What seems to be emerging from the massive corruption scandal is that corruption has sadly become a norm and probably a culture for those involved and perhaps for the country as well. This is dangerous! We must therefore mightily fight it not only because it hinders economic progress and development but more importantly because it is destroying the social and cultural foundation of our nation.
We are most concerned especially about the young population of the country who are witnessing all these scandals. For sure, they are stunned, shocked, and even confused. Social media is flooded with videos and interviews lambasting the culprits and participants with varying accounts and opinions . Certainly, the youth are forming their own personal opinion on what they are witnessing. What is worrisome is the unspoken messages that we do not see, hear, or read. Recall the famous statement of the late Fr Roque Ferriols SJ, professor of Philosophy at the Ateneo De Manila University in the 70s whose medium of instruction was in Filipino: “Nasabi na ang lahat ng masasabi, subalit ang pinakamahalaga ay hindi masasabi”. Ito ang ilan sa hindi nasasabi subalit ang hangad natin ay masabi ang mga ito para makita ng lahat at maituwid:
- Cheating is how the world works. When the Filipino youth see our government leaders and their accomplices stealing, it tells them success is not about hard work, or honesty, but about connections and shortcuts.
- Rules do not matter if you are powerful. It normalizes the idea that laws are flexible for the rich and powerful, but rigid for ordinary Filipino citizens.
- Your future is disposable and biodegradable. Public funds funded by taxpayers’ money and borrowings are stolen telling the Filipino youth that their future, dreams and environment can be sacrificed by greed and lust for money.
Yan ang mga nasa isipan ng kabataan ngayon. Malinaw na ang kinabukasan ng kabataan at bansa ay nasa panganib. Huwag po nating pahintulutan na manakaw at mawasak ito. Ipaglaban natin!
We must therefore uphold and reaffirm our values. Foremost of these is that “public office is a public trust.” This principle is enshrined in our Constitution and various laws of the country. It is the core and foundation of public service. Article XI, Section 1 of the 1987 Constitution provides: “Public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives”. This is further reinforced in the Declaration of Policies of RA6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees), Section 2 which provides: “It is the policy of the State to promote a high standard of ethics in public service. Public officials and employees shall at all times be accountable to the people and shall discharge their duties with utmost responsibility, integrity, competence, and loyalty, act with patriotism and justice, lead modest lives, and uphold public interest over personal interest”. This constitutional policy and principle is the foundation of public service, that is, the public officer has been entrusted with public power by the people, but he holds this power in trust; it is only to be used for their good and benefit, and never for his own benefit or that of a few. Simply put, the moral ethics of public office is anchored on the principle that public office is a public trust for the good and benefit of the people.
This trust however has been violated. Understandably, with the disclosure of widespread corruption, the general public and the common people have reacted accordingly:
- Outrage and moral condemnation. There is resounding and widespread disgust of how taxpayers’ money intended to protect the people are allegedly corrupted and wasted. Our religious leaders have called it a moral abomination and economic sabotage because corruption in flood control does not only hurt government funds—it directly affects lives, public safety, and livelihoods.
- Distrust toward government and contractors. People in all sectors of society feel the DPWH, contractors, and certain lawmakers are grossly negligent and failed in their jobs by not only taking millions of kickbacks, but putting up substandard or even ghost projects.
- Demands for transparency and accountability. There are repeated and deafening calls for full and forensic investigations, protective mechanisms for whistleblowers, and prosecution of wrongdoers. And a call from civil society for publication of all infrastructure project details like budgets, names of contractors, and status of project, so the public can monitor and be informed. The enactment of the Freedom of Information is timely and indispensable.
Indeed, public trust is at its lowest at this point in time. The government cannot afford to remain timid and passive. It must act with dispatch, undeterred, and determined. This is the moment. It must not be wasted because The Filipino people and the community of nations are watching us.
René dG. Bañez is a former Commissioner of Internal Revenue and faculty of Ateneo Law School handling taxation.
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