Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Speak out: Fighting corruption together
By Rev. Fr. Carmelo Diola
Barug! Pilipino
WE laud the efforts of businessmen and professionals in Lapu-Lapu City and Cordova to organize themselves against irregularities in transacting business with local government.
Allegations against Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza deserve serious and sustained attention by all concerned citizens and public officials; if true, the wheels of justice must turn.
In doing so, they will be moving beyond being passive victims of a corrupt system to becoming a people of courage and conscience.
Corruption has become a culture that permeates Filipino society.
The Surveys on Enterprises on Corruption in 2000-2005 by the Social Weather Station reveal that public sector corruption is very high and non-diminishing.
The same survey indicates that the business sector is willing to give 5 percent of their net income to fund anti-corruption efforts.
And rightly so.
This culture has been used for expediency in business.
Bribery and extortion have become a “cost for doing business.”
People are denied what is due them.
There is no level playing field and we all are losers.
This must be stopped.
This must be countered with corruption-intolerant culture that must be initiated by and come from the very sector affected.
We at Barug! Pilipino, through the YUP! (Young United Professionals) initiative, a network of corruption-intolerant young professionals and entrepreneurs, supports the petition for a “level playing field” in transacting business in government, for growth and development.
We are all part of the problem; we are also part of the solution.
Together we can make a difference against corruption.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (February 21, 2007 issue)
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