“Leadership is not merely a title; it is an action”
AS WE enter the quiet reflection of Holy Week, our terminals and churches are anything but quiet.
They are teeming with millions of Filipinos heading home or seeking sanctuary. In times like these, the public doesn’t just need a security plan on paper; they need to feel the presence of those sworn to protect them.
This is why the recent actions of PNP Chief, Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr., resonate so deeply with me.
On April 1, the Chief didn’t stay behind a desk at Camp Crame. He was at the transport terminals. He was at the churches. He was on the ground, assessing the security situation in Metro Manila firsthand.
In any organization—whether it’s a government agency or a community group—true leadership is defined by presence. It is easy to sign a memorandum or issue a directive from a distance. It is much harder, and infinitely more valuable, to walk the beat and see if those orders are being translated into actual safety for the “Everyman.”
By personally inspecting deployment alongside senior officials like Major Gen. Anthony Aberin and Brig. Gen. Rogelio Peñones Jr., the Chief ensured that the police assistance desks weren’t just vacant furniture, but active hubs for public help.
This visibility serves two vital purposes: it acts as a deterrent to those who would disrupt our peace, and more importantly, it provides a sense of calm to the traveling public.
The PNP’s current mantra, “Bagong PNP para sa Bagong Pilipinas: Serbisyong Mabilis, Tapat, at Nararamdaman,” is put to the test during the Lenten season.
“Nararamdaman“—to be felt—is the operative word here. When you see the highest-ranking officials checking on their personnel in the heat of a crowded terminal, you feel that your safety is a priority.
Leadership is not merely a title; it is an action.
When the leadership shows up, the entire force is energized, and the public’s trust is reinforced.
As we observe these holy days, it is reassuring to see a police force that isn’t just watching from afar, but is right there with us, ensuring every Filipino can travel and pray in peace.
(The writer, Chairman Emeritus of ABKD, PADER, LIPI, and the Filipinos Do Not Yield Movement, holds a Juris Doctor, PhD and advanced degrees in National Security Administration, Public Administration, and Business).
