My “APO” Elected Grade 5 Representative gets his first lesson

My grandson Lyme was hesistant to run. He was hesitant when his teachers suggested that he run for Grade 5 representative. Lyme is nine, a high achiever and always among the top of his class. He is also a basketball player—and a good one at that. He is tall for his age, already almost my height at 5’6”, much to the amusement of his petite supermom.

But being good at school and basketball does not necessarily mean you want to stand in front of your classmates and lead them.His teachers encouraged him. So did his Papa Alim and Mama Donna.They told him that being asked to run was not just about getting a position. His classmates were showing that they trusted him to represent them and serve them in the Pupil Government.

That got him thinking. He ran. And he won hands down. Of course, Mama Lola was very proud. But after the excitement settled, I began thinking about what Lyme had really won.

Not a title. It ws about Trust. And somehow, that word stayed with me this week.

As I write this column, heavy rains have been pouring over Luzon, bringing flooding to many areas. Thankfully, Bicol has so far been spared the worst of it. But having lived in Bicol most of my life, I know that we should never take that for granted. We know what floods can do to families, farms, businesses and communities. A flood can take away in a matter of hours what people worked years to build. Watching the news, I found myself thinking about another kind of flooding—not water coming from the sky, but questions coming from the public.

Questions about flood-control projects. Questions about public money. Questions about corruption. And, of course, the continuing political controversy surrounding the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte. The impeachment proceedings involve allegations that must still go through due process. An allegation is not a conviction, and I believe strongly that every person deserves a fair hearing. But when questions involve public money and public office, the public also has every right to ask questions and demand accountability.

Then came another curious moment: the impeachment proceedings were suspended amid the rains.Outside, communities were dealing with floodwaters. Inside the Senate, the country was dealing with questions about public trust. I could not help but think of the Deluge in the Bible.

In the story of Noah, the Flood comes after a world described as corrupt and violent. But the story does not end with destruction. After the waters recede comes a new beginning—and a covenant. I do not believe we should say that today’s floods are God’s punishment for corruption. That would be unfair to the families who are suffering. But the Deluge can still teach us something. A society can be overwhelmed by more than water. It can also be overwhelmed by greed, dishonesty, abuse of power and the loss of trust. And that brings me back to my nine-year-old Apo.” What does Lyme have to do with flood-control projects, billions of pesos and an impeachment trial? Perhaps quite a lot. I can imagine sitting down with him and saying:

“Lyme, imagine your school is flooding. Your classmates ask the Pupil Government to help. The school gives you money to buy materials to solve the problem. But someone takes some of the money for himself. The school remains flooded. Your classmates continue to suffer.”

Then I would ask him:“What is worse—the flood itself, or taking the money that was supposed to protect the children?” I think even a nine-year-old would understand. That is where leadership begins. Public money is not personal money. Public office is not personal property. Leadership is not about power over people. It is about responsibility to people.

I want Lyme to learn that early. He does not have to wait until he is a mayor, governor, congressman or president. But of course it is not his ambition.Nevertleness, as a young leader, he starts with his classmates. Listen to them. See their problems. Speak when something needs to be said. Help where he can. Be honest. And do the right thing even when nobody is watching. I would like him to remember five simple words:

SEE. SERVE. SPEAK. SHARE. STAND.

See the problem. Serve the people. Speak up. Share honestly. Stand for what is right. It sounds simple because it is. But perhaps we make leadership too complicated. When Lyme’s classmates voted for him, they did not give him the power to rule over them. They gave him their trust.

And maybe that is what I wish our adult leaders would remember, too. Every public position begins the same way—with somebody trusting you. The difference is that when you are nine, the responsibility is to your classmates.When you are in government, the responsibility is to an entire people. The money may be bigger. The office may be bigger. The consequences may be much bigger. But the principle remains the same.

Do not betray the trust given to you. The rains will eventually stop. The floodwaters will recede. The political controversies will eventually be decided. But what we build after the flood—that is what matters. Perhaps that is the real lesson of Noah’s Deluge.

And perhaps it is also the first lesson Lyme is learning as a young leader.He thought he was simply running for Grade 5 representative.But his teachers and his Papa Alim and Mama Donna may have given him something much more valuable than a position.They gave him his first little taste of public service.And Mama Lola hopes he remembers this for the rest of his life:TRUST.