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Thursday, June 08, 2006
Editorials: PB members and Parohinog
Members of the Provincial Board (PB) who lobbied for Purita Parohinog as customs collector of the Port of Cebu can defend their positions all they want.
The more they squirm, however, the more mud is splattered all over.
Because by jumping into the muck without their constituents asking them to do so, they assured themselves of being blackened all over.
Propriety
Or those PB members should have known better.
They could have assessed the controversy sparked earlier by the attempt of top Bureau of Customs officials to replace District Customs Collector Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang with Grace Karingal to know the mess lobbying for the post would create.
Or if the lessons of the recent past didn’t connect, then they could just have used foresight---meaning, they should have considered the possible backlash of the move.
In this, there are some criteria to consider, like propriety.
How would, say, the public view the PB taking the side of Parohinog? (And is Parohinog deserving of the endorsement in the first place?)
Then this tricky question: Won’t the move invite suspicion deals were cut to pursue the lobby?
Endorsement
Of course, Parohinog should share the blame for the flak the PB is receiving.
Seeking the help of politicians to snare a sensitive government post instead of relying solely on the strength of one’s qualifications invites the view that one is either too ambitious or would not be up to something good later.
Either way, that gives a bad impression to the public.
Which brings us to the kind of government setup we have.
When qualifications for a post becomes secondary to the endorsement of politicians and other interest groups, then what Parohinog is doing is par for the course.
Thus, it is hypocritical of Mangaoang, for example, to rant about the PB’s move when she herself was partly able to hold on to the post because of open support also from politicians and interest groups.
Questionable process
What this issue boils down to, then, is the questionable process of appointing people to sensitive government posts.
Until something better replaces this setup, we will continue to endure the spectacle of PB members plunging into the muck without their constituents asking them to do so.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (June 8, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
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