Random Musings on the Ethics of Election Twerking

During Session 6 of the Lasallian Business Leadership class, the ethical reasoning based on the principles of Utilitarianism, Rights, Justice and Fairness, Ethics of Care and Virtue Ethics was discussed. For this edition of my blog, I would like to relate these principles and how it applies to one of the hot-button issues of the day, the raunchy performance of the Playgirls during the Liberal Party gathering.

First, a little background. As reported by several broadsheets, including the Philippine Daily Inquirer, last October 1, 2015, during the Liberal Party oath-taking of some 80 local officials and simultaneously, the birthday celebration of Laguna Rep. Benjie Agarao, the sexy dance group the Playgirls did the twerk onstage, with the active participation of these local officials. The Playgirls were reportedly a “gift” by MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino to spice up a rather humdrum affair.

Using the Ethics Framework, let us analyse further this issue:

Utilitarian – Does the action maximize net social utility? Who benefits? Who are harmed? What’s the balance?

In this situation, the immediate beneficiaries of this action are obviously the male members of the gathering; in fact, it was reported that the “mostly middle-aged audience wildly cheered the performance.” The Playgirls benefited too as according to their manager, ever since the issue erupted, they have been swamped with more bookings. Those who were harmed, however, were women’s groups who felt demeaned by this dance and especially minors who were also watching the rather “adult” performance. The action seemed at first to maximize net social utility but with the negative feedback that had been generated, its effects would have been minimized.

Rights – Is it consistent with the moral rights of those affected? Whose rights are promoted? Whose rights are violated?

Watching the enjoyment of the male members of the party, it seems that moral rights were not a primary concern to them. The rights of Chairman Tolentino to hire the Playgirls and the right of this group to earn a living, “trabaho lang,” are promoted. The rights of the female LP party members who were offended are those that are violated.

Justice and Fairness – Does it lead to just distribution? Is it fair? What if it were done to us? What if everybody did it?

The action was fair if one considers it as a purely business transaction. However, if public funds were used to hire the Playgirls, it would not only be unfair, but may be illegal.

Ethics of Care – Does it exhibit appropriate care for those with whom we have special relationships? Will it enhance trusting relationships with people we care about or whose relationships we value?

With the “kumpare” system of our society, Chairman Tolentino may have felt that he cared for his fellow party members by hiring the Playgirls. However, with the resulting backlash and come election time, will the voters care enough for the Liberal Party by giving them their votes?

Virtue Ethics – How will this act help me to develop a morally virtuous character? Will it make me a better person?

As savvy politicians, the Liberal Party members should know better than to hire a sexy dance group in an official party function.

This issue further proves the interconnection of showbiz and politics in the Philippine society, the “old song-and-dance routine regularly performed by aspirants of public office.” The positive outcome, however, that may result is that voters may choose this coming election to select ethical and moral leaders that would work, rather than twerk.

A Reflection on the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees

As a civil servant, I and my fellow co-workers are bound to observe Republic Act No. 6713, otherwise known as the “Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.”

The law explicitly states the following norms of conduct that every public official and employee are obliged to uphold:

1.    Commitment to Public Interest – “Officials and employees shall always uphold public interest over personal interest.”

The needs of the public shall always take precedence over self-interest. This can be seen particularly in government offices that offer frontline services which prominently display the signage of “No noon break.”

2.    Professionalism – “Officials and employees shall perform and discharge their duties with the highest degree of excellence, professionalism, intelligence and skill.”

Public servants are expected to be capacitated with technical competencies to more than adequately perform their responsibilities. In our office, we are constantly reminded of going out of our way to ensure the satisfaction of our stakeholders will be attained.

3.    Justness and sincerity – “Officials and employees shall remain true to the people at all times. They must act with justness and sincerity and shall not discriminate against anyone, especially the poor and the underprivileged.”

The key phrase here is the emphasis to serve the disadvantaged Filipinos, as this sector of the society especially needs government intervention to uplift their standard of living.

4.    Political neutrality - “Officials and employees shall provide service to everyone without unfair discrimination regardless of party affiliation or preference. “

Whichever political colored flag one is waving, it should not be a hindrance to access government service.

5.    Responsiveness to the public – “Officials and employees shall extend prompt, courteous, and adequate service to the public.”

