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Has the Philippines cleaned up corruption?

Philippine Culture / by

It’s a new day for the Philippines.  Things have changed here, and the country is now on the right track!

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote an article about President Aquino’s first 100 days in office.  As part of the article, I noted that President Aquino had stated that he knew the names of a number of corrupt politicians in the country.  He had issued a warning two weeks ago that he would be naming names of corrupt officials, and that the names would appear on the front pages of the papers “within the next few days”.

According to an article published by ABS-CBN News, Aquino stated:

“That [ending corruption] is the central biggest challenge. Some people think I am not serious….they will be in the front pages in the next few days,” said Aquino.

That statement was made on October 8, 2010.  Since today is October 25, that means that 17 days have passed, which most would agree is more than the “few days” that the President allowed.

Since no names have appeared on the front pages (or any other pages) of newspapers in the past 17 days, I assume that means that President Aquino was successful in ending the corruption of these individuals.  I mean, I feel sure that President Aquino is a man of his word, and he said that those corrupt officials who think he was not serious about ending corruption would be named on the front pages of the local newspapers in the next few days following October 8.  Because President Aquino is surely a man of his word, since the names have not been published, I assume that means that the corrupt have agreed to end their corruption.

I would like to congratulate the President for taking a strong stance and ending corruption in the Philippines.  It has been a huge step in the right direction, and I feel sure that now that corruption has ended in the country, things will start moving ahead and the country will be seeing huge benefits soon.

This is a huge step for the Philippines.  I see nothing but good on the horizon now!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bob
    Could your article be satire?
    President Aquino stated he would name the corrupt officials (without any restrictions, which is how I understood it). Now I guess he won’t name the officials because they “cleaned up their act”.
    Or could it be that all the names would NEVER fit in the newspaper?

    So will we be seeing the Philippines “moving ahead” in the next few days, or will it be like publishing the names of the corrupt officials – NEVER HAPPEN !!!

    • Hi Lloyd – If I said that my article was satire, that would mean that I did not think that P-Noy was a man of his word. If I said that, it could put me in trouble with Immigration here. So, of course the article is not satire. How could you accuse me of such a thing! 😯

      P-Noy said on Oct 8 that “within a few days” he would name names. It never happened. Since P-Noy is surely a very honest man, that must mean that he solved the problem already. It seems very simple to me.

  2. Cleaned up? …Yes they cleaned up some squatter areas with demolition team without concrete assurance of economic alternatives and assistance… But corruption is already embedded in the system for more than a century and there is no clear sign of genuine clean-up. It is a given condition to assure the other gangs and cliques in power.

  3. Bob what is the outcome of the massacre from earlier with the journalists? I never hear anything about it so I am wondering.

  4. Hi Bob,

    You’re absolutely correct.

    It all depends how you look at things.

    Like the picture you have. Some will see it as sunset but you choose to call it sunrise.

    For me:
    ‘Sunrise, sunset
    Sunrise, sunset
    Swiftly fly the years
    One politician following another
    Giving suffering and tears’.

    • Good morning Dr. Long… of course it’s a sunrise! How could anybody think otherwise. The end of corruption in the Philippines is a sunrise for the Nation!

  5. Ha Ha Bob;
    Has the Philippines cleaned up corruption? Bob a better question would be, “Can the Philippines make pigs fly?” Very funny article, thanks for starting my week with a smile, and Yankee fans too, they sure do need a lift, and this might be just the way to help them.

  6. What do you mean Yousof? P-Noy said that he would name names in the paper if the corruption did not end. So far, no names? Are you saying that P-Noy is not a man of his word?

  7. Hi Bob – Undo a long-standing tradition in just a few days? Amazing.

    I noticed that the jueteng (numbers) office co-located at my barbershop had disappeared. I later saw its former occupant on the streets, “actively participating” in the approved STL (Small Town Lottery). Maybe that sign is a little proof for the doubters to chew on.
    😆

    • See there, Paul. Thanks to you we have some first hand real proof that the President has made a huge impact, and that corruption has finally been put to rest! Thanks for offering the evidence that is so needed!

