The future of this country is in the hands of our children.
Now that school year 2012-2013 has started, it is expected that the educational system inculcates basic values and morals that will ensure the survival of the Filipino nation as a free democratic society, free of corruption, i.e. Honesty is the best policy.
Are we teaching this to our children in thoughts, in words, and in deeds?
Corruption is the scourge of the nation, a cancer that will destroy the fabric of society. For it to be eliminated, honesty will have to start in the formative years. Every Filipino must commit to uphold Honesty in all aspects of daily living, in the private or public sphere.
It is commendable that the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen & Professionals (BCBP) printed the slogan: “Be honest even if others could not, even if others would not, even if others can not.”
Even P-Noy cannot do it alone. As former US President Woodrow Wilson had said, “The President is at liberty, both in law and in conscience, to be as big a man as he can.”
In his election campaign promise, our very own P-Noy had said: “Dito tayo sa daang matuwid”. He is trying to be the “big one-man anti-corruption poster boy”, a role for which he has been criticized and derided, as a heartless, vengeful, messiah-like complex, etc., as if it is a role that one relishes if one is a politician, interested only in the next election.
It is the moment in the nation’s life that cries out for reform in public governance, transparency, and accountability. It’s time to rid government of “eschewed discounted ethics” such as the scandals of 100 Percent Ghost Public Works Projects, and other scandalous money-scheming plots. They never listened to the mourning “Moderate your greed.”
Let us learn from the Walmart bribery scandals in Mexico, a place where graft is not necessarily perceived as a serious crime. Most of the hottest markets — Mexico, China, India — score badly in Transparency International’s overall corruption index. A British retainer summed it up: “In China, you pay 20 cents to a dollar to get your project done, and it will be done quickly. In India, it’s 40 cents, and it will get done in a few years. In Russia, it’s 80 cents, and you may get shot before it gets done.” How about in the Philippines?
There are no excuses for U.S. companies because they are subject to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act where bribery is strictly illegal regardless of local practices. How about Filipino companies?
There has been a proactive move led by the Makati Business Club to improve integrity in business. Yes, let’s go back to basics! Honesty is the best policy, and then maybe, just maybe, each one of us would have done our part in nation-building. Let’s ensure our future by doing our part now.
