I need not recount details about the current issue of corruption in government, particularly in the DPWH’s flood control programs. This is by now already known to many.
If there is anything I can say, it is that if all the allegations are proven, then I have never in my lifetime seen a case of theft of public funds, the Filipino people’s money, like this. The amounts involved are staggering. The number of crooked government officials and private individuals in cahoots with them destroys the very essence of public service. It is revolting. That it has apparently persisted for years only deepens the outrage.
Sadly, this appears to be merely the tip of the iceberg.
If it is happening in flood control programs, are we to believe that it is not happening in other construction programs? If it is happening in the DPWH, are we to think that it is not happening in different agencies of government? If it happened in the last few years, did it not occur in previous administrations?
To the discerning reader, the most diplomatic response would be: “We were not born yesterday.”
Sadly again, it is the Filipino people who have suffered, are suffering, and will continue to suffer from the corruption that has been going on for years.
For all the talk about fighting corruption, from what I have seen, instead of being curtailed, it has, in fact, worsened over time. The perception of many I have talked to is that the breadth and depth of corruption are such that it can no longer be stopped due to the number of people involved.
If we talk of eradicating corruption simply through human effort, then I tend to believe it is not really possible to do so. The number of people involved, the power they hold, and the money they have will keep the system going. That is why I believe that to stop corruption, we need divine intervention.
Actually, from what is happening, we already see God’s hand. If the floods had not come with their resulting destruction, the huge anomalies would not have been brought to light.
The government officials who orchestrated the deals did not expect their co-conspirators — the crooked contractors and other government officials — to suddenly become whistleblowers. The Senate reorganization was likewise not expected. For me, this is God’s hand at work.
Almost everything is now publicly available. It is time for the good national and local government leaders to act. Cases can be filed immediately against those involved in ghost projects, substandard work, and those who have unexplained wealth. For the people outside the government, they should demand this.
The church leaders, who are the guardians of our faith and moral values, should insist that the authorities concerned move swiftly to eradicate corruption, punish the guilty, and confiscate ill-gotten wealth. It is their solemn duty to do so.
The pursuit of justice must not be confined to flood control anomalies alone. It must extend to all forms of corruption across government.
I believe that it is divine intervention that has brought all of the corruption and theft of people’s money to light. It is now up to the people to respond and do their share. As the saying goes, “God helps those who help themselves.”