  8. LOL hahahahaha. Will never happen in our lifetime. Pigs will learn to fly before corruption is ever seriously dealt with. (thanks Paul) What the country really needs is an organized team of vigilantes that takes these matters into their own hands (at least getting rid of the top 25 hahahah) and then this could start the ball rolling in the right direction. Another good idea would be a website that does actual posting of corrupt individuals and their ill gotten assets/gains and benefits of corruption they received. If done properly this would surely give more light to the subject. Are you game Bob!!!

      • Hi Bob.

        Maybe it’s coming! That’s what they said here in the US during the Fifties also: Pigs will fly before they elect a black President. In 1977, Pink Floyd released an album called “Pigs on the wing” (Patrick Duffy can attest to this) and in 2008, Americans elected a black President and swine Flu! Pardon the humor!

        Bob, it will take a while to clean up corruption due to lack of enforcement-period.

        Mars

        • Hi Mars – well, I guess from that 50’s saying, it took almost 60 years to get the job done of electing a black President. I’m glad that cleaning up of corruption in the Philippines happened much more quickly! 😉

          • Hey Paul, still LMAO also, lol, lol. Just got back from the hills of Tennessee for a couple of weeks somewhere over there near Shiloh. Had a spotty internet connection and no cell signal. Just got done reading the “Squatters” thread and it is still smoldering—reminded me of the Battle of Shiloh: casualties all over the place, saw some walking wounded, some are crouching ready to attack and throw more bombs, others retreated for good. In the end, Bob survived. Whew! Glad to be back.

            Mars

            • Tennessee; poor cell reception, and spotty internet? From the land of Jack Daniels Whiskey! Any squatters, up there, in them hills? Been to Tennessee, a few times, I had a Navy buddy who lived in Cookville, home of Tenn. Tech. great people, great town.

              • Ha ha, got a flat tire an exit from Super walmart at Cookeville off I-40 on the way home, about an hour from Knoxville. Made me missed my Falcon game last Sunday a week ago but they lost anyway. Heck, some of the houses where I went looks like shanties and houses are far apart (Waynesboro). Lots of land down there. Everytime I see a creek or river, I was expecting the theme music from “Deliverance” movie to start playing.

                People are so nice down there though. They call you Honey, sweetheart, darling then fussed at you but end there sentence with “Bless your heart”.

                Mars

    • Thomad,
      Now that is a great idea, a website for corruption whisleblowers.
      Also a great opportunity for the bookmakers to run a book on the lifespan of the webmaster of this website.
      Jade

  9. Bob, most of what you write on this site brings value and is insightful and well thought out….this article is just plain non-sense. Not funny. Not good satire. None of that.

    It seems like you have a real issue with the new president, even though he has only been in office for a little over 100 days. For someone that has been in the filipines for a long time and should understand how things work here…you seem to think THIS president is supposed to perform miracles in an incredibly short period of time.

    I would expect more of you. Did Aquino say something maybe he should not have said? Possibly. But I have a number of friends that are in the PNP and they ALL say things have been changing. So at least there is movement there.

    You have been very critical of this president even though he has only been in office a short period of time and even though many of his moves have been applauded by many internationally and his recent visit to the United States was considered a HUGE success.

    He has already gotten many overseas investors to seriously consider doing business in the Philippines and that can only be a positive.

    Of course corruption has not ended, and the president probably should not have said what he said….WOW WOW WEE! A leader said something that was probably not the best thing to say. Shame on you Mr. Acquino. Shame on you! Geez.

