FORMER Interior and Local Government Sec. Joey Lina emphasized “Godly leadership” as the vital element the country needs now during the St. Thomas More lecture last Feb. 8 at the Albertus Magnus Auditorium.
According to Lina, the country is in “dire need of a critical mass of bold, creative, and Godly leaders” who can create fresh opportunities to shape and harness the creative potential of the people and the country’s resources.
“Over the years, a new greed, a new materialism, a new worship of money, and the things that money can buy seem to have taken hold of our society and our so-called leadership,” he said.
Lina added that the “great work done” in keeping an image of good leaders during the first half of the 20th century is “slowly dissipating and eroding” through “decades of declining morality and the emergence of a new set of values.”
Lina said that leaders should possess St. Thomas More’s brand of leadership, with seven aspects: the balances between love of family and fidelity to duty; between humility and confidence; between prudence and courage; between commitment to the King and absolute loyalty to God; between acknowledging human failings and unconditional forgiveness; between seriousness of purpose and the joy of living; and between high learning and common touch.
“Thomas More could converse as comfortably with the ‘common tao’ as with the uncommon minds of St. John Fisher and Erasmus,” Lina explained of the last aspect.
He added that these aspects would help leaders to turn this nation around.
Meanwhile, Faculty of Arts and Letters (ArtLets) Dean Belen Tangco emphasized on the qualities of a good leader in her closing remarks.
“A leader inspires people, promotes unity, and strengthens the organization by establishing a hierarchy of responsibilities and roles,” she said. “(And) good leaders make a big difference.”
The lecture was part of the annual celebration of the ArtLets foundation anniversary last Feb. 3 to 11. Among the activities were bazaar, an acoustic presentation and the presentation of the new ArtLets Student Council constitution, and a variety show from the faculty members. John Rheeno T. Cabangcalan
