Lacson: More 'Public Servant' Mentality Needed in Government

Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson stresses the need for more "public servant" mindset, less "politician" mentality in government.

Talking to the transport sector in Quezon City on Saturday, the presidential candidate under Partido Reporma said that those in government - especially the incoming batch of public servants - should think of the nation and the next generation of Filipinos.

His exact words were, "A politician thinks of himself and the next elections. A public servant thinks of the nation and the next generation.”

A very telling quote on what kind of leader Lacson is and will be when he becomes President in 2022. 

Think of the nation and the next generation - something that Senator Ping does everytime he scrutinizes the budget and make sure that public funds are spent judiciously and actually benefit the Filipinos. 

It was this "public servant" mentality that led Lacson to call out questionable appropriations in the national budget during his 18 years in the Senate - even if it would cost him the friendship and support of political personalities.

During his 18 years of scrutinizing the budget, Lacson saved Filipinos at least P300 billion in public funds through budgetary amendments and cuts of lump-sum, redundant, wasteful or questionable appropriations.

His brand of public service earned him the degree of Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa, from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila in March 2019.

For Senator Ping, public funds should be spent for the public - just as public servants should not be paid extra for doing their job. 

Lacson recalled that during his previous life in law enforcement, he would rescue kidnap victims but decline the rewards from the grateful kin of those he rescued - as he did not want his men to act only on the cases of those who offer such rewards.

And he really led by example, particularly in one very famous incident when he rescued Robina Gokongwei, daughter of business tycoon and billionaire, the late John Gokongwei. Robina calls Lacson her White Knight, because at that time his uniform was white. And Lacson was the very person who kicked the door to the room where the kidnappers where hiding Robina. It was a scene out of an action movie. And Mr. Gokongwei insisted on rewarding Lacson, but Lacson refused, saying he was only doing his job. 

When he headed the Philippine National Police from 1999 to 2001, Lacson also implemented an 85-15 formula where 85 percent of PNP resources were downloaded to the field and only 15 percent allocated to headquarters.

Lacson pointed out that he and his running mate Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, who is running for Vice President under the Nationalist People's Coalition, have shown that "public servant" mentality as well in their combined 83 years in public service, including 42 years as senators.