Corruption and the beginning of the end

When Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed our independence from Spain in July 1897 he wrote: “Error and deception is the motto of public instruction; in the schools and the press absolute tyranny; on all sides, ignorance, vice and corruption… Appeals to the laws have no effect; demands in legitimate form, have only received contempt…”

The revolution of 1897 was founded on the principles of freedom, equality and justice. And yet, graft and corruption have since become our constant, unfortunate, companions. We have become used to hearing about new scandals; we watch them rapidly rise to national prominence and fade just as quickly, with nothing to show for the pomp and circumstance. It has become the background noise in our lives.

Corruption is an old story: Old Manila and the Spanish Empire had their issues, as did the American occupation, and it appeared we hit bottom during Martial Law. Early in the Spanish empire, Bishop Domingo de Salazar wrote to King Philip II to describe rising corruption within the bureaucracy and decry the treatment of the native Filipino by some of the Spaniards. He says, “I speak of what has happened and now happens…so that your majesty may see if it is right to overlook or tolerate things which go so far beyond human justice.” He, and Aguinaldo later and many more since, believed in, and fought for, the Filipino.

We were ashamed to see the Philippines included in an article in Newsweek magazine (December 31, 2008) entitled, “How to Save Democracy”, which said: “In Nigeria, the Philippines and once again in Pakistan, democracy is floundering amid massive corruption, weak government and a loss of public faith.” The Philippines was once the shining light of Asia, yet now is mentioned in the same breath with the likes of Pakistan and Nigeria. In 2007, a survey by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy in Hong Kong said: “The Philippines has the distinction of being perceived in the worst light this year. People are just growing tired of the inaction and insincerity of leading officials when they promise to fight corruption.”

In a speech during the First Integrity and Human Rights Commission forum, Ambassador Alistair Macdonald of the European Commission presented a case to show that corruption and human rights are intertwined. We whole-heartedly agree with this sentiment. Ambassador Macdonald said it best: “Freedom from the disastrous effects of corruption is as much a human right as the freedom from fear or the freedom from hunger, and indeed corruption helps to promote hunger and fear and is a direct assault on human rights...”

Corruption is a problem of our own creation. We can look outside of our borders for assistance, and we should (the European Union has graciously offered their assistance). We can look to our history to blame someone for our predicament, but that is ultimately just an academic exercise. A good place to start cleaning up is in the press. We, in media, are in the best position to change the state of affairs in our country. We are the conscience of the country and we must be above reproach: only with uncompromised values can we be effective and credible writers and reporters. If there is no change, we fear for the future of the country.

Nothing undermines the faith and confidence of the people more than to read about unsustained graft and corruption charges that guilty parties manage to evade despite blatant proof and evidence. Pile all of the political propaganda railing against graft and corruption on top of another and you will have a structure as high as the Tower of Babel. And that is what we have in the country today, confusion and noise akin to the Tower of Babel.