oftentimes, when power “gets into their heads,” they forget that true leadership is not about being above others but about lifting those who need help the most. Politicians are not kings, and their duty is to serve without ego. True power lies not in how many people they command, but in how many lives they uplift. A sense of humility and accountability must guide their decisions, always remembering that they were elected to serve, not rule.
