John Locke uses natural law to ground his philosophy. For him, “natural law holds that human beings are subject to a moral law”. It emphasizes duty.  Morality or goodness is fundamentally about duty, and this duty of each individual has to abide by the natural law. On the other hand, Thomas Hobbes created a new approach when he based morality not on duty but on natural right. It is the right of each individual to preserve himself, to pursue his own good essentially, to do as he wishes. Natural law and natural right may be combined, but if they are, one must take precedence over the other. Either the individual’s right, or his duty to moral law, must come first. What is the great difference of the two? One characteristic of the natural right is that it takes man to be by nature a private and independent creature. For Hobbes men are free and independent, having a right to pursue their own self-interest with no limitations, and no duties to one another. The priority of individuals’ right reflects their separateness, their lack of moral ties to one another. They had no duty to respect the rights of others. Locke speaks that men are free, equal, independent and at liberty to do as they wish but with limitations. Individuals have a duty to respect the rights of others. Obviously, this limitation separates Locke from Hobbes.

The seminary formation offers us the opportunity to form and develop ourselves to become efficient and effective leaders. We have given the chances, tasks, responsibility, initiative and freedom to lead the community based on our capacities, power, means and capabilities.  Reality speaks and shows that there are some of us seminarians take the position and responsibility not to lead the community aiming for unity, peace and harmony but only for their advantage, selfish desire and personal motives. Some would take the chance to be recognized by the formators. Some would use their authority to harshly control and command others. Some would abuse their power up to the extent of making decisions and rules which are out already of the context and not thinking of its communal effect. They focus more on their privileges or rights and not on their duties which are more important. It seems that there are no limitations already. This is very true because I was once a lower year, a follower and of course now a member of the council. There are times that I was being blinded, deceived and controlled by my human tendencies, particularly by the authority I have. It seems that the reason of the mind is higher than the reason of the heart. I become so rational. However, there are times that I cannot deny the fact that I really and badly need to use my power and right as a leader to give sanctions, to be strict, to be firm, to be harsh and sometimes to act or pretend badly because others are becoming abusive and tolerant. I also need to preserve my rights as a leader, to preserve myself as a person, of being good. They become stubborn, intolerant, hard-headed, lack of respect, degrading my dignity as a leader, insulting me, threatening me, and really show bad actions in the community; I would like to believe that, this unnecessary actions of seminarians should not be tolerated. And as human beings, I believe that in this kind of situation, we have the tendency to become impulsive with regards to our response. In this moment, we don’t even think to respect them anymore because they don’t also respect my rights. I need also to defend myself.

Having a task, or special assignment, could be either good or bad for an individual. Well, it will depend on the situation. It could be good if the task being given suits on the personality of the individual – it will be heaven for him. Plus, if the given task is also the same thing that he is wishing for; he is just waiting for the right time where he can grab it, or he is just waiting that somebody will appoint it to him. But if the given task doesn’t fit on the personality of the individual, it will surely be hell for him. His options will be: first, to take it and consider as an opportunity to grow and to widen more his perspective about life, and secondly, he is going to take it by the virtue of no choice and won’t totally commit himself from the attached responsibilities- just to stay good before others and in the eyes of his superiors.

Duty or responsibility is a common thing in life. We can never escape it as long as we live our lives, or as long as we are living in this world. In fact, it is our very existence, we have to work in order for us to survive, we have to work so that we can also relate to others, and we have to work so that we can also contribute to the growth of our community or society, as a whole.

Here in the seminary, wherein we, seminarians, are formed to become integrated persons, are given the chance to handle big responsibilities, not only our personal responsibility to ourselves but also the responsibility to others. As what our mentors are usually saying, “Responsibilities are not meant to burden you, but it is an opportunity given to you so that you can realize your own strengths and weaknesses. Thus, it can help you to become more mature persons with a good sense and background in dealing with your responsibilities later on. It is an early training for all of you to make you well prepared when you are priests already, wherein more and even bigger responsibilities will be assigned to you.”

