In 1854, Chief Seattle, leader of the Suquamish and Duwamish Native American tribes in what is now known as the US state of Washington, spoke before a large crowd strongly in favor of ecological balance as he discussed—albeit forcibly—the concession of tribal lands in the Pacific Northwest United States to white settlers.

That was more than 155 years ago, and yet it seemed he foresaw what was to be expected from capitalist-driven economic development. Years after, the town of Seattle saw itself submerged in seawater, prompting early settlers to later build an entirely new town directly on top of the original, with roads and dwellings raised by about 15 to 20 feet.

When Commissioner Sixto Esquivias IV of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) resigned about two weeks ago, very few people had an inkling of what really brought it about. Still, his departure was more or less widely expected and only a matter of time.

A kidnapped priest released unharmed. A school principal’s head found in a gas station. More countries deeper in debt, rising faster than their GDPs. Is leadership in this country and elsewhere caught in permanent crisis?