EDITORIAL - Bureaucratic fat

Amid the pork barrel controversy, Malacañang announced late last year that several government-owned and controlled corporations linked to the scandal would be abolished. Lawmakers, however, said the move should not stop there and should include GOCCs that have outlived their usefulness or failed to serve their purpose.

Yesterday Palace officials said the government is studying the possibility of abolishing at least seven more GOCCs. The state firms were described by lawmakers as non-performing assets.

The review of the performance of GOCCs should also lead to a closer look at ways by which fat can be trimmed throughout the bureaucracy. There are too many barangay personnel, for example, who are wasting public funds. The youth councils should have been abolished a long time ago. A study of staffing patterns will help maximize the use of public funds. Political patronage in both the national and local governments has created a bureaucracy bloated with people lacking qualifications for their positions, or whose positions were created simply to accommodate them.

At the same time, however, the government lacks professionals and skilled workers in many frontline services. The number of health professionals, teachers, law enforcers and environment personnel cannot keep up with the needs of a booming population. Many areas lack judges and prosecutors.

Apart from being considered non-performing, several GOCCs are run by individuals who are among the highest paid in the government service. In the light of recent scandals, the pay scales, meant to match those in the private sector, are clearly not commensurate to the services rendered by the GOCCs and their executives.

There are many other state workers who do not deserve their paychecks from Juan de la Cruz. The abolition of scandal-ridden or non-performing GOCCs should be complemented by an overhaul in national and local government agencies. There are better uses for public funds than maintaining the bureaucratic fat.