Still getting away with corruption

Ben Contreras

COMING home from Davao City, Ralph Abragan chose to drop by a piece of land in Alae, Manolo Fortich, that his family owns. But going there, we passed by a relocation site where hundreds of houses were built by Gawad Kalinga. From the roadside, the project looks grand. Rows and rows of small but nice houses adorned with a green surrounding of trees and bushes.

The irony is that, accordingly, nobody wants to live there. While I do not believe that, I think what they mean is that, only a few want to stay there for lack of livelihood or being too far from their sources of income.

The question is, who and how are beneficiaries chosen? What if they refuse to occupy the houses because it’s too far from their job or sources of income? Would their right to the houses be revoked? What if one day it will be discovered that the houses have been sold to other parties? Was there careful planning in this project? If this housing project ends up a failure, how much government money would be lost? Does anybody care at all?

There have been government projects meant to help the people, especially those who have less in life. But they were projects meant to fail because of lack of sincerity to sustain and to pursue honestly. Notable were the Masagana 99 and Kalakalan 40. The two failed because people in charge and those down the line were engaged in anomalous transactions instead of putting the money for its intended beneficiaries.

Loans were released to entities without clear capacity to pay back and in the process, they got cuts. That was the era when government borrowed money and government officials pocketed the same with impunity. The same corruption prevails until today.

We don’t see signs of corruption reaching its limits. PNoy may be trying to curb corruption but along the way, his men, trusted men, would be themselves engaged in it involving millions. The way PNoy’s allies are getting away with corruption does not speak well for this administration in particular and the nation in general.

In the next election, people would likely be voting for the same people who are popular but not necessarily clean. We are not so bereft of honest people, just bereft of the sense of good judgment.

We’re good at making catch phrases, slogans, propaganda, and play with words. But all these become empty words after spending so much money. I cannot think of one government agency that is making money. Once in a while, we are treated to exposes of anomalous deals and transactions. Then we have investigations after investigation. After a while, they’re buried and forgotten when a new one comes along.

Such is the vicious cycle we can’t seem to surmount and overcome. It might be worthwhile to ask how many have been put behind bars for their sins!

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A businessman talked of what could happen in next year elections.

He thinks Dongkoy Emano has a fair chance of going back to city hall for two reasons: one, he, supposedly, still has the support of the masa; two, the business sector would likely want him as a way of getting back at the Moreno administration.

Despite his perceived blunder on the BBL, Rep. Rufus Rodriguez is still considered as a favorite in the event of a three-way fight.

My friend has a new meaning for BCBP. With due respects to the good ones, to her, BCBP means “Bisag Corrupt Basta Plastar.” This may not be new but it is to me.