SPECIAL REPORT: Politics seeps into process of selecting SUCs heads

(Last of 2 parts)

MANILA, Philippines - Being president of a state university or college is no bed of roses.

It’s prestigious, all right, as it sometimes caps one’s career, but it has attendant problems and concerns, as exemplified by the court cases and harassments from within and from without brought upon the university head’s doorsteps.

We remember a good friend who had been president of a university down south. Once, we congratulated him for his exoneration by the court from a malicious charge filed against him by a subordinate.

He thanked us but added that while he was acquitted, his pocket was not. He lamented that during the long litigation, he spent a fortune for his defense.

Other SUC executives are similarly situated — shelling out big sums for their defense in court against real, imagined, or malicious accusations.

Take the case of another former university president friend up north, who had been cleared several times of charges filed against him.

We had written him a personal letter, congratulating him for his exoneration, because we believe that he was a “God-loving, competent, and very honest man.”

He responded with a long, touching handwritten letter, opening himself up to us thus:

“The thanklessness of my job is taking a heavy toll on my wavering health and peace of mind, not to mention the pathetic impoverishment of my family due to expenditures for legal assistance on nuisance complaints filed against me by corrupt businessmen backed up by politicians.”

He then posed the following questions:

“How does a poor administrator like me who does not want to be corrupted by strictly following the letter and spirit of the law on public bidding and purchases of government supplies and materials cope with extraneous processes, machinations, threats, intimidations, blackmail, etc. from businessmen-politicians who would like to monopolize big construction projects as well as the sale of laboratory equipment and supplies?”

“How do you cope with a syndicate of school finance personnel in cahoots with or beholden to these corrupt and greedy businessmen-politicians?”

He continued: “It is ‘kung hindi ka marunong makisama, humanda ka. Tignan ko kung makakatagal ka sa korte or Tanodbayan. May pera ako pang-abogado, wala ka’.”

Our friend died almost a pauper — but to the very end (he continued working after retirement) he had kept his principles and exemplary virtues intact, not succumbing to devilish temptations.

That was long before the “matuwid na daan” came along.

Another friend, also a former university president, has long retired from government service, but to this day still has to work hard to support his family. In his time (he had headed research institutions, too), he used to tell his subordinates: “We are here to serve, not to make money or become rich.”

If he had strayed from the “matuwid na daan”, he could be “living like a king” now (not working even in his advanced age) through the bounties of corrupt practices.

But many Filipinos still value their honor more than filth wealth, right?

By the way, why don’t politicians leave state colleges and universities alone?