IN AN earlier column, I proposed there is the need for a meeting between government leaders, not only the President, and business leaders – like those involved in conglomerates like Ramon S. Ang, Manny Pangilinan, Ricky Razon and the Ayalas – to find out ways and means of solving the problem of rampant corruption which the country is suffering from.
I believe this meeting is necessary, Santa Banana, to resolve, once and for all, rampant and massive corruption in connection with government infrastructure projects.
Yes, we have the ICI (Independent Commission for Infrastructure), created by President Marcos Jr., to find out ways and means for solving this problem of rampant corruption, but I believe the President should call for a meeting between high government officials led by himself and business leaders to prioritize and adapt a system whereby the people’s money cannot just be stolen.
Take for instance the problem of infrastructure projects here in Metro Manila and nearby provinces and in Mindoro, where the district engineers have the power to decide what should be prioritized .
And they have the power to decide kickbacks for government people.
I am just wondering how in the world a simple district engineer can decide by himself which infrastructure projects should be prioritized.
Santa Banana, that means the district engineers of the DPWH have the power to decide who gets the money and even decide whether a project will be adapted or not, giving them the power to create a project or not.
Santa Banana, they also have the power to create so-called “ghost projects.”
I had an earlier column where I mentioned the necessity of government officials. including the President, meeting with business leaders which I believe can solve the system of rampant corruption, which in effect amounted to billions of people’s money stolen by those involved in government infrastructure.
This way, a meeting between government officials including the President and business leaders can resolve this problem of rampant corruption ending in the creation of ghost infrastructure projects and the billions of pesos in kickbacks going into the hands of public officials.
I believe that, more than anything else, what should be resolved is the system of building infrastructure projects, some of which are called ghost projects.
Business leaders like the Ayalas, Ramon Ang, Ricky Razon, Manny Pangilinan and the Sy family of SM and the Villars can help the President and high government officials in that meeting.
Reports have it that growth targets cannot be achieved this year primarily because of rampant corruption, where investors hesitate to get involved in Philippine business.
A meeting between high government officials including the President and business leaders like those mentioned in Fortune magazine, is essential and necessary if we expect once and for all to resolve this problem of rampant corruption.
Other countries have progressed because they have learned how to resolve corruption.
It is for this reason, my gulay, why there is the urgent need to prioritize this meeting of high government officials including President Marcos Jr. and business leaders.
Our country cannot go on like this, with just trying to investigate those involved in anomalies and jailing them. After jailing them, what next?
There is the urgent need to act fast.
If there is a will, there is always a way.
More than the nation’s problems of poverty and lack of jobs, the biggest problem now is rampant corruption.
As a Filipino, I hide my head in shame because of our continued rampant corruption.
Santa Banana, this must stop. We cannot go on like this. Corruption must stop.
