Normally, a newly elected congressman would arrive at the House of Representatives in a gleaming car, park it with a smirk, and say, “This is just the beginning.” He hadn’t even warmed his seat, but he already spoke like he had won the lottery. This is the twisted glamour of Philippine politics: enter the halls of power not to serve—but to cash in.

I grew up believing that public office was sacred. That the mayors and governors we greeted at important events were guardians of the people’s trust. But as I aged—and watched how election losers fell into debt while winners suddenly grew rice mills, beach resorts, and new last names for mistresses—I realized I had mistaken the masquerade for the mission. Many politicians in this country run not for public service but for personal upgrade. To them, politics is the fastest way out of poverty or mediocrity, the easiest highway to wealth without the usual tolls of hard work or genius. The campaign is just the ritual. The real goal? Get in, and then get rich.

The tragedy is that these individuals wear the robe of “public servant” like a disguise, mouthing the right slogans while their eyes scan the budgets and contracts. The problem isn’t just individual greed—it’s systemic tolerance. Our political culture, drenched in patronage and celebrity worship, does not reward the honest. It celebrates cunning. It makes heroes out of those who distribute rice and sardines during calamities—only because they own the warehouses. The whole system is a circus, and we keep electing the clowns, mistaking their laughter for kindness.

Even barangay captains nowadays have bodyguards and booming sound systems announcing their every move. They build basketball courts not to encourage youth sports but to paste their names on the backboards. That’s not public service; that’s branding.

That’s early campaigning. I’ve seen tricycle drivers who campaigned for candidates given nothing after elections, while the elected officials’ nephews land fat contracts to supply overpriced school chairs. No wonder young people think politics is a business venture. You invest a few million in campaign spending, and if you win, you reap billions in return. Why bother with entrepreneurship when government positions offer quicker returns?

We keep saying politics should be about sacrifice. But here, it’s more like a reward for loyalty to warlords and party bosses. You get in not by your ideas but by who sponsors your candidacy. Most campaign promises are a buffet of lies, and the people swallow them like lechon on fiesta day—sweet and delicious, but bound to rot in the gut. And when the indigestion begins, when funds for roads, hospitals, and schools disappear into ghost projects, we find ourselves surprised, as if we didn’t know how the trick was done.

To be fair, not all politicians are devils in barong. There are rare souls who mean what they say, who win without cheating, who serve without stealing. But they are often drowned out by the noise of the majority—the noise of self-congratulating officials who think ribbon cuttings and feeding programs once a year absolve them of sin. Worse, honest politicians are usually ganged up on, labeled naive or even “not pragmatic enough.” It’s as if honesty is an oddity, not a requirement.

And so, we live in this exhausting loop: elect, regret, repeat. Our politics breeds dynasties, like snakes that shed their skin only to reveal the same fangs beneath. Families pass power like heirlooms, with sons and daughters stepping in as congressmen, governors, even presidents. If you’re born with the right surname, you’re halfway to Malacañang. But if you’re a brilliant, hardworking nobody—well, good luck with your Sangguniang Kabataan dreams.

Perhaps the only way to break this cycle is to raise a generation that sees public office not as a jackpot, but a job. We must start rewarding ideas, not surnames. Celebrate integrity, not image. And maybe, just maybe, when enough of us stop worshiping political drama and start demanding quiet, consistent work—we’ll finally stop electing crooks in nice suits. Not by another revolution. Just by remembering that we don’t need more leaders who want to get rich—we need leaders who don’t mind staying poor if it means doing what’s right.

The departure of a CEO, whether planned or unexpected, is a pivotal moment for any organization. It triggers a critical transition requiring careful planning and execution. Choosing the next leader is not merely a matter of filling a vacant position; it’s a strategic decision with profound implications for the company’s future direction, culture, and overall success. This article explores the key steps involved in this crucial process.

1. Planning for Succession: A Proactive Approach to Leadership Transitions

Proactive succession planning is paramount. Waiting until a CEO’s departure is imminent creates unnecessary pressure and increases the risk of a poorly considered decision. A well-defined succession plan should be a continuous process, regularly reviewing and updating leadership potential within the organization. This involves:

– Identifying high-potential candidates: Regularly assess employees’ leadership capabilities, including their skills, experience, and potential for growth. Utilize performance reviews, 360-degree feedback, and leadership assessments to identify individuals with the potential to lead.

