The Third Mindanao Bloggers Summit was graced by Atty Adel Fabel Abbas Tamano. He was an unlikely guest speaker so I thought. I don’t know much about him except that he is the speaker for the opposition, a muslim brother from the south, a lawyer, and now just recently, he is celebrated as the lawyer of the famous Dr. Vicky Belo. And one thing more he is good looking. He comes from a political clan of the Tamano family in Lanao del Sur, whose family member also was once a president of Mindanao State University (MSU), and whose cousin also a PMA alumni. Well so much for that…
The organizers were beaming when he came. He was good looking indeed especially with those dimples. Did I say I’m a sucker for one? Just like anyone running for a political office, he came to our table to give everyone of us a handshake. And yes it was firm and sincere. I almost jumped from my seat out of excitement. My seatmate could not help but cry, “Sir, you’re so gwapo!”.
Anyway he was introduced as this and that. As for the new things I know about him and in addition to my little portfolio about Adel Tamano is that -he is a Harvard Law School graduate, he used to teach in MSU, and currently is the president in the Pamantasang Lungsod ng Manila (PLM).
His speech was actually centered on his achievement as the president of the PLM. True enough and I want to believe he did a lot of changes in the school. This is an experience which he takes great pride in and from which his principles of leadership evolved. The principles are simple.They are very basic and yet so deep that it requires both a leader’s unwavering faith and commitment.
Leadership is a vision. A leader should see beyond the present and into the future. He takes the limited or lack of resources a challenge never as an obstacle. Out of the box thinking is required of a visionary leader. A visionary leader is what our country needs so desperately today.
Leadership is empathy. Putting oneself in another’s shoes. Easier said than done. I’ve had several leaders in the several changes of administration in the organization that I come from. To me, this one is critical. I’ve had leaders who pretend they do. They are so great in doing that, that they are only unmasked when they leave their offices leaving the coffers empty.
Leadership is anti-corruption. I value integrity in a leader in as much as I also look for one in my relationships. Integrity is one value that I learned from and admired of my father who never profited from his work apart from his monthly salary. In a world that is upside down it is a lot more difficult to keep one’s integrity intact without being shaken. It takes a fool to survive and it takes a greater fool to be had with those who have sold their soul to the devil. Integrity is what we espouse in the Academy and yet … harder .. Need I say more…?
These principles are shared to the Mindanao Bloggers in the light of the summit’s objective to project a positive image of the island. I want to take Atty. Tamano’s speech further to look at bloggers as the next big leaders.
Bloggers are the new journalist in the 21st century. Bloggers are the opinion shapers. Bloggers are relevant to Mindanao development with the pen (the keyboard actually) they can make or unbreak a deal. Bloggers are very infuential. They reach out to a global audience breaking all the barriers of age, race, ethnicity, gender and class. Most importantly bloggers are the watchdogs for good governance both local, national and global. Bloggers are leaders in whatever niche they choose in the blogger’s world. They are leaders as they shape the minds of the readers. They are leaders as they bring information and share their knowledge to their audience.
Bloggers therefore should be visionary. Information technology is dynamic as it is fast-paced. To gain an edge and be competitive we learn from our past, we do the best of the present and look forward to the changes to be embraced in the future.
Bloggers are empathic. We may write our opinions but we are also open to the idea of an intellectual cyber exchange of opinions and thereby learn from and understand each other better. Blogging is an avenue for cultural exchange. Blogging is a way to enhance our cultural intelligence (CQ). I just invented that word – cultural intelligence – to mean greater sensitivity of and understanding of cultures different from ours.
Bloggers are anti-corruption. We keep our eyes and ears to help to keep watch of this very critical part of governance which is money. This can be done in our own little and yet extensive way to share information to the world. Bloggers are powerful enough to do this.
Bloggers are leaders.
