The Government Should be Restructured

With the policy of benevolent assimilation by the Americans, the Philippines was treated as an equal of the Americans and a ground for progress. The Philippines was among the most powerful countries in Asia.

Even after the American colonization of the Philippine, the country was still an economic powerhouse in the Asian continent. Revered by the international community, Filipinos lived a life of dignity and well-being. We were once “world class citizens.” That is why it is so tragic to see what this country has become.

The Philippine economy went into a slump in the sixties. Growth rate was very low. The country could not progress. Cronyism and nepotism was prevalent. Crimes and incidence of poverty increased. President Ferdinand E. Marcos acknowledged this situation. He declared Martial Law. All these became a bad omen of a bad future for the Philippine Republic.

Our present condition is proving to be more difficult and trying. The country is suffering from fiscal, economic and moral crises. The government is not fully acknowledging this. Our budget is being crippled by debt servicing. Our children and their children already owe money. It is for these reasons that cause my alarm. Therefore, I feel that the Philippine government should be restructured.

In order to run a government, we need resources. Financial resources are as important as human resources. In more stable countries, the government can create their own revenue. In weaker state, they depend more on tax revenues.

The amount of tax people pay is inversely proportional to the economic status of a nation. Rhoderick V. Nuncio, a professor in De La Salle University, cited Brunei as an example. He said Brunei’s people do not pay taxes because the government is able to produce more income than expenses.

The Philippines suffer budget deficits because of inefficient tax collection and graft and corruption. The former will be discussed first.

Tax evasion causes budget deficit. The Bureau of Internal Revenue is responsible for the misconduct of businessmen. Although the BIR has intensified its campaign to collect more taxes, still the system is quite ineffective.

The campaign of the BIR has brought it looking for new sources of income. Today, more and more products and even services are being taxed. However, money is still being lost within the BIR. The BIR’s bureaucratic inefficiency leads to budget deficit. If the government cannot allocate enough resources for the different government institutions, it will be forced to borrow money. If the situation gets worse yearly, the government would have to allocate more money in paying debts, cut the annual budget and increase taxes. It goes on an on in a vicious cycle.

Dr. Walker, a world-renowned economist, said that every economy in Asia will experience rapid growth over the next few years except for two. The two he is talking about is the Philippines and Indonesia. The reason is corruption.

Billions of pesos are being lost to corruption yearly, revealed Bro. Eddie Villanueva during his presidential campaign. Money that can construct roads to connect provinces, improve transportation and communication. These are vital for economic progression.

The Thomas Theorem can be held responsible for corruption. The theorem states what is defined to be true becomes true in their consequences (Macionis, 2003). The Social Weather Station survey reported 85 percent of Filipinos believe that corruption is rampant in the government (Montiel, et. Al., 2002). When Filipinos perceive that their leaders corrupt the nation, they produce generations of new corrupt leaders. They pass on the mentality “stealing a peso” cannot hurt a nation. Thus, Filipinos believe that you not get caught stealing little by little.

Government officials are not being transparent with the people. The flow of corrupted money is subtle. This is through political appointments, which will be discussed later on.

Graft and corruption is evil haunting the Philippines. Funds are transferred to private companies. Poverty arises. It causes shame in the international community. With corruption at an enormous scale in the Philippines, the people have lost their dignity.

Bro. Eddie once related that if a Filipino is to go abroad, he is subjected to the immigration officer’s prying eyes. The officer would look at him from head to toes. While an Australian would just be allowed to leave without that kind of discrimination.

Poverty is the result of corruption. A high school journalist from the Philippine Cultural High School once wrote in her opinion column “It is not the government per se that is responsible for poverty. Why blame the government then?” I strongly oppose that opinion. Filipinos are working hard for better lives; however, the system is simply inappropriate for the people. The government is making many policies and decisions that are seemingly far from feasible or effective.

Improper allocation of resources implies poverty. About 60 percent of the wealth of the country belongs to just about five percent of the population. About 90 percent of Filipinos live below the poverty line.

Overpopulation that crowds jobs is also a factor. People that will crowd the job market twenty years from now are being born, the news says. The Philippines has a young population which means more mouths to feed.

The political system of the country is being criticized by other nations and by its own people. However, it is blind of its condition. The media sometimes covers up for the government. They euphemize some issues concerning the government.

“Too much politics” as they say it. Election in the Philippines starts years before the actual one. A political figure or even a showbiz figure may start appearing on television and/or on other forms of media for a latent reason of running in the next election.

In order to win an election, you would need the three G’s – guns, goons, gold (Montiel, et. Al., 2002). Politics is very informal. People vote not the platforms of government but personality. The lack of professionalism, filing election complaints in defeat, hinders unity among people.

The electoral system in the Philippines has evolved. Almost anyone can run. An election may permit two or more candidates to run. If you do not have a political party, you can choose to run independently or make one. As this kind of system provides more choices for the people, the winner could not however represent a majority. He could not have full mandate of the people. The government and its people is divided.

The Philippine cultural values of “utang na loob” (debt of gratitude) forces winning politicians to accept favors. This promotes corruption that crushes a nation.

Rebuilding our nation is a daunting task. I would like to propose three ways to do it. First is education. Education is a powerful instrument. We must not only teach minds but also touch hearts. The values that we teach our children are the foundation of a just nation. Secondly, I would like to address our political system. Restructuring it us the key. With our present one, we cannot seem to elect righteous people. Lastly, one of the most powerful of all, a change in people. If we could just adhere to our moral principles, I believe this nation has a future. Let us elect leaders who can lead by example, so that their subordinates would do the right thing.

The government has failed its people. I believe it should be restructured. Corruption is wrong. Our political system is wrong. The system failed to unite the people. This matter is very urgent. The Filipinos are suffocating. People are losing trust and hope. The continuously worsening condition could mean the downfall of a dignified life. It is obvious that our country is hopeless. However, we must not lose hope. As the story of “Pandora’s Box” tells us, hope is sometimes enough.