Is there a chance that government can be kept honest? Whose responsibility is it?
Now that elections are over, all elected officials have a fresh mandate from the people. These officials are now to start their new terms in July, under a social contract, wherein the powers of their respective offices are vested in them, with the task of carrying out the will of the people.
They will enjoy all the emoluments, privileges, and other fringe benefits. In effect, there is now a new set of persons who will run our government, as a corporate government entity through which the functions of government are exercised, by its various branches/departments, whether pertaining to executive or legislative arms, national or local levels.
Does your duty as a voter-citizen end after the one who garnered the majority votes assume office?
The 1987 Constitution defines the maintenance of the proper balance between authority as represented by the three inherent powers of the State and liberty as guaranteed by the Bill of Rights.
The duties of the citizens do not end on election day, but each citizen, regardless of calling or status, is tasked to understand, participate in the mechanics and innovations of his government.
As “sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them,” the continuing engagement with the affairs of government is an obligation of every citizen. The success of any political unit rests upon the active involvement of the people.
History has shown that apathy and indifference to the affairs of government led politicians to pursue a selfish agenda of perpetuating themselves in power and insatiable greed for ill-gotten wealth, which caused untold hardships and never- before-seen abuses, like during the Martial Law period.
This led to a near- anarchic system of having an omnipotent “haves”, and a highly oppressed and disenfranchised ”have nots”, who were just made pliant pawns in the uneven games of the plutocracy.
This gave rise to the corrupted Golden Rule: He who has the gold, makes the rule.
Can you believe that the type of political leadership reflects the quality of its voters-citizenry? Think about it. So, it is your duty to keep our officials honest.
Honest is defined as “free of deceit and untruthfulness”, being sincere, true to self, and practicing integrity in small things, as well as great things. Men and women, who cannot be bought, whose word is their bond, and who are not afraid or ashamed or afraid to stand for the truth when it is unpopular, who can say “No” with emphasis while all the rest say ”Yes”.
Yes, citizens can make all elective officials honest by calling them to be accountable to the people.
The accountability of public officials is enshrined in the 1987Constitution, which states the fundamental principle that ”a public office is a public trust.”
This is further specified in the Anti-Corrupt and Practices Act or R.A.No. 3019 and the Code of Ethical Conduct for Public Officials R.A. 6713.
These laws were enacted to ensure that public officials are kept in line with their public Oath of Office.
Citizens are supposed to be active to use the law if the officials violate their public duty. There are government agencies installed to facilitate these legal mechanisms like the Commission on Audit, the Ombudsman, the Public Attorney’s Office, the Department of Justice.
If you know of any transgressions by any public official, do not hesitate to report and make the law work to your advantage. You owe it to your government and to yourself. Vigilance and activism will help make our public officials honest.
