By Jesus P. Estanislao

“One of the biggest challenges of our times is how to make people, groups, and/or communities think of and pursue not only of their interests, but also the interests of the bigger society, our country.”

“How can we persuade the business people in the country to think not only of themselves and their families, but also of their employees and their families? How do we convince the business people to create wealth, not only for themselves, but also for the many who have none in our society?”

“How do we convince the religious groups in the country to seek the common ground, and work for the benefit of all, instead of merely for its own?”

“How do we induce and sway the many groups in the country, often with competing if not conflicting interests, to work for the middle ground, and seek what’s beneficial to all, especially for our country?”

“But how do we do that? How can we achieve that?”

“Perhaps by adopting Common Good as one of our national core values, we can show to our people that this is the right path, that this is the road to national harmony and shared prosperity.”

“We need to show to our people that what is good for all is good for one.”

“We need to show to our people that you do not have to be extremely wealthy to enjoy a good life.”

“We need to show to our people, especially the leaders, that when we pursue the common good, almost everyone gets satisfied. When everyone is satisfied, there wiall be social and national harmony. If there is national harmony, there will be peace and order in society.”

The words above from Atty. Alex Lacson are spot on. The challenge we face as a nation, as we try to build it up and develop it further for the 21st century, is how to give flesh and substance to the original revolutionary idea that fired our forefathers to fight for an independent republic. That idea is “nationhood” – we are not just an aggrupation of barangays (as in pre-Spanish times); nor are we a people put together into separate “pueblos” (as in Spanish times). Beyond being merely regional blocs — of Tagalogs, Bicolanos, Cebuanos, etc. — we are above all Filipinos. No one else will fight for and build up our nation; only we Filipinos can do that.

Yet that sense of being one nation, of being a Filipino, gets lost by greed, selfishness, narrow and petty concerns. If we pursue these concerns with little regard for the national interest and the fundamental demands of long-term nation-building, we would not have risen to the level of a separate, autonomous, independent republic that the heroes of the Philippine Revolution have called us to work, live, and die for.

The “common good” is a well-worn phrase. We bandy it about. Well we should. However, what we all need to do — as Atty. Alex Lascson has articulated — is for us to give substance to it, indeed give flesh and blood to the phrase in all the actions and decisions we take in our life and in our work.