By Gilbert M. Forbes
He starts by saying that "Filipinos have become very tired of hearing about corruption. How to eradicate corruption has become a very big question to all of us in the past decades, under different sets of leaders."
As I was reminded of the corrupt practices I just noted for the past few days, I stumbled on a forwarded email from TEDPloop containing the text of the column in Manila Bulletin written by Emmanuel Bagual, a former UP Diliman freshman taking up Community Development:
He starts by saying that "Filipinos have become very tired of hearing about corruption. How to eradicate corruption has become a very big question to all of us in the past decades, under different sets of leaders."
Well, I am also tired like him but I am just wondering why it is happening and why so many of our countrymen just allow it to happen. Like for instance, I just can’t imagine why policemen in their patrol cars have to hide under the bush along the national high way and wait for unlucky truckers or ‘biyaheros’ who they could ask for ‘pangkape’ though they are already receiving salaries bigger than ordinary soldiers, teachers and government employees.
I can’t also imagine why some Municipal Agricultural officers can’t leave their airconditioned offices while their higher officers are working to the bones particularly their secretary and their regional directors. Most of all, how are they able to submit relevant data to the national level and worst of all make the power of their offices their milking cows. Sad to say, that is only at the municipal level. If agriculture offices at the local level will only function as their counterparts do, food security could have not been a serious problem.
And what about of seeing our high way not yet finish for repair and the portion initially repaired has already cracked but motorists do nothing to report it to the authorities. Where do these people proclaiming themselves as believer of God learn all these crazy evil things?
But what about other stories of the roots of corruption which come from simple adults whom the young ones converge with? The immediate family members and acquaintances.
"Corruption does not always merely refer to money and finances; it may also be moral and emotional, some starting on small scale and grows bigger and bigger because of our unhealthy habits and culture," Emmanuel Bagual explained in his column.
He furthered that he was able to interview four young students who told him about their specific experiences in their schools which were clear indicators that corruption indeed proliferated and was practiced by even those whom they looked up to as models- their teachers and some persons in authority in school.
Some examples given as evidences of corruption in school:
- "Minsan po napapansin, late na darating ang teacher tapos hindi pa po agad siya magtuturo, minsan pupunta sa kabilang room at makikipag-usap sa ibang teacher."
- "Pag po may field trip, dapat po educational ang field trip. Kaso po, minsan sa Star City or minsan sa Enchanted Kingdom. Parang sayang lang po ang pera."
-" May pagkakataon po na ang project na pinapagawa sa amin, nalalaman namin eh pareho ng project ng anak ng teacher. Pipiliin nya ang pinakamaganda sa sinubmit namin at iyon na rin ang magiging project ng anak niya. At yung ibang gamit sa school, anak ng teacher ang personal na nakikinabang at gumagamit."
The writer-interviewer goes on to ask the students-- "usually what do you do to survive?"
Answers:
- " Hindi na lang kami sumasama sa field trip. Nagtatanong na lang kami kung pwedeng special project na lang kasi nag-aaral lang ako through scholarship. "
-" Sa amin naman, may mga ilang estudyante naman po na gumagawa ng paraan para magkapera, minsan lolokohin ang magulang nila para makakupit pambayad, minsan nga po pag may mga group project, parang nangungurakot na nga rin sila, tapos yung iba nag-vovolunteer na sila ang magpa-photo cop , tapos mas mahal ng konti ang singil. "
"Anong epekto nito sa mga students or sa mga kabataang katulad natin?"
- "Kapag naging habit na po nilaang pagiging corrupt, dadalhin na po nila yun hanggang pagtanda. Kaya tuloy parang nagkakaroon lang ng cycle."
- "Ganun din pag naging professionals na, halimbawa yung mga magiging teachers din, yun din tuloy yung makikita sa kanila dahil ito ang nakita nila, at pwede rin nilang maituro."
Conclusion: The young students' exposure to corruption early in life --especially with the wrong actions and examples seen from their teachers, will adversely affect the students' character.
This is only in school. The writer no longer mentioned of other important events happening at home and the communities. The values and upbringing, a strong and positive one which could have counteract those experiences outside the home.
I myself was not exempted from expriencing deficiencies in our school system which Emmanuel just mentioned. But the wrong values and moral foundation we had from our parents and from the majority of our good teachers and good companies helped us to learn to separate what we know is not right versus what is wrong.
But this is not true to many particularly now that many families are not functioning normally. If there are and there could still be majority of them, there is that ‘monster box’ whose influence is beyond what we can imagine. It is further strengthened by the internet.
Taking this situation further down the road as Emmanuel puts it, “we may be able to conclude that the next generation will most likely be corrupt leaders too considering that they will become the next leaders of our country.”
He further explained- " We don't need just to have a change of leaders but mostly for people to have a change of heart."
Conscious citizens and teachers play an important role in developing honesty and doing the right thing even if all people around are stealing, lying or cheating. If started as a habit at an early age, this is a good character trait that we as teachers can instill in our students. And that is a mighty good "brick" towards nation-building.
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