The deal with the corruption in the Philippines Essay Example
The deal with the corruption in the Philippines Essay Example

The deal with the corruption in the Philippines Essay Example

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  • Pages: 3 (743 words)
  • Published: August 22, 2016
  • Type: Essay
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The Philippines' government is plagued by corruption, as shown by the Transparency International's 2013 Corruption Perception Index. This index ranked the Philippines 94th out of 177 surveyed countries, indicating a high level of corruption. Despite there being 83 countries considered more corrupt in this study, it does not diminish the fact that our own government remains corrupt. As a result, Filipino citizens bear the brunt of these dishonest actions and abuse of power.

The paper from the Anti-Corruption Resource Center examines the range of corruption in the Philippines, encompassing political and grand corruption. This form of corruption involves officials at multiple levels, including the president and local officials. Despite being a lively democracy, corruption scandals persistently afflict the country. The elected leaders in the Philippines have gained notoriety for their involvement in pervasive corruption.

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In the Philippines, corruptors are people who either embezzle public funds or abuse power and exploit trust. Although running for office is a right for all citizens, the expensive nature of political campaigns deters many average individuals from doing so due to the difficulty it poses in winning elections.

Election outcomes are often determined by the amount of financial support a candidate receives, meaning that wealthy campaign supporters play a crucial role in determining the winner. This reliance on funds makes officials more vulnerable to corruption. One example is when elected officials depend on public funds for their re-election campaigns. Additionally, there is bureaucratic and administrative corruption, involving local officers who have privileged access to state and local funds which they can exploit for personal gain.

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago expresses concern over the excessive

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amount of money that senators in the Philippines receive in allowances and other benefits. She questions whether it is justifiable for senators who simply attend sessions without actively contributing to be paid such a significant amount, which can reach up to 1.4 million pesos, as reported by a PDI article from January 28, 2014. This stark contrast between the senators' incomes and the impoverished living conditions of many constituents raises awareness regarding this issue. It is outrageous that while some people struggle to find a warm bed to sleep on, these senators can comfortably receive such a substantial sum of money merely for their presence without engaging in meaningful work.

The increase in wealth of our local officials after winning office, including the acquisition of multiple cars and opening various businesses, is a well-known phenomenon in our communities. This can be attributed to flaws within both the laws and the bureaucracy. However, it raises questions as to why no one takes legal action against this issue. It is possible that even the courts themselves are entangled in this corrupt bureaucracy.

It is commonly recognized that public officials often resemble business ventures rather than fulfilling their duties and responsibilities. The prevalence of corruption and dishonesty among our public servants is widely acknowledged, with little effort being made to eliminate these issues. Rather than engaging in corruption for personal gain, it would be preferable for them to engage in it for the betterment of the people. It is important to question our current state and not be passive individuals, but instead be willing to make sacrifices for the greater good. By doing so, we will

ultimately benefit from these actions. We should not rely on the "next" election alone to bring about change; instead, let us cast our votes differently and choose individuals whom we know are less malevolent.

Rather than waiting for future change makers to take action, it is important that we proactively initiate efforts to make a difference now. We must not remain stagnant in our current state but instead strive to acquire more knowledge and improve ourselves as individuals. It is crucial to address prevailing bureaucracy, dishonesty, abuse of power, and the silence of the people. The citizens must awaken and acknowledge various means through which we can enrich our lives and combat government corruption. Our present leaders need to enact legislation that disrupts this cycle of greed.

Advocating for reform or initiating change is a challenging task, particularly when individuals have experienced power. Letting go of that power becomes difficult for them. To address this issue and prevent corruption and misuse of public funds by government officials, enacting legislation as a safeguard is crucial. Additionally, implementing laws against political dynasties can help purify the system. Alternatively, we can strive for a government shift through charter change or constitutional amendment to eliminate corruption from the entire state.

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