In m y personal experience, I’d like to admit that having responsibility, sometimes, is very difficult. It really challenges my person, testing my patience and endurance in the formation. There were times that I’m about to cry, because I don’t know what to do first and I’m losing focus. It sometimes left me hanging in the middle line, crushing my brain by thinking what’s the best way to kill these two birds (my duties - sometimes it is not only two, but also three, four, five, and even more) in just one stone (one process). I’m sure that I can do all my tasks well and there’s no question about it, but my usual problem is “time.” We are given so many tasks but we don’t have enough time. I’m not telling that I don’t know how to manage my time, but the only thing is, sometimes, I am given so many tasks which are really time-suppressing. Plus, there are also surprise tasks that are really surprising me most of the time, wherein somebody will just simply say to me, “Please do this and that… go to this person and tell him/her that… inform the community that… check them… etc.” Often times, in secret, I’m also complaining, but the funny thing is, I’m still doing what is asked me to do and afetrwards it creates a certain feeling that makes me feel so good whenever I accomplished my duties. Sometimes I came to the point that I’m asking myself, “Why me? Kadamo sa amom ngaa ako lang haw? I’m not the only one who is capable of doing these things. For sure, there are others who are better than me.” But answer also sprouted after asking it to myself, it was then that I totally realized that I was so privileged because I’m being chosen to do such tasks. I’m doing it not only for myself but for the community. That it would already be my chance to serve my brothers and sisters in the very best that I can do.

To be a leader is a privilege and becoming a good leader is never easy. You have to be a good model for everybody. You must live the laws of the institution you are in and never dare to violate any of them, because everybody is watching you- you have to set yourself as good example towards others. In short, you are the eye of everything; you have to maintain the orderliness of the community and discipline your members and motivate them so that they can function well in their tasks and responsibilities. But to be a leader doesn’t only mean that you will be burdened with the responsibilities given to you. There are also things that make you happy as a leader, especially when you see that you are helping others by being with them in their struggles, working with them so that they can survive it. It’s good to see that others are improving because you help them motivate their selves. And most especially, it’s nice to hear when others say their sweet “thank you!” after serving them. It draws the heart to smile and make it even stronger. Duties are not meant to burden us in life. It could be also a great privilege for us to serve others and to become part of their lives.

Leaders are important part of the society. Every society or institution needs a leader. Leaders are the ones to see to it that everything goes right and the structure is working well. Of course, we cannot deny the fact that there will always be defects in every society, but as much as possible, leaders should give their best in making and implementing solutions to these defects. If they can see that the structure is not working, then they must change the structure. Leaders have to be moderate in their “being leaders.” What I mean is that, leaders must not be in the two extremes: the “commanding-leader” and the “industrious-leader.” To be a leader is not only about commanding and commanding to ones members. It is also important that as leader, one has to do some dirty works (hands on) with his/her members. Another thing is that, to be a leader is not necessarily that one has to do all the works needed to be done. A leader also has to divide the tasks to his/her members and push them to do their assigned works. Leaders are not above/superior than its members. They are just the representative or the voice of the people.

John Locke, one of the influential political philosophers, is known in his emphasis on the natural laws of man more than the natural rights. Natural laws refer to the laws that are understood to be given. Because of their being given, these laws need no more definition or further explanation. If they are defined or explained, their definition and explanation are loose. These laws are considered as absolute. They are known by the natural reason. Hobbes on the other hand, emphasized man’s natural rights more than the natural laws. Natural rights refer to the rights of man. It focuses on man’s privileges. In relation to leadership, there are two kinds of leaders: the “servant-leader” and the “served-leader.” “Servant-leaders” are the leaders who focus in the natural laws of man. Because they focus in the natural laws, their very concern is their duties. They would always consider first their responsibilities, their duties to the society and the people living there. Their very priority is to do their duties and serve the people. That is why, they are called servant-leaders because doing their duty (connected to their being a leader) is in itself a service (service to the people). On the other hand, “served-leaders” are those leaders who focus on their natural rights as leaders. Because they focus on their rights, their very concern is the privileges they can get from their position/title. Their focus is not anymore in their work, but in the rewards given to them by their “being-leaders.” If they focus in the rewards/privileges and not in their duties, there is a big possibility that their power will eat and corrupt them.

