I’ve just watched the You Tube video of Sen. Franciz “Chiz” Escudero’s forum in the UP School of Economics held on July 8. Escudero mainly talked about the current situation of our country like the on-going corruptions, the worsening state of education and other things. Most of his talks were primarily based on the shortcomings of the government and his proposition in solving them. Though I felt like what he said were already a reiteration of my past lessons (Especially to me, coming from a political science background) there were still some points that made me think otherwise.
Corruption has been a very common term in the country that even grade schoolers know about them. We shouldn’t be glad about this because it is only an indication that our country is going downhill that even the younger ones are experiencing it; making the word “corruption” a norm in the society.
According to Sen. Escudero, almost 1.4 billion pesos are lost due to corruption. This is indeed an eye opener, considering how much the people are suffering from the lack of funds from the government.
I shared Escudero’s thoughts in wondering what would happen if that 1.4 billion are spent to the welfare of the country. Perhaps it can lift us up from the stumbles of past administrations and even change our outlook to the world! But, going back to reality, it won’t be happening real soon.
Why the pessimistic attitude? Because it’s just like that. It is almost impossible to return that wealth because we ourselves are easily forgetting the past. Remember what had happened to the ill gotten wealth of Marcos? All the jewels of the First Lady? They are being returned to them, even though everybody knows that all the jewels are gotten from the blood and sweat of the people. If people forget, then corruption will continue to prosper.
One way to remove this corrupt practice, according to Senator Escudero, was to promote transparency in government transactions. He said that if government transactions become transparent, then there would be fewer people getting their hands on it.
That strategy would indeed be useful in the future, but there are some problems regarding that strategy. Transparency can only work if those who secure them are clean of corruption because is still using paper, and whatever you put in that paper can be easily altered, especially if you are buddies with those who write on it.
You can easily write in the paper that you will be allocating 3.5 million bucks on a certain project and audit everything that you’ve used, but if the auditor has no credibility, or if that person can gain “kick backs” for helping the politician, then won’t it be the same?
Transparency may indeed be one step closer to solving corruption, but it is just a temporary bandage. If these corrupt people do not get arrested, then they can easily find ways around the transparency issue.
I’ve had a professor in Political Science, I think, who told me the primary root of corruption. He said that corruption actually comes from the Filipino Culture. The concepts of Pakikipag kapwa tao and pamilya muna are the main reasons why corruption exists in the country. Filipinos often care for their family more than themselves. To remove corruption is to change our culture entirely, but to do that would be the big question.
Though what Senator Escudero proposed was a good step, the only way to resolve corruption---- to get back the 1.3 billion pesos--- is to start with ourselves. It may sound cliché, but understanding our culture and removing our bad habits would eventually clean the country from this problem
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