– Developing leadership pipelines: Create development programs tailored to nurture leadership skills among high-potential candidates. This might include mentorship programs, executive coaching, leadership training, and challenging assignments that provide opportunities for growth and skill development.

– Creating a succession plan document: Formalize the succession plan in a written document that outlines the criteria for selecting a successor, the process for identifying and evaluating candidates, and the timeline for the transition.

Board Involvement: The board of directors should play a central role in succession planning, providing oversight and guidance throughout the process.

2. Establishing Selection Criteria: Defining the Ideal Candidate Profile
Before initiating the search for a successor, clearly define the criteria for selecting the ideal candidate. This involves:

– Defining leadership style: Determine the leadership style best suited to the organization’s current needs and future goals. Consider whether a transformational, transactional, or servant leadership style would be most effective.

– Identifying essential skills and experience: Outline the specific skills and experience necessary for success in the CEO role. This might include industry expertise, financial acumen, strategic planning skills, and communication abilities.

– Assessing cultural fit: Consider how the candidate’s personality and values align with the organization’s culture. A strong cultural fit is essential for maintaining stability and fostering employee engagement during the transition.

External vs. Internal Candidates: Decide whether to prioritize internal or external candidates. Internal candidates offer familiarity with the organization’s culture and operations, while external candidates may bring fresh perspectives and expertise.

3. Identifying and Evaluating Candidates: A Rigorous Selection Process

The selection process should be rigorous and transparent. This involves:

– Developing a comprehensive candidate pool: Identify a diverse pool of potential candidates, both internal and external. Utilize various recruitment channels, including networking, executive search firms, and online job boards.

– Conducting thorough interviews: Conduct multiple rounds of interviews with potential candidates, involving key stakeholders from across the organization. Assess their leadership skills, strategic thinking, communication abilities, and cultural fit.

– Utilizing assessment tools: Employ assessment tools, such as personality tests, cognitive ability tests, and leadership simulations, to gain a deeper understanding of candidates’ capabilities.

– Background checks: Conduct thorough background checks to verify candidates’ credentials and ensure their suitability for the role.

Transparency and Fairness: Maintain transparency and fairness throughout the selection process to ensure all candidates are treated equitably.

4. Making the Selection: A Deliberate and Informed Decision

The final decision should be deliberate and informed. This involves:

– Reviewing candidate evaluations: Carefully review the evaluations of all candidates, considering their strengths, weaknesses, and overall suitability for the role.

– Consulting with key stakeholders: Seek input from key stakeholders, including the board of directors, senior management, and employees.

– Making a final decision: Based on the evaluation and stakeholder input, make a final decision on the best candidate for the CEO position.

Communication: Clearly communicate the decision to all stakeholders, providing a rationale for the selection.

5. Managing the Transition: Ensuring a Smooth Handover

The transition period is crucial for ensuring a smooth handover of leadership. This involves:

– Developing a transition plan: Create a detailed plan outlining the steps involved in the transition, including the handover of responsibilities, communication strategies, and integration of the new CEO.

– Providing support and mentorship: Provide support and mentorship to the new CEO to help them acclimate to the role and build relationships with key stakeholders.

– Maintaining communication: Maintain open communication with employees throughout the transition to address concerns and maintain morale.

Ongoing Support: Provide ongoing support to the new CEO to ensure their success in the role.

In conclusion, choosing the next CEO is a strategic imperative requiring careful planning, a rigorous selection process, and a smooth transition. By proactively planning for succession, establishing clear selection criteria, identifying and evaluating potential candidates thoroughly, making a well-informed decision, and managing the transition effectively, organizations can ensure a seamless leadership handover and position themselves for continued success.
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If you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts on the column, feel free to send an email to jca.bblueprint@gmail.com. Looking forward to connecting with you!

IF we believe in the words of Christ, we certainly would know where to find the true peace, one that will always be effective whatever the situations and conditions of our life are. It’s a peace that comes to us both in good times and in bad times. “Peace I leave with you,” he said. “My peace I give unto you, not as the world gives, do I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid.” (Jn 14,27)

We need to know what exactly is this kind of peace, because as Christ clearly said, it is not one that the world gives, not the one that our own human estimation that is based only on worldly criteria gives.

