Petiks, ethics and politics

Civil servants, especially those elected into office, carry a burden so heavy it should deter them from engaging in petty vendettas but instead concentrate on the work at hand.

Yet we have seen far too much recently of how our public officials behave, treating their roles like an extension of their egos. The performance of duties appears more like a “performance,” literally for show — a staggering display of irresponsibility.

I imagine that being a member of the House of Representatives would be both a huge honor and a daunting task — not to be taken lightly. And one assumes this is how all our leaders would regard their positions. Of course this is no longer how we see it.

The cracks in a system weakened by corruption have become gaping holes through which we finally see the truth.

That boxing match that never was between a provincial acting mayor and the chief of our national police, firstly, was a great source of entertainment, but it was a sad reflection of our society today. We have leaders who make spectacles of themselves, careless of the impact of their public outbursts, and even less caring of their responsibilities as leaders.And when a congressman is caught watching a cockfight on his cellphone as the voting for House leaders is ongoing on the day the President of the Philippines would be delivering his State of the Nation Address, it becomes big news, a cause for concern. Within an hour, the video erupts, millions are immediately engaged.

If anything, the clicks and ensuing brouhaha should nudge our present crop of leaders to take a moment to digest their roles. Because Filipino taxpayers will not take kindly to their elected officials looking like they are doing petiks anymore.

Petiks, the slang term for someone who is wasting time, or procrastinating, is not only unseemly for a public servant, it is unwelcome in light of recent calamities that only served to reveal how our vaunted institutions have failed us.

If his fellow congressmen had not urged him to come out, perhaps Nicanor Briones would not have admitted it was he who was caught viewing a cockfight. He would later say he had been caught in a moment of clicking a link merely sent to him.

Is Briones, a veteran of the House to be sure, with 12 years of experience as a party-list representative, just the unlucky one who was caught red-handed, so to speak, when so many others have done far worse?

Briones, in keeping with his role in AGAP, has represented the cause of farmers with some results. It is not like he has done nothing at all, but then again, it is not about his ability to do the job that is in question — it is about his ethics, commitment and accountability. And it is a message to all, not just those who are found flailing in their duties or failing expectations, but also those tasked to ensure there is order and discipline, especially among those in the higher ranks.

To “build a future where our nation is respected and admired,” to borrow a phrase from House Speaker Martin Romualdez, we must begin by earning this same respect and admiration among ourselves.