Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto urged graduating law students of the University of the Philippines to resist everyday ethical compromises, warning that corruption thrives because small acts of dishonesty eventually become institutionalized.

Speaking during the UP College of Law commencement exercises on Saturday, Sotto said many of the country’s biggest corruption scandals did not begin with powerful figures but with misconduct that gradually became accepted as normal.

“It is more surprising when you meet someone who is honest than someone who is corrupt,” Sotto told the graduating Class of 2026.

The mayor said corruption persists because unethical behavior has become routine in both government and private institutions.

Citing the government’s ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in flood control projects, Sotto said the controversy mirrors past scandals rather than representing an isolated case.

“We see things like the flood control scandal. It’s like it’s just repeating. Not just repeating, but the amount we’re talking about now is even bigger,” he said.

Drawing comparisons with the 2013 Priority Development Assistance Fund scandal, Sotto questioned whether only a few individuals would ultimately be held accountable.

He said systemic corruption develops through a series of seemingly minor ethical lapses.

“Everything systemic, everything that has been institutionalized, started with one decision, with one small practice. It started with a small scam. It started with a small bribe,” he said.

Sotto warned that young lawyers entering public service or private practice would eventually face pressure to falsify documents, facilitate kickbacks, influence regulators, or participate in vote-buying.

“The most frequently asked question of young leaders is, ‘How can I not be eaten by the system?’” he said.

While acknowledging that reform efforts can be frustrating, Sotto urged the graduates to remain steadfast, saying lasting institutional change begins with individual choices.

“The president will be no savior for our nation,” he said. “How fast we go will depend on you — the incoming generation of leaders and changemakers.”