MANGONDATO CUT MARCOS JR. DOWN TO SIZE VIRTUALLY IN DEBATE

 

“I did say that 80% of success is showing up.” Woody Allen

Through the eyes of the Filipino people, particularly the voters, presidential candidate Faisal Mangondato cut Marcos Jr. down to size virtually in the Comelec’s first presidential debate. Setting the two of them side by side, Mangondato won the “war of words” without firing a shot – simply because Marcos Jr. failed in showing up in the debate as represented disquietingly by an empty podium on the stage.

“Who the hell is candidate Faisal Mangondato?” Marcos Jr.’s operatives asked.

A businessman from Lanao del Sur under the political party called Katipunan ng Kamalayang Kayumanggi, Mangondato will push for federalism if he wins, urging legislators to donate a month’s salary to the poor, including the construction of solar-powered panels for homes of poor families, and giving them livestock to tend. More than once during the debate, he used the phrase “Mga Kababayan Ko” which reminded me of Francis Magalona’s oldie but goldie song lyrics: “Mga kababayan ko, dapat lang malaman nyo, bilib ako sa kulay ko, ako ay Pilipino.”

Weighed against each other, Mangondato (lumped by Marcos Jr.’s operatives with other candidates as clowns, megalomaniacs, insane, crackpots, and cuckoos) diminished virtually Marcos Jr. who, by not showing up, has devalued himself, typical of the following losers:

Loser 1. One who failed to show up on a “blind date.” Arranged for by a mutual acquaintance (Comelec), both participants -- the candidates on one side, the voters on the other side -- would meet virtually (the questions embody the voters’ minds) for the first time. What do you think of a man who failed to show up on a blind date? My FB friend Lan commented, “Talo na default pa.”

Loser 2. One who failed to show up in a school examination. What do you think of someone who failed to show up for a final exam? I asked my college student who replied, “Unprepared.”

Loser 3. One who failed to show up for a job interview. What do I think of a job applicant who failed to show up for a job interview? As a former corporate guy, I thought he was “uninterested.”

Simple but sincere as he was during the debate, Mangondato came out on top over Marcos Jr. because by showing up during the debate, just like the rest of the candidates standing with him on the stage, he has demonstrated the following qualities of a leader that any presidential candidate must possess:

A.  He values listening.

“O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek…To be understood as to understand.” (The Prayer of Saint Francis)

The fifth habit in the Seven Basic Habits of the Highly Effective People authored by Dr. Stephen R. Covey: Seek first to understand, then to be understood. It is not: “You open up your mind for me.” It is: “I’ll open up my mind for you.” It is not: “Did you get me?” It is: “Did I get you?” It is not: “Here’s what I’m trying to say to you.” It is: “Here’s what you’re trying to say to me.” When a leader seeks to understand, he empathizes – putting himself in voters’ shoes.

Dr. M. Scott Peck said, “True listening is love in action.” Mangondato showed up and listened well to the questions from the voters’ minds -- because he cared for them. Listening well is hard work which may take an extra step or walk an extra mile. Marcos Jr. didn’t show up and was unable to listen. He was unable to listen because he didn’t care. He didn’t care -- because he’s lazy – if it’s hard work.

B. He personifies courage

“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” (Brene Brown, author, and researcher)

“Kaya po mga kababayan ko, ang aming i-ooffer sa mga Pilipino ay lisanin na itong sistemang bulok na nagkakaroon ng sakit maski sino umupo sa upuan ng pagkapangulo sa ating bansa kaya pa sa Sistema nabago ay may bagong pag-asa ang samabayanang Pilipino” (Mangondato)

(We offer you to leave the old system which brought difficulties to us. No matter who is seated as president, we need a new system to bring new hope to all Filipinos.)

Slowly and calmly answering the questions on the stage just like talking over the dinner table, Mangondato projected courage that had emanated from his vision which in fulfilling such vision, it radiated his contagious passion. Not only is he the only one energized by the passion of his vision, others (imagine a viewer blessed materially but has done nothing for the country) who watched Mangondato that night could have fired his imagination of doing something good for his poor countrymen.

C. He epitomizes a democratic ideal

“I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities.” (Nelson Mandela)

The global political shifts, particularly in the US, have unveiled democracy in crisis mode. “[M]any institutions are dysfunctional and getting worse,” The New Yorker reported. “[P]olitics have become alarmingly acrimonious...” It cast a long shadow over our nation’s political landscape so gravely that watching on TV Mangondato -- a relatively unknown presidential aspirant from a relatively obscure locality of Cawayan, Marantao – projected a refreshing scene for it has borne witness to a glimpse of a promising future of a democratic ideal for our country -- like equal opportunities for everybody.

“Mahalaga po ang isang debate para malaman ng ating mga kababayan ano ba talaga ang kailangan sa sitwasyon sa ating bansa. Ano ba ang dinadala ng mga kandidato na kailangan masaliksik nang mabuti ng ating mga kababayan dahil po pag nagkamali po tayo ng pagsulat, anim na taon po natin dadalhin sa ating bayan,” Mangondato said.

(A debate is important for people to understand what the national situation requires. And what do candidates bring with them, which the people need to examine closely because if we err in writing down our choices, the nation will bear that burden for six years.)

           In contrast, Marcos Jr., after showing himself to be unworthy, unprepared, and uninterested, his operatives are now eating their hearts out over another chance for their big shot -- a different kind of blind date, a different kind of final exam, a different kind of job interview.

In the real world, after screwing up one’s opportunity, the standard response: No Way.