By Raymund Antonio The country greatly needs not only a strong leader, but someone who puts others before himself, Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo said on Tuesday. Vice President Leni Robredo (OVP / MANILA BULLETIN) “Effective leadership is never about one man’s ability to wield power. It is about political will, yes, but never about brute force or aggressive behavior,” Robredo said. “At its very core, leadership is about sharing that power so that others may also prosper,” she stressed. Robredo addressed the luncheon meeting of the Rotary Club of Makati held at the Manila Peninsula Hotel. The RCM counts executives of the country’s biggest corporations, heads of various financial institutions, businessmen, and other professionals as members. They listen and exchange views with the invited guest during their regular meeting on Tuesdays. Speaking before its members, the Vice President emphasized that an effective leader should inspire others to become better citizens. “It is about making sure that there are systems in place that will require public officials to be good,” Robredo, a soft-spoken former human rights lawyer, said. “It is providing platforms that will allow people to directly engage their government without fear of backlash or retribution or harassment,” the Vice President added. Robredo noted that country’s future lies not in the hands of a strong leader but also in the “collective courage and action of our people.” "Governance is not just about the government; It is about how the government and its people engage with each other," she said. The Vice President got her message across as the people around the world today are associating strong leadership with harsh behavior, brute force, and punitive action. For one, President Rodrigo Duterte has attracted global attention for his harsh language, sheer bravado, and brand of leadership. A Time magazine even featured Duterte as among the “strongmen” leaders of the era. He was ranked among the likes of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Robredo lauded the RCM for its members' "great sense of civic duty," as she urged them to join her office’s fight against poverty.