Being a leader always comes with duties and privileges (Duties and Privileges). They always coexist with each other. It is in the matter of what the leader would prioritize between the two (Duties or Privileges). Good leaders usually focus their self in their duties and not in the privileges they can get from their position. Prioritizing their duties is not self-serving. It is always for the good of all. Duty is equal to service. True leaders are those leaders that really serve the people. On the other hand, bad leaders (usually the corrupt ones) are those leaders who focus their self in the privileges and benefits they can get from their position. Because of their focus to privileges, they are not sincere in their “being leaders” because the truth is, they are after the benefits of being a leader which is self-serving.

The Challenge- In relation to the Seminary…

The St. Vincent Ferrer Seminary is an institution that produces leaders of the church, state and even different (small/big) organizations. It has produced the likes of Jaime Cardinal Sin, Graciano Lopez-Jaena, Martin Delgado, Quintin Salas and large number of priests and bishops. It also produced people with mastery in different kinds of art. There are also a number of ex-seminarians who are now successful in their chosen fields. In other words, the St. Vincent Ferrer Seminary is not only a formation house for those who aspire to become priests, but also a training ground for the future leaders both of the church and the state. The seminary teaches not only how to lead, but also the morals to consider in leading. Being a seminarian is in itself a challenge. It is a challenge to prove that the seminary produces good leaders of the church and state.

As a living being, by nature, we are being governed by our duties which the natural emphasized. As Christian, it is our duty already to live according to the commandment of our Lord Jesus Christ; (1) Love for God and (2) Love for our neighbour as ourselves. This two emphasizes love as the primary duty of all Christians. Imagine a life without duties. Do you think we can go on living if there is no duty? Duties give order in human life. Through duties that we are able to come up with our rights and later on it will become privilege already for all of us because we are being satisfied and fulfilled our needs.

“Rights exist to insure that we are able to fulfil our duties.” Rights protect duties yet without duties there can be no rights. In other world duties and rights are fundamental need of human life. Duties are always good because it comes from natural law. Duties will always make a person happy. And the rights protect the choice of man to be happy. And to be happy is already a privilege to a person. Although all of us have given a chance to be happy, there are always some that reject happiness, thus rejects also his rights and duties as well.

Duties as I said gives a person a chance to be happy. The only problem along the way is the rights which the person makes or the choice which the person makes. If the rights do not fit with the duties then doing duties would not make us happy anymore. This duty is not anymore a duty but an obligation which a person is being forced to do a certain act. Like for example, I was chosen to be a leader of a group and by nature of being a leader I must take the lead in the group. The fact that a person was chosen is because he has the potential to be a leader. In contrary, being chosen as a leader was a force and not voluntarily made makes his duty as a leader as an obligation already. I don’t want to be leader but because I was chosen, I am obliged to do what should be done. It is not anymore the duty that govern the leader but the obligation itself. But as a matter of fact, we can also gain privilege out of our obligation. For there are times that I am forced to do this job and as I finished doing it, although along the way I felt bad, I felt happy and for me happiness is already a privilege for a person.

 To experience happiness is a sign that we are able to fulfil our duties. And the fulfilment of our duties gives us a privilege to be happy. At this moment, as I am nearly finishing my paper, I can feel happiness already because my duty as a student of making a reflection paper is coming to an end. And at the end I know I will gain privileges because it was already finish. I can have a good rest, I will not anymore think about my paper in Political Philosophy, and I can start already making paper in Contemporary Philosophy. And I know that the same thing will again happen when I finished making my paper in Contemporary Philosophy. To be able to accommodate my duty is to be able to gain my privileges.