Lack of manpower was the reason given by the Bureau of Immigration for the escape of so high-profile fugitives, you would think they would have put more effort into making sure the likes of Harry Roque could never slip through their fingers. And that is why reeling in Zaldy Co seems an exercise in futility.

When it comes to dealing with heinous cases, the inevitable failure becomes somebody else’s fault, or nobody-who-should-have-been-there’s fault.

The point is, we must learn to accept responsibility for ourselves. We must account for the duties given to us, and have the decency to admit our own shortcomings. When you are linked to a scandal, have the grace to step down. When your term has been unproductive, let go and give others a chance.

Is it a Filipino thing now? The culture feels lost, listless. And on a day like this, counting four decades since the Philippines rose from a long stupor, it seems we are back to where we started.

If politicians devoted half as much energy to addressing our country’s problems, perhaps the Philippines would be flourishing with better roads and bridges, cleaner streets and people who feel good about being Filipino.

Instead, 40 years after people said “enough is enough,” they are still saying the same thing. Isn’t that hilarious?

“It took me 47 years to understand that my life was never meant to be only mine,” said Sara Duterte before announcing her intention to throw her hat in the ring come 2028. She made it sound like a personal sacrifice, and gave a hint of the initial resistance she may have felt to the idea of taking on the reins her father took up first in Davao.

In making her way to the vice presidency, the second-generation Duterte bet once shook hands with another second-gen leader, and they both won in 2022. But Bongbong Marcos, like Sara, began his presidential term with such bright and hopeful expectations, until cracks began to show, and the whole nation is now torn apart anew by issues of corruption.

Amid impeachment calls against the top two officials, and the “Floodgate” controversy continuing to poke holes into both chambers of Congress, the talk has now veered toward possible candidates for the next elections.

So here is where we should draw the line. What is it about us that we would rather leave off when the task appears gargantuan? Forty years ago, EDSA happened because it had taken maybe several decades for people to lose their patience over abuses they chose to distract themselves from. Now, we have four decades to look back on and not much to show for it.

For once, may we focus on what needs to be done first before we go throwing around possible tandems for the next round of leaders who may likely disappoint us once again.

Let’s put in enough manpower where it matters. Let’s finish those investigations and find out whether the allegations have any teeth for a real case. Let’s see those government offices, national and local, doing their actual jobs for once, and stop this nonsense of waiting for change to happen with every new administration.

Change begins with each one of us.