At our office, we have developed and prominently displayed our Citizen’s Charter, which diagrams the number of steps and the key personnel to transact with when availing of a particular service.

6.    Nationalism and patriotism – “Officials and employees shall at all times be loyal to the Republic and to the Filipino people, promote the use of locally produced goods, resources and technology and encourage appreciation and pride of country and people.”

We regularly pledge our loyalty and allegiance to the Philippines during the Monday morning flag-raising ceremonies.

7.    Commitment to democracy – “Officials and employees shall commit themselves to the democratic way of life and values, maintain the principle of public accountability and manifest by deeds the supremacy of civilian authority over the military.”

The rule of law and ethical standards should always prevail in the discharge of our duties.

8.    Simple living – “Officials and employees and their families shall lead modest lives appropriate to their positions and income. They shall not indulge in extravagant or ostentatious display of wealth in any form." 

This is manifested with the regular annual submission of our Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) to promote transparency in our wages.

With the onset of the election season in 2016, and the circus-like atmosphere that will ensue, I call on my fellow Lasallian Business Leaders to be reminded of these precepts in actively selecting our top officials that will shape our country’s policy directions for the next six years.

How Ethical Are You?

The Lasallian Business Leadership Framework stresses the importance of using business ethics or “moral principles or standards as they apply to business policies, institutions and behaviour.” These standards are used as a guide on how businesses operate in a legal and socially responsible manner.

The site www.businessknowhow.com has developed a set of questions to find out how ethical one really is. I have reprinted the survey below and also gave my own honest answers. The questions should be answered by Agree, Disagree or Not Sure:

1.    You occasionally take home small supply items from the office like pencils and staples.

Disagree. I do not take home small supply items not just to be consciously ethical but for the simple reason that I own supplies of higher quality.

2.    You would never pad your company expense account.

Agree. Our office guidelines, as well as that of the Commission of Audit (COA), have strict rules to ensure that expenses should be supported with proper documentation.

3.    You surf the Net for non-work related matters during work time. Everyone does it.

Agree. I surf the Net for non-work related matters; however I try to do this during break periods.

4.    Calling in “sick” is OK as long as it’s not super-busy at work.

Disagree. One should call in sick only for wellness-related concerns.

5.    When your chatty co-worker gossips about everyone and anyone in the office, you simply say nothing.

Not sure. If the person that is being gossiped about is a friend, then that is the time that I would say something.

6.    You make an error and another employee gets blamed. No one would be able to trace the error back to you, but you immediately come forward to take responsibility.

Agree. It would be unfair to blame others, the Golden Rule should always apply.

7.    A company supplier gives you a holiday gift of your favourite gourmet chocolates valued at $50. You accept the gift and enjoy the chocolates.

Agree. I would accept the gift at face value and the supplier should not expect a quid pro quo treatment.

8.    A coworker’s paycheck in an unsealed envelope is placed on your desk by mistake. No one is around. You resist the temptation to peek and deliver the paycheck to its rightful recipient.

Agree. However, considering that I work in a government office and such data is public information, I have no need to take a peek.

9.    You go to the restroom and find a $50-dollar bill. Finders keepers, losers weepers.

Agree. Again, the Golden Rule.

10.  The boss is away, and your co-worker uses the time to make personal phone calls and play computer games at her workstation. Taking the opposite stance, you “give an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.”

Not sure. If I have many pending responsibilities, I would put in an honest day’s work but If I have none, I might give in to the temptation of “slacking off.”

The Business Ethics Survey Answers and Explanations can be found at the link http://www.businessknowhow.com/growth/ethics-answers.htm

I got six correct ethical responses out of ten questions. So to answer the question “How Ethical Are You?,” it seems that I need to do further reflection and self-evaluation of my values to further become a more ethical and morally-upright person.

Instilling the Habit of Saving Through the 52-Week Challenge

For this week’s class, Career and Life Planning was discussed which included an emphasis on personal finance, as explained through the video of the influential finance guru Ms. Suze Orman. Ms. Orman has been called by the USA Today as “a force in the world of personal finance and a one-woman financial advice powerhouse.”  Indeed, one of the advocacies of Ms. Orman is the “hyperactive preaching of frugality.”

