EDITORIAL - A blow to reforms

You can see why any campaign against corruption ends up nowhere in this country. We all know that many government workers are corrupt and inept. But attempts to disrupt business as usual in any government agency, including those that consistently rank high in surveys on corruption, always run into stiff resistance.

Vitaliano Nañagas tried to institute reforms at the Social Security System. He found himself subjected to a parody of people power, with the SSS rank and file, including certain persons facing formal graft charges, demanding his ouster. And the administration quickly caved in.

That show of political weakness naturally inspired similar movements in other government agencies. A recent victim was Education Secretary Raul Roco, who had tried to institute reforms in a department better known for textbook scandals than quality education.

The other day Rene Bañez became the latest casualty of bastardized people power. As commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Bañez had also tried to clean up what is perceived to be one of the most corrupt government agencies. He ended up resigning, and Malacañang imme-diately accepted the offer amid falling revenue collections and a runaway budget deficit.

Bañez blamed BIR personnel for the revenue shortfall, saying they had sabotaged his reform efforts. BIR employees said he had no one to blame but himself for the disappointing tax collections. Because of the track record of the BIR, Bañez’s lament has a more credible ring. It can be almost entertaining to watch BIR employees picketing and denying corruption in the bureau. A clean BIR is an oxymoron, but that was what Bañez had envisioned when he took over the agency. His efforts to institute reforms, however, predictably encountered strong resistance. Since last year employees’ pickets against Bañez have eaten up many working hours in an already underperforming bureau.

Today, as the nation marks the 19th death anniversary of Sen. Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., we are reminded once again of how potent people power can be, and of how it can be a catalyst for major reforms. People power was the culmination of the struggle against a dictatorship that was sparked by Ninoy’s death. No one who participated in that peaceful revolt would have envisioned people power being used to resist efforts to implement reforms and curb cor-ruption. No wonder Congress is seriously considering the abolition of the BIR – a move that is bound to receive public support.