Public Servants To Stand Motionless For Better Public Service
Standing still for close to nine hours straight is no mean feat. What more if you’re standing on the flatbed of a moving truck and without anything to hold on to. That’s exactly what four Honor Guards from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police did yesterday during the funeral procession for former President Corazon Aquino.
There’s no question about it. Pfc. Antonio Cadiente, Airman 2nd Class Gener Laguindam, Petty Officer 3 Edgardo Rodriguez and Police Officer 1 Danilo Malab gave us an outstanding display of physical conditioning, endurance and discipline.
It comes as no surprise that the four Honor Guards are now being treated as celebrities of some sort. Media outfits have come out with reports and commentary about them. And, as can be expected, at least one politico has been unable to resist riding on the attention these four are getting at the moment.
Senator Pia Cayetano — who also happens to be a triahtlete — knows exactly how physically difficult it was to do what those four Honor Guards did. She notes that standing motionless for a long duration of time is even harder than walking or running. Unable to contain her admiration, Senator Cayetano has announced that she will file a resolution to commend the four Honor Guards for being role models of what a public servant should be.
HUUUUWWWWWAAAATTTT?!?
Is she saying public servants should be motionless for long periods of time?
Here’s a quote of the senator lifted from a GMANews.tv report:
“They did their job well and I will file a resolution commending them because it is symbolic of what people in public service should do. Whatever your job is, do it well,” Cayetano said Thursday during the weekly news forum at the Senate.
“For the soldiers who did their simple job but did it well through rain and storm, without food, without rest, I think that was an effort on their part that they did it without need of attention. They did not speak, they did not call attention pero kapansin-pansin ang ginawa nila,” Cayetano said.
That clears it. But still isn’t this a bit over the top? I won’t deny it I was impressed myself with those Honor Guards. But, a commendation from the Senate no less?!? WADAPAK! Are we so lacking in sources of true inspiration that we have to make a big deal out of every little “exceptional” thing?
On second thought, maybe it is I who is making a big deal out of nothing. What’s this pending Senate commendation anyway aside from being an effective self-promotional tool? Well, it just happens to be one of those things that tend to bring down the Filipino’s standards for greatness. Something similar to this.
An discussion started at the office and we were arguing as to whether or not the soldiers peed in their pants or were wearing adult diapers.
As for delirious and ridiculous ideas, there was even one of making Cory Aquino a saint.
Oh well.
[Reply]
I have always seen senate resolutions as mere new years resolutions.
if you take a look at some more of them mapapapawadapak ka ulit.
I think a commendation would be enough and not a promotion, even if others become 2 or 3 star generals without doing anything.
being an honor guard is an ordinary duty,but even buckingham palace guards or swiss guards of the vatican are not hit by coins,(just citing examples of why I was impressed)(maybe they are also hit sometimes or most of the time)
[Reply]
lpgd Reply:
August 11th, 2009 at 10:57 am
i myself was impressed by their display of discipline. fact is i have no problem if they were cited by the guiness book of world records. come to think of it buti pa yun na lang tutal adik din tayo sa guiness records.
[Reply]
lpgd,
LOL
siguro nga, pero kung being motionless ang criteria sigurado ako madami ng mas matagal pa sa isang araw tayong makikita pag nag check tayo ng guiness.
[Reply]
lpgd Reply:
August 12th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
it appears they’re really going to pursue this guiness record. i have no objections.
[Reply]
I would like to comment about the honor guards hit by coins– i believe people are doing that not for the guards but it is a “pamahiin” that whenever a funeral is passing by, you have to throw coins as “abuloy” or that sort. Here in the province I still see that practice.
[Reply]
lpgd Reply:
August 15th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
thanks for dropping by crissy.
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The Honor Guards having lasted the way they have is an impressive show of discipline. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get to the actual issue that we all ought to see.
And Pia’s capitalizing on the “bilib” factor, isn’t really it. So let me just say “TRAPO!!!” and move on to the real issue:
Our society has come to a point so low that we reward people for doing their job.
For the rare times that we see people doing what they ought to be doing, we now reward them and make them heroes. Isn’t that sad?
[Reply]
lpgd Reply:
August 24th, 2009 at 3:10 am
truly sad. i remember a report about a teacher who discovered she had excess money that wasn’t hers in her atm account. she reported the discrepancy to the bank. for that she was hailed a hero. for all we know, she didn’t even do it out of the goodness of her heart but more because she was afraid of the consequences of not reporting it. in any case, the bank would have found out about the discrepancy sooner or later. no heroism there.
[Reply]
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