As the video of Ms. Orman entitled “The Laws of Money, The Lessons of Life” was mostly skewed to an American audience, with its content dealing with Western concerns such as protecting your 401k and home mortgages, it got me thinking on how Filipinos view money and if there are efforts among us to save money.

In an article published at The Philippine Star (The Freeman), chartered financial analyst Gavin Lee stated that “Many Filipinos don’t seem to like the idea of saving because they say they are not earning enough and that people have the tendency to spend more than what they earn.” He cited as an example the “pasalubong” mentality of Filipinos where it is expected that one has to buy gifts to give back when he returns home. Mr. Lee explained that this practice only promotes unnecessary expenses. Other bad spending habits that were used as examples are using your income for vices such as smoking and drinking and the seemingly endless travel discounts and offers.

For most of us, spending money provides an immediate psychological gratification, a sense of entitlement that justifies that “since I work hard, I can shop harder.” Indeed, money has been such a major controlling force in our lives which is anathema to what Ms. Orman is preaching that “you should control your money, it should not control you.”

The simple solutions for saving money are often what work best for me, and the “52-week challenge” has proven to be one of the effective methods that I have encountered so far. After having gone viral on several social media sites abroad, it has been adapted locally on such blog sites as Kuripot Pinay. The premise of the challenge is simple, on the first week of the year, you set aside 20 pesos. Then on the succeeding week, you double the amount and save 40 pesos. For the third week, the amount is tripled and hence you put away 60 pesos and so forth. Sounds simple enough but down the line we are talking some serious money here.

I started doing this challenge in 2014 and when my officemates saw that I successfully implemented it, they joined the bandwagon and also did the challenge for this year. Now a word of caution: the 52-week challenge is basically a glorified piggy-bank, it does not earn any interest unlike a traditional bank. What is more important, however, is that it promotes a conscious effort to get into the habit of saving. When we undertook this challenge, I and my officemates were not so eager anymore to go to the 3 day mall sales and drink coffee at Starbucks.

Ayn Rand said that “money is only a tool, it will take you wherever you wish but it will not replace you as the driver.” As Lasallian business leaders, we should all be responsible drivers in our own journey towards financial freedom.

Do I Have A Job, A Career or A Vocation?

The topic that was discussed during Session 3 of the Lasallian Business Leadership class was Family and Work-Life Harmony. The item that intrigued me the most was the difference between a job, career and vocation as these three words are often used interchangeably and they seem to be at first glance to be similar to each other but are not.

At youthdirections.com, the author differentiated the three by the following definitions: “A job is something short-term that we do for the money, a career is something with long-term goals for which we make money, a vocation/calling is similar to career that earns us not only money but also gives up deep satisfaction, fulfilment and happiness.” The author seems to say that financial and emotional returns are the qualities that transitions from a job towards a vocation.

The article “Finding Your Calling” at artofmanliness.com also makes the distinction that “a job is simply a means to an end: a paycheck, a careerist derives meaning not from the nature of the work itself but the gratification from advancing through the ranks, and a vocation is work you do for its own sake; the rewards of wages are peripheral to getting to use one’s passion.”

Both articles seem to stress that at the lowest level, a job is all about the money. You report in the morning, do the work that you were hired to do, and then at the end of the day, you punch. Day in. Day out. Like the song by Dolly Parton, “Working 9 to 5, what a way to make a living…It’s enough to drive you crazy if you let it.” The drudgery of a job is emphasized; Karl Marx must be rolling in his grave with the validation of his philosophy.

At the next level is a career. Work as career is defined by the psychological rewards of creativity and autonomy. A career is a job which includes money plus satisfaction.

At the highest level is a vocation. It is revealing that vocation is derived from the Latin word “vocare” meaning “to call.” A vocation is something that you were meant to do.

So to answer the question, do I have a Job, a Career or a Vocation? Using the above definitions, I am somewhere between a career and a vocation. As a public servant, this is reinforced by the fact that we have to pass the Career Service Examinations of the Civil Service Commission. It is also a vocation considering that what we do has an impact not only for ourselves but also for the rest of the country, and that is what our firm has been successfully achieving for the last 45 years. Our vocation is not only good, but great work.

In closing, I quote Steve Jobs who said this inspirational statement about the nature of work, “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.”

