BBM is reportedly re-aligning flood control funds to education, health and social welfare services. Why, because these sectors are under-budgeted? If 24.8 million Filipinos, according to Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom 2), are functionally illiterate, re-alignment of funds won’t be of much help.
The finance secretary, for his part, is diverting flood control funds to earthquake-hit areas. True, emergencies need funds from wherever for the rescue and rehabilitation of survivors. But the diversion must be temporary. Floods are not only here to stay but are most likely to get even more devastating.
Senators and congressmen are also reported to be cutting down on the budget for the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in general, for flood control in particular. This is an irrelevant response to the massive flood control corruption scandal. Budgets are still needed for ghost projects to be finally done and failed projects re-done. Irrigation systems damaged by floods must be restored. All-weather farm-to-market roads must be constructed to keep people supplied with basic necessities at all times. Not to forget, classrooms that were neglected in favor of flood control projects must now be repaired or built.
(Budget cuts for necessary services also add to the un-programmed funds that might make for easy pickings by corruptly creative government officials this country has a surplus of.)
The first order of the day has to be a law disallowing insertions. A realistic budget for health, education and social services is next. Third is a system of control and oversight so the budgeted funds are spent for their intended purpose. But a word of caution… oversight is normally the job of senators and congressmen. Yet they are the main suspects in the theft of flood control funds. They should, therefore, not be trusted with oversight work.
But the overarching priority is to send the Senate and House masterminds, not just complicit DPWH officials and contractors, to jail and require them to restitute the billions they stole. If the masterminds get away, you can forget about stopping corruption in this country.
Still, the cynic in me won’t be surprised if corrupt high officials get nothing more than a slap on the finger. How independent really is the ICI (Independent Commission for Infrastructure) of BBM who handpicked the members? After all, he is suspected of being partial to his cousin while he himself cannot be presumed to have no part in the corrupt scheme.
How independent is Ombudsman Remulla? He not only did not bother to question the “secret decision” reversing Senator Villanueva’s dismissal from public service but has also pre-judged plunder to be an overrated case to file against officials who stole billions. And why is the testimony of TSgt Orly Guteza being discredited merely for being procedurally and technically deficient?
But the most ominous thing… nobody’s conscience appears to be disturbed. Nobody in either house seems ashamed and sorry. Yet the writing on the wall is unmistakable. Corruption must either stop now or this country goes to the dogs. The magnitude of corruption has turned on its head whatever decency and self-respect our leaders might have. That is if at all they have any.