Dishonesty and self-destruction

Egay Uy

NO one among us is a saint.  That’s for sure.  At one time or another in our lives, each one of us, being sinners that we are, has committed an act or acts of dishonesty.  Those who say they did not will have to be revered as modern-day saints but it will be too good to be true.

Thus, minute acts of dishonesty committed by an ordinary mortal, e.g., a little peep at a seatmate’s answer sheet during exams or a white lie to a parent to evade punishment, may not be a big deal as one reaches a certain age.

But acts of dishonesty that could also cause harm to innocent others especially if they are committed by those in the public service would definitely raise eyebrows.  Even the 1987 Philippine Constitution declares as a state policy that “(t)he State shall maintain honesty and integrity in the public service and take positive and effective measures against graft and corruption.”

Being in a public office carries with it great responsibility, as Spiderman would say, because by occupying that office, the job holder can wield power no ordinary mortal – the boss, the taxpayer – possesses.

As we know, honesty as a virtue is a facet of moral character that connotes positive attributes such as integrity, truthfulness, straightforwardness, the absence of lying, cheating, theft, and being loyal, fair and sincere.  Wouldn’t it be good if all public officials – from the president down to the supposedly apolitical barangay kagawad – are honest at least while they are in the performance of the functions of their respective offices?

Surprisingly however, it appears that certain national level personalities have either deliberately disregarded this state policy, or are simply playing ignorant of the same in order to advance what appear to be their strategy at getting to the nerves of people on the other side of the fence, or as a means of continually titillating the imagination of blind followers, or even soliciting for votes.

Whatever it is, the country, its history, and national identity, could self-destruct.  A continuous flooding of the public mind of what appears to some as distorted morals or deviations from established norms could eventually poison the minds of succeeding generations that are supposed to ensure the continued existence of our race.

Well, I just could hope that those who continue to believe in fake news and false claims, and even false promises, will wake up one day and see the future of this country rather than limit their sights on the benefits and graces of the powerful.

(Egay Uy is a lawyer. He chairs the City’s Regulatory and Complaint Board, co-chairs with the city mayor the City Price Coordinating Council, and chairs the city’s Joint Inspection Team.  He retired as a vice president of Cepalco.)