Filth and corruption

While there are many ways in which filth and corruption are different, here we discuss how the two are similar.

Both filth and corruption refer to decay. Both stink. Both emerge from human beings whose self-interests count more than the welfare of others. There are countless who find their survival pegged to either filth or corruption.

There is a great moral divide, however, between the hardworking scavengers and the decadent corrupt. The former may look physically dirty and may tend to ward off others with their looks and smell but they morally can stand taller, much much taller than the latter that attract many with their perfumed smell, branded attire, and wealthy, powerful lifestyles.

Both filth and corruption emit smoke and where there is smoke, there is fire. Both cannot be forever hidden. Both are bound to emit foul smell and affect others to get rid of them in due time.

Both, however, accumulated through the years, stubbornly refuse to be removed and eradicated. Their existence, continuation and persistence are always at the expense of the greater majority of the population. They both eat up millions and billions of public funds so they can continue to exist.

Despite their being undesirable, filth and corruption remain so widespread and so pervasive, most people merely ignore or take their presence for granted. Indifference, tolerance, or even active involvement allow for both filth and corruption to continue to disturb and to eat up limited funds of our economy.

There are, of course, the principled and the crusaders who have offered their lives to getting rid of either or both filth and corruption. Some have lost their lives doing so, others have grown old doing so , others are just beginning to undertake the battle vs. filth and corruption.

Filth and corruption come to mind especially now with the ongoing Senate hearing on the NBN deal. Will the money of the Filipino people be honestly and productively used if this deal proceeds or will the money just filter to the filthy and the corrupt?

Accusations of bribery have been made and no less than GMA herself had been told about these bribes related to this NBN deal. But rather than be shocked and demand for an immediate investigation about the bribe report or instead of either temporarily shelving the deal or altogether junking the NBN deal because of the confirmed bribe attempts, GMA merely told former NEDA chief Romulo Neri not to accept the bribe? Why didn't Secretary Neri himself block the NBN deal given that a bribe attempt had been offered him in relation to that deal?

Has bribery and corruption in government become so widespread , so commonplace that high ranking government officials are no longer shocked or bothered by it? Is that why the Philippines continue to slide in terms of transparency and why it is now again ranked among countries perceived to be most corrupt?

A group of Japanese visiting students who made a brief study about the health and education situation of one Cebu City urban barangay observed that while the Cebuano students were encouraged to drink vitamins to keep healthy, the same students seemed oblivious to the reality of being , of living within very highly risky dirty communities. The visitors remarked, "why don't the students instead be encouraged to manage their garbage and waste more effectively? Then, they won't need to buy extra vitamins to stay healthy with clean water, proper sanitation and safe environment in their vicinity."

Are the Filipino people so immune to their environment of corruption, like the observed children of an urban poor community, that they proceed not to acknowledge its existence as a menace to their society and to the health of their economy and values?

How can a country that prides itself as Catholic remain so corrupt through centuries? Where are the vanguards of truth and of principles? What is the Church doing about so much corruption in this so-called God-fearing land?

Still and all, we see glimmer of inspiring leads in the present Senate hearing on the NBN deal. There are educators who have spent time to thoroughly research about the negative impact of the deal on the Filipino people. There are sincere legislators who are out to ferret the truth from the lies. We still have to see , though, someone who will clearly break away from the ranks of those who are filthy and the corrupt in the Executive and other branches of government. We are, however, seeing the active role of the principled in the judiciary in restoring faith in the laws and their implementation.

At least, now, we are gradually seeing the increasing number of those who love truth and honesty who are uniting together to fight and combat filth and corruption in this land. May the number of the anti-filth, anti-corruption thrive and increase!

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