Who do you think is the catalyst of corruption?
If you are going to ask Filipinos who is to blame for widespread corruption in the Philippines, you’ll eventually get the common answer: the politicians. But let me enlighten you—corruption did not just spring up overnight; it happened gradually. Let me open your mind to the root cause of this problem. It’s not a politician who started it. Ready to be awakened? Here we go.
Remember that small favor you asked—maybe a case of beer because it was your birthday? A few cents for your merienda? Or those uniforms for your basketball league? Do these things ring a bell? Of course they do. Your small favors during the campaign sessions, taken out of a running candidate’s own pocket, are the true triggers of corruption. Who would spend millions out of their own pocket during an election and not retrieve it back from the government’s vault once they are already in position?
You think 500 pesos is enough to sell your vote? Yes, 500 is enough for a day’s meal, but what will happen in the coming days? If you think a politician started the culture of corruption in the Philippines, I kid you not, because they didn't. It was the citizens who started it all. Small favors in exchange for big ones—like your dignity, your entire family tree's descendants' freedom from debt, and your overall quality of life.
Your loyalty to a personality won’t do any good for you when all they want is to gain back what they spent during the election period. 500 pesos in exchange for the whole country’s suffering. It’s ironic that when you watch your K-Dramas or teleseryes, you know exactly which side to take—of course, you side with the protagonist because they fight for what is right and moral. But why can’t you see that the politicians you are worshiping aren't the protagonists in this decades-long story of corruption? Why is it that in beauty pageants we hold the highest standards for the winner, but you are all blindsided when it comes to your public servants? Why are you just brushing off the reality that you started this culture of corruption? Until you keep ignoring the red flags and change your ways, we will forever be stuck in this black hole.
Stop soliciting from politicians; your birthday celebration is not their obligation. Stick to what is right. The only thing that we should ask from people in power is good governance and the proper use of our tax money for services, infrastructure, and the vital needs of the citizens—like education, healthcare, and public safety. Your personal needs, like birthday parties and any other personal occasions in your life, do not require tax money. It's personal, so stop asking government officials for your whims and start working your ass off to fulfill your wants.
As a citizen of this country, we have a duty to the Philippines to act as responsible members. We are here to help our country progress, not add to its burden. When we all change our ways and start acting like responsible citizens, we will be able to eliminate corruption and other illegal activities. Start by voting with dignity, then clean up your act. We are no longer kids, so act like a mature adult with accountability. This isn't a blame game. This is an awakening. Gising, Pilipinas, Gising!
