The Filipino paradigm is that a lot of them go to politics to make money, that’s the only thing that they do.

President Rodrigo Duterte said he may need a power similar to that of preacher Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, who claimed to have ordered an earthquake in Mindanao to stop, to end corruption in government.

In an address at the opening of the Acacia Hotel Davao late Friday, the President said seeking services from government remains prone to corruption.

“If only I had the power similar to Quiboloy. Well I believe in him. When he said stop, what’s the trouble? So, it stopped. If I can only have that power against the corrupt, I’ll tell them to stop,” he said in jest.

The Chief Executive noted that Filipinos are hard to dissuade.

“The Filipino paradigm is that a lot of them go to politics to make money. That’s the only thing that they do,” he noted. “They get elected and make money.”

Mr. Duterte also reiterated his call to the public to report government officials and employees engaged in corrupt activities, such as demanding money for the release of certain permits or documents.

Some bureaucrats and government officials, the President said, are still using their positions to extort money from the public, especially investors who are trying to comply with regulatory requirements in their businesses.

“They (investors) are afraid of venturing into business because these politicians ask for money. Sometimes they want to be partners,” the President averred.

“They demand money before you have the conversion or before they will approve or allow a certain project,” Duterte said.

He also urged victims to come out into the open so that “they can even personally talk to me to address their concerns.”

“You can come to Malacañang to complain. It is open 24 hours a day. You tell the guards to wake me up. I will call that official in your presence,” he said.

Duterte also urged the public to be assertive when engaging public servants and government officials, particularly if they are being victimized by graft.

Despite his admission that corruption is difficult to beat, the Duterte administration has established measures to discourage corruption in the bureaucracy.

For instance, the President said he signed the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018 to further create an environment conducive to business.

“We remain committed (to) enforcing measures to provide (a) conducive environment to encourage more business development. The government will pursue policies and programs to fight corruption,” he said.

Noting that his term would end in two years, Duterte called on “corruption victims” to come out, so he could address the matter immediately.

“I am a man in a hurry. I have only two years left,” he said.

The Chief Executive vowed earlier to dedicate his last three years in weeding out graft and corruption in government.

Mr. Duterte also vowed to preserve the accomplishment of his administration since he assumed office midway of 2016.

“I’d like to maintain the momentum of (the campaign against) graft. I will not live forever. But maybe as President I have this — not everybody is given a chance to address to the people,” he said.