even if im still not feeling well, it didnt stop me from looking for work. so i woke up early to submit my resume again to another law office. and because i woke up early, i heard the discussion in a morning show that gave me something to react to. the topic was the literacy requirement for barangay officials. really? its still a debatable topic?
back in high school, i honestly thought that the literacy rate will constantly improve and we will reach 100% literacy within a decade. with technological developments, information is much more accessible and eventually less expensive. or less costly. point is, i thought back then that our country's literacy rate will quickly improve as time goes by because we can't possibly grow illiterate as years pass by. thats against the evolutionary nature of man. i guess im wrong. its not inherent in every individual to aspire to learn, or at least be literate. i mean, if one wants to run for public office, at least allot a portion of one's time and money to know the basics to be literate. good governance cant be solely based on good intentions alone. some basic intellectual competence is needed too. it doesnt have to be a college degree (or even a high school degree). the ability to read and write is sufficient. and running for public office is not a right, its a privilege as opposed to the right to vote. public office is not something that can be demanded as something one is entitled to.
some argue that leaders with good educational backgrounds have done nothing good and its better to have a leader with a pure heart and good intentions even if lacking the intellectual skills. thats missing the point. literacy is different from intellect. besides, not because leaders with good educational backgrounds are no good doesnt mean the solution is to favor illiterate or incompetent ones. i agree that there are instances where the heart matters much more than the mind but i dont think it applies in the field of governance. this doesnt mean that a country's leader must always be some kind of intellectual person. although the head of a state wields a lot power, governance does not emanate from one person alone. even in a dictatorship. there are always advisers, competent advisers, that are there that exercise considerable influence on how a country is governed. thats why i think governance is always an intellectual activity. and why literacy should be a minimum requirement for effective governance. i just saw some loopholes in my arguments but im too lazy to plug them. point is, the literacy requirement for public officers shouldnt be a debatable topic at this day and age.
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