New Jane Bual
There’s nothing new under the sun — what happened in the past continues to happen now and will happen again in the future.
This timeless truth weighs heavily in the context of our political history and no one has yet broken its chain: political dynasties, inequality and corruption remain deeply entrenched in our government to this day.
It may sound cliché, but that is the painful reality we face.
We see it in the audacity of corrupt officials flaunting luxury goods on social media — wealth undoubtedly drawn from taxpayers’ money. Hardworking Filipinos toil each day believing their taxes will fuel national progress, only to realize that their contributions are lining the pockets of those in power.
Worse, these same officials have the gall to demand legal action against citizens who dare to call them out online. I am not advocating for cyberbullying, but the backlash they receive is nothing more than a mirror reflecting the consequences of their own immoral and unlawful acts.
But the tides are shifting. Some of those who have long betrayed the public trust are finally seeing their dark secrets dragged into the light.
Just this year, as heavy rains and flooding devastated parts of the country, the government poured billions into flood control projects. And yet, instead of solutions, irregularities surfaced.
SunStar Cebu reported that while DPWH 7 denied “ghost projects” among Cebu’s nearly 600 flood control works, questions linger about allocation and contractor credibility. Strikingly, Cebu received 414 projects — the second highest in the nation — despite not being among the most flood-prone provinces. Even more troubling, QM Builders, a firm with only P1.25 million in capital, astonishingly secured 93 contracts worth P7.38 billion. How fair, then, is our bidding process?
Meanwhile, ABS-CBN reported that Sarah Discaya, owner of nine construction firms, admitted to owning between 28 and 40 luxury cars. She is now under Customs investigation, and public outrage has made her the face of what is being called the Philippines’ biggest flood control corruption scandal.
These scandals force us to ask: Is the government truly using our money for progress — or only for its own gain?
This is why collective action is urgent. Transparency cannot wait until tomorrow, next year, or the next decade. We must demand accountability now. It is our duty to stand up, speak out and confront corruption head-on.
“There’s nothing new under the sun,” but that does not mean history must endlessly repeat itself. We have the power to correct the wrongs and push for true progress.
It’s time to end the cycle of hypernormalization.
Human rights remain our greatest weapon and as Filipinos, we are part of the change. Let us stand together for what is right — for the betterment of the Philippines.