Drive vs corruption
IN the view of many Filipinos, notably the electorate, the more important question now is what the incoming administration will do to stamp out official graft and corruption.
Everybody concedes that wrongdoing in the government continues to tarnish the image of this impoverished nation of English-speaking people in the international community.
Thus, with just 16 days before election day, each of the frontrunning presidential candidates ought to present his/her “program of action” against graft and corruption.”
According to public opinion surveys, the frontrunners are former Sen. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Vice President Leni Robredo, Mayor Isko Moreno and Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson.
As the May 9 political exercise approaches, the public wants to know the presidential hopefuls’ thoughts on the continued existence of “crooks and vultures” in the bureaucracy.
Some quarters claimed that every year, a good portion of the country’s annual national budget goes into the deep pockets of corrupt men and women in government uniform.
Years ago, a World Bank (WB) study commissioned by then President Estrada said that corruption “is pervasive and deep-rooted” in this poverty-stricken Asian nation.
“Pati mga ordinaryong kababayan natin ay naniniwalang ang talagang ugat ng malawakang kahirapan sa bansa ay korapsyon at katiwalian,” said a lowly-paid government employee.
Certainly, the successor of outgoing President Rodrigo R. Duterte will have the support of the suffering Filipino people in a serious campaigns to rid the government of “thieves.”
But the incoming administration should target the “big fish” para maniwala ang publiko na talagang seryoso ang kampanya laban sa korapsyon.
