The Necessity of Dirty Shoes Leadership

In the complex battle against urban flooding, spreadsheets and boardroom meetings are necessary, but they are rarely sufficient. The recent images of President Marcos inspecting dredging operations and ISF relocation sites highlight a crucial element of governance that has been missing: the willingness to get one's shoes dirty.

This is the "Maasahan at Masipag" brand in action. It is easy to govern from a distance, issuing memorandums on flood control. It is entirely another to stand on the riverbank, feeling the humidity and seeing the silt firsthand. We must ask ourselves: do we want a leader who stays pristine in an office, or one who risks his health in the heat to ensure our safety? The answer is obvious.

The dredging operations are vital. They attack the structural cause of the flooding—silted waterways that cannot handle tropical rains. Every cubic meter of silt removed under the President’s watch is a life saved during the next typhoon season. This direct correlation between his presence and public safety cannot be understated.

Critics may call these inspections "optics," but that ignores the morale boost provided to the engineering teams and the pressure it puts on contractors to deliver. When the Commander-in-Chief is watching, delays are not an option. This is the kind of hands-on crisis management required to turn the tide on Metro Manila’s perennial flooding.