8 THINGS

We-Should-All-Remember-TITLE.jpg” width=”100%”
type=”title”][list_title][/text_image] [dropcap letter=”I”]t’s been a
year since the Philippines lost one of its most beloved—and
effective—public officials in recent history. Jesse Robredo made a
name for himself through his award-winning mayorship of Naga
City (from 1988-1998 and then 2001-2010), and later as an acting
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)
Secretary (2010 to 2012). He got the job done despite strong
opposition from political enemies, people who pushed for his
resignation as DILG secretary, then fell over themselves praising
the man after his death was confirmed.
Like any other great man, Robredo doesn’t deserve mere
reduction into a list of good qualities and memorable moments.
Those who want to emulate his inclusive leadership style and
focus on merit should study his life thoroughly. At the same time,
we should maintain a list of “highlights” that will help future
generations and other public officials understand why Robredo
was a force for positive change. Highlights such as…

Things-About-Jesse-Robredo-We-Should-All-Remember-
8t.jpg” type=”subheading”]Making His Staff Play
SimCity [/text_image] [buffer by=”15px”]
The popular city building simulation was also a favorite at Naga
City Hall, said Robredo aide Francis Soler: “It helped [us]
conceptualize urban planning. It helped them hone their skills at
looking at the alternative use of resources.” Now SimCity won’t
provide an ultra-accurate representation of a real-life city—more
so in a country with a squatter problem like the Philippines—but it
does help players understand that cities are a system. Small
changes can lead to big results, both negative and positive. Can
you imagine a city mayor asking his staff to play a video game?
This is just one aspect of Robredo’s straightforward yet unique on
governance.