It is the peace that comes as a result of our following Christ, of our effort to identify ourselves with him. It is a peace that comes as a result of our pursuit for holiness. It therefore is one that would be a result of some struggle or warfare, of our effort to fight against the enemies of God and of our own soul: our weaknesses and temptations that come from our wounded flesh, the world and the devil himself.

Christ is the prince of peace. He knows how to tackle any and all sources and causes of trouble, conflict and war. He meets them head-on, not escaping from them, and in fact converts these causes of evil and war into paths to goodness and human redemption.
He goes straight to the very core of evil, the malice that can spring in the hearts of men, the primal source of all our troubles, conflicts and wars. And he does the ultimate to annul the effects of evil, by assuming them himself, killing them with his own death, and conquering them with his own resurrection. He always has the last word.

When we do our part in our relation with Christ, we are assured of that peace. Christ himself said it clearly that while in this world we will always have trouble, he said that we should not worry since he already has conquered the world. (cfr. Jn 16,33)

We really need to be identified with Christ to have peace in ourselves and in everybody else all over the world. It is a peace that comes as a result of reconciliation. It therefore involves repentance, conversion, struggle, that Christ has shown to us by embracing the cross and dying on it.

The cross of Christ is all at once the summary of all our sins as well as the supreme act of love of Christ for us. It is both the tree of death and the tree of life. It’s where all the malice of man meets the tremendous mercy of God. Christ is asking us to carry the cross also with him. Only then can we have true peace that comes from Christ.

This is the peace that cannot waver even under the severe assaults of trials, difficulties and failures. It is the peace that involves a certain abandonment of everything in our life in the hands of God, even as we do our part of dealing with them.

We have to learn to receive and keep this peace that Christ gives us. We might have to pause from time to time to make this truth of our faith sink deeply in our consciousness and be the guiding principle of our life.

This is the peace that leads us to joy. They actually go together—“gaudium cum pace,” joy with peace, as one prayer in preparation for celebrating the Mass would put it.

This year marks the nearly 25 years since I graduated from the University of the Philippines Tacloban College master’s in management Program. Notable of the sojourn was the fact that I was part of the 15 Scholars of the Civil Service Commission Local Scholarship. Our professors include the great Erasmus of sorts in Prof. Wilfred Barloso, Prof. Anna Arroyo , Prof. Clem Palima, Prof. Arsenito Culaba, Prof. Amy Exconde and the late Prof. Apolinar Lorenzo.

My classmates include Atty. Rupert Golong, Ms, Maritoni Ramento, the late Mano Chito dela Torre, Sir Jorge Modesto, Mam Martha Adelina Vda de Capales, Mr. Raul Caceres and Dean Teofilo Montallana.

Owing to the almost 25 revolutions around the Sun, I am mentioning them, faculty, and classmates. Further , one dead President from the United States his name was Woodrow Wilson , a life well researched by us the Class of 2001 of UPVTC and all, Public Administration disciples.

Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President of the United States, is often regarded as the Father of Public Administration due to his influential ideas on governance and administration. His most notable dictum regarding public office emphasized the separation of politics and administration, arguing that government should function efficiently and professionally, free from political interference.

One of his famous quotes about public office states: “Every man who takes office in Washington either grows or swells, and when I give a man an office, I watch him carefully to see whether he is swelling or growing.” This reflects his belief that holding public office should be about service and growth, rather than personal gain or corruption
Wilson believed that public administration should be treated as a science, advocating for a merit-based civil service rather than one driven by political patronage. His essay, The Study of Administration (1887), laid the foundation for modern public administration, stressing that government officials should focus on policy implementation rather than political maneuvering.

Wilson had often reminded us that Public Office is a Public Trust, and that Public Officials are mandated to be accountable to the public.

Now Accountability is not the Badil or the Hukip, but proper and trye service. Public Trust is gained by doing what is right, its also upheld by being fair.

Growing” refers to individuals who develop, learn, and improve in office. These officials take on the responsibilities of public service with humility, gaining wisdom, experience, and skills that allow them to contribute meaningfully. Their leadership is marked by positive change and effectiveness.

“Swelling” describes those who become arrogant or self-important upon gaining power. Instead of using their position for public good, they let authority inflate their ego, becoming disconnected from the people they serve. Their leadership may be driven by self-interest rather than service.

We must grow and not swell!