“We have become jaded by the reality of too much corruption. We just keep electing the same lecherous brigands every three years“
WRITING an article while the rains keep pouring and watching news about the fatalities in rampaging floods that have been sweeping not just the metropolis but so many other regions, one begins to wonder if God is sending us all a message.
And the message is: “Wake up! How can you tolerate so much abuse, so much corruption from the people you elected to office?”
It reminds me of that tale about how “blessed” this “beautiful country” is, and that when someone asked God why he showered the Philippines with so much natural beauty and resources, the good Lord snapped “wait till you see the kind of government they have.”
A shocking discovery about a government-funded project in Cebu’s Mandaue City bared how bamboo strips were used instead of steel bars to “reinforce” concrete walls for flood control.
The wall collapsed even before the massive rains came when bamboo could not keep the concrete plaster together.
“Kawayan, dili puthaw nga cabilla,” constituents exclaimed, even as their representative smiled in tarpaulins announcing the various “infrastructure projects” she brought, thanks in part for being a useful toady to the powers that be, replete with instant signature done without reading in the impeachment complaint that her neighboring congressman in another district shamefully admitted he signed because otherwise his district would be denied “mga gracia gikan sa kagamhanan.”
As we wait for the president’s fourth SONA, we recall how he boasted last year about the more than 5,000 flood control projects his administration has completed.
With rain from the heavens drowning out his much-applauded address to the nation from the obeisant representatives of the people, questions rose days after about where and how these “projects” controlled the rampaging waters of the seasonal “habagat.”
To begin with, having thousands of flood control projects shows how little sensible planning is done, especially in urban centers like Metro Manila, where what is needed are giant water-impounding systems and strategically located outflows to river and sea.
But then again, these flood control projects are treated as congressional entitlements — “gracia” from above.
The more of a toady and panderer you are, the more flood control and other projects where the “tongpats” cannot be properly audited.
Many were killed then; many are being killed even now as we write, because of “ghosts” controlling floods and projects hiding bamboo strips instead of steel.
I recall how some 20 years back, a bridge collapsed in Romblon, only to expose bamboo “cabillas” instead of steel as its reinforcement. Well, it seems contractors fleeced by corruption of 40 percent kickbacks have no recourse but to construct sub-standard infrastructure.
Alangan namang si politiko lang ang kikita? Kung 40 percent ang kickbacks, sometimes upfront, the contractor must get at least 15 percent, right?
Corruption kills, but the victims, which are all of us, seem to have accepted this continued abominable practice as a way of life.
We have become jaded by the reality of too much corruption. We just keep electing the same lecherous brigands every three years.
Pare-pareho lang sila, pre!
As if 5,000 flood control projects were not enough, the 2025 budget manufactured by the infamous bicam co-chaired by Zaldy Co and Grace Poe, under the tutelage of their “wa-is” leaders, was again replete with more such “inserted” projects.
A revelation made at the height of our drowning in floodwaters was that no less than the Senate President inserted P142 billion into such piece-meal flood control projects not just P9.1 billion for his native Sorsogon, but to Bulacan as well, with a senator who wants to be governor by 2028 receiving a P12.08 billion bonanza.
Even Davao? Alam ba ni PBbM ito?
Or is this so even the DDS loyalists like Bato will retain Chiz as his choice for SP? Ham for Bato and Chiz for SP?
Meanwhile, our palay farmers are getting a double whammy: hit by low prices for their produce because of massive imports and worsened by the competition from a government that stubbornly pushes a P20 per kilo rice against all economic sense; and now, floods that inundated their fields, rendering palay roots spoiled.
Basta kurakot ang habol, maraming para-paraan, the wags keep saying.
The Supreme Court “outlawed” pork barrel, kuno. But the “wa-is” have invented ways to circumvent it each year, with the DBM’s nihil obstat and the president’s imprimatur.
When if ever, will we rise up and cut off the head of corruption that kills people, destroys their livelihood and property, killing our future as well?
