Corruption in university, a global shame

Corruption in university, a global shame | Daily Tribune

Corruption flourished in a university from 2006 to 2025 until President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., sensing something was terribly wrong, amid the recent Cabinet reshuffle appointed a new set of officials at the Commission on Higher Education: a new chairman and commissioners.

Earlier, during the First National Higher Education Day Summit on 15 May 2024 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Marcos declared to resounding applause from the audience: “Education should never be viewed as mere expenditure; it is the most valuable investment we can make for our future.”

As a testament to his commitment, access to free higher education boasts total funding of P134 billion in the national budget. But the President lamented, “No Philippine university landed in the Top 100 in TIMES Higher Education 2024 Asia University Ranking.” Ateneo maintained its 400-500 ranking, the highest in the Philippines.

The conclusion, the culprit for the downfall, was the CHEd! No less than its chairperson, who was supposed to be the paragon of all virtues, was himself the leader of all woes.

A young lawyer, whose father has not yet been paid for the work he accomplished for the University of Science and Technology in Southern Philippines (USTSP) wrote this:

“Since 2016, there has been a continuing attempt by USTSP officials to keep Wing-An Construction and Development Corporation in the dark with regard to documents which allegedly clarify and enlighten its claims. This evident lack of transparency, belated submission of documents, and utter evasion of obligation give rise to opportune moments for the manufacture of truths, fabrication of documents, and laundering of illicit activities.”

“The same is precisely the root cause of corruption, which suggests suspicious transactions occurring in the university all of which could have been avoided if everybody was dealing in good faith,” the young lawyer said.

The very institution established to mold future generations was being managed by corrupt public officials. Corruption persisted because the perpetrators were not being investigated. In reality it had become an industry ironically practiced by the CHEd, the university president, the vice president, members of the board of regents, and other university officials.

Then she quoted Bess Myerson: “The accomplice to the crime of corruption is frequently our own indifference.”

Section 27, Article II, of the Constitution provides: “The State shall maintain honesty and integrity in public service and take positive and effective measures against graft and corruption.”

Given that declaration of principles in our Constitution brings out the disappointment of a lot of our people, most especially our youth, students in universities and colleges where no less than their heads, who are supposed to be the models, are the ones who are behaving beyond the bounds of propriety and are actually violating the laws, rules, and regulations, and consequently, are being charged for oppression and serious dishonesty.

What President Bongbong Marcos did in fully reorganizing the CHEd brings to our recollection the time way back in 1975 when President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos purged 2,000 government officials and employees.