Drive vs corruption
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s successor would do well to pursue without fear nor favor the government’s nationwide campaign against graft and corruption in state offices and agencies.
That’s why we, as well-meaning Filipinos, cannot overemphasize the importance of electing men and women of proven integrity in next year’s national and local elections.
The citizens, through the country’s close to 65 million registered voters, go to the polls again on May 9, 2022 to elect new government officials, including Duterte’s successor.
Everybody agrees that corruption is “pervasive and deep-rooted” in the Philippines, where a good portion of the annual budget ends up in the deep pockets of the corrupt.
Thus, it is not surprising why highly-enterprising thieves in government uniform and their cohorts in the private sector are still active not only in the metropolis but elsewhere.
“Talagang imposibleng mawala ng lubusan ang katiwalian at korapsyon sa mga opisina ng gobyerno, nasyonal man o lokal,” lamented a newly-retired female public school teacher.
“Kahit sino siguro ang maupo sa Malakanyang ay hindi niya matutuldukan ang mga kawalanghiyaan sa gobyerno,” added another former state-employed mentor.
Admittedly, the tough-talking and graft-buster President Duterte from Davao City in Mindanao tried everything to eradicate graft and corruption in the bureaucracy.
Without doubt, the incoming Chief Executive will have the support of the impoverished Filipino people, including the ordinary citizens, in a serious anti-corruption campaign.
He/she should waste no time in going after the so-called big fish if he/she wants to succeed in the gigantic undertaking, according to well-meaning political analysts.