The Management Principles of St. John Baptist de La Salle

St. John Baptist de la Salle was born at Rheims, the eldest child of a wealthy family during the tumultuous era of 16^th century France. He is considered as the patron saint of teachers, having established the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, a foundation dedicated to serving the poor through teaching using pioneering methods which were against the norm during that time.

St. John is characterized by the following traits:

·        Risk-Taker

·        Innovator

·        Servant-Leader

·        Mentor

These traits have stood the test of time and can be considered as vital management principles that can be applied today.

A risk taker is defined as “someone who risks everything in the hope of achievement or accepts greater potential for loss in decisions and tolerates uncertainty.” St. John certainly applied this when the French society was scandalized when he invited the poor into his home and when he gave up his canonship to focus on his vocation of serving the disadvantaged. In modern times, strategic risk taking is an essential part of progressive companies. An article at the Huffington Post by Julie Zeilinger stated that risk-taking is essential to success as “Great, otherwise unforeseen opportunities often come from risk-taking and that taking risks show confidence and helps you stand out.”

St. John was considered an innovator with his radical methods of teaching when he institutionalized the classroom method of instruction and teaching was done in the vernacular rather than in Latin. Innovation is one of the key drivers that contribute to a business’ success or failure. The innovative spirit of Sony and Apple led them to develop products that excited the public’s imagination as well as their pockets.

As a servant-leader, St. John not only led the Brothers in promoting education but also served his fellowmen as well as the poor children of France who he saw deserved better opportunities in life. Robert K. Greenleaf published in 1970 the essay, The Servant as Leader, which he defined the servant-leader as “the servant-leader is servant first…he makes sure that other people’s highest priority needs are being served.” St. John subsumed his personal needs by sacrificing his own comforts and possessions in life in order that the needs of the poor will be met.

St. John was an effective mentor when he proved to be a model of teaching with compassion. He was willing to share his knowledge and talents with his fellow Brothers and his students. Great managers become inspirational leaders by developing the mentoring relationship in their respective fields to ensure that organizational knowledge will be imparted.

The key concepts of being a risk-taker, innovator, servant-leader and a mentor will prove to be valuable as I move up the corporate ladder in my organization. Strategic risk-taking will lead to the development of innovative solutions for the challenges facing my firm, and being a servant-leader as well as mentor will ensure that as a Lasallian Business Leader, I will be a socially responsible and ethical manager.

Living and Sustaining the Core Values at NEA

The formulation and execution of a company’s vision and mission are the key elements of a well-managed organization. Modern texts about strategy are replete with the concern of where a company is now (or it’s “mission”) and what directions or areas of growth it would like to pursue (or it’s “vision”). However, the vision and mission are just portions of the equation; the missing piece that would complete the puzzle is the development of its core values.

Core values are “the essence of the company’s identity-the principles, beliefs or philosophy of values.” They are what a firm believes to be good and important, ideas or precepts they are in short, what are “valuable” to them.

In an article at carloreato.com, the following were cited as the advantages of adopting and living its own core values:

·         Core values help companies in the decision-making processes

·         Core values educate clients and potential customers about what the company is about and clarify the identity of the company.

·         Core values educate clients and potential customers about what the company is about and clarify the identity of the company

·         Core values are becoming primary recruiting and retention tools

At the company where I work for, we at National Electrification Administration (NEA) believe in using our core values as a competitive advantage and as a beacon to follow in our journey towards exemplary public service. After a series of participative and reflective sessions among all employees, we have adopted the following core values:

Absolute honesty                        

Maximum efficiency           

Total Solidarity

These core values are tenets by which all NEA employees abide and live by. To effectively serve our clients, we must be absolutely honest. There are no shades of gray, either you are telling the truth or you are not, there should be no halfway mark. Maximum efficiency deals with using our God-given talents to the best of our abilities to serve the nation. And finally, we at NEA are in total solidarity; we act as one to ensure we are able to attain our agency’s mandate.

NEA’s core values are recited during our regular Monday Flag Raising Ceremonies. Indeed, our assembly hall has been renamed as the Honesty, Efficiency, Solidarity Auditorium or HESA.” This is a reminder that these are not just merely window dressing but are one of the various means by which we live and sustain our core values.