    • Speaking for myself and not Bob I think Todd that Aquino is full of hot air. Corruption here is not so sophisticated as it is in the USA. In the Philippines it is so asy to determine who is doing it at least on the upper levels of corruption probably involving 1,000’s of individuals!!! . No one tries to hide it so at least the office of president should be putting together cases on this and be ready to expose these crooks to the Philippine and the world with a message “Not on My Watch”. I am sorry but he (aquino) doesn’t have the brains, foresight or guts to undertake such an endeavor. Or what about the ombudsman . I don’t see anything happening here either. If he does I will eat my words and take my hat off to the Pres. It’s a joke in the Philippines and an total embarrassment.

    • Oh, boy, Todd, I don’t understand what you are talking about. You are saying that I have been critical of P-Noy? Not at all. This entire article praises the President for his quick action on ending corruption in the Philippines. In fact, it is you who is criticizing the President, and even saying that he is untruthful in his statement of Oct. 8. I have nothing but praise for a man who has tackled such a huge problem in such a short time!

  11. My mother always told me that if I cannot say something nice then don’t say anything. With that in mind I will say this. “………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..”

    Cheers to all,
    Gary

    • Nice to hear from you, Gary. I must say, you really offered some succinct insight into the issue. My response would have to be:

      …………………………………………………………

      With all of that said, I’ll bid you a wonderful day!

  12. Bob…wow! This is some great news for all that live in the Phillipines..I am sure all the peoples there are so happy now that the end of corruption has come. A new and exciting begining for every body there.I am thinking now that every body there can enjoy life even more so now. I do not know how the new President did all of this in such a short time, but sure all the rest of the honest people in the rest of the world will for sure want a page out of the new Presidents book.There will probably be many Festivials to celabrate the death of all corruption in the Phillipines. Fillipinos dancing in the street…big smiles on every body faces…lots and lots of good foods to eat…Thank you Bob for sharing this great news to all of us that read LIP…

  14. Bob, as long as their are no alternatives presented, for me such clean-up is still absurd. Homes for squatters, descent Jobs for professionals, etc… Where and what are the programs and funds for such and such? A good mayor layed-off the nurses and midwives by mere suspicion of being a supporter of the opposition, but they articulated in other way implicating to be inefficient in performance. Its hard to convinced ourselves that corruption was eradicated if the effects and injustice doesn’t have a concrete solution.

  15. Bob, I had to pause my mind on this one and check my mental calendar – making sure it was not April 1st again. lol

    I make it a point to not follow politics closely and would not recognize this president if he were in line next to me at Walmart. In other words, I don’t know squat about president Aquino but I do know that corruption in the Philippines is so pandemic, so widespread, so deeply imbedded in practically all levels of government as well as public business that no one man – president or otherwise – can magically pronounce “Corruption has stopped” and expect the world to believe That.

    I will need proof in the form of concrete reform reported in the press and recognized by outside governments before I believe any of this “corruption has stopped” rhetoric. I feel relatively confident that come this time next year I can Google the World’s Corruption Index and find the Philippines pretty much right down near the bottom of the chart like they have been for many years.

    I still stand my my assessment that any Filipino president who cracks down too hard on corruption will not be in office long before some very nasty people put a bounty on his head, or a more likely scenario will be some of those same corrupt people will successfully add him to their payroll.

    In a way, corruption in the Philippines in inevitable… If you took any relatively corruption free country, chopped it up into 6,000 chunks and spread it apart where water flowed around each chunk (i.e., like the Philippines) don’t think for a moment that corruption would not flourish in this newly fragmented country. Opportunities would crop up everywhere in the absence of more complete command and control from an equally fragmented government.

    Now … on the other hand, if President Aquino has ben personally visited by God and God assured him that “Corruption has stopped” — then we need to make sure he is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and achieves Sainthood in his own lifetime.

    • Hi Rich – Read between the lines of my article a little more. You know, I have to be careful about what I say, immigration wise. I think you are taking my words way too literally! 😉

  18. He said on Oct 8 that he would publish names of corrupt officials on the front page of newspapers “within a few days” unless they stopped their corruption. It is now Oct 25, and no names have been published. So, I assume that he has cleaned up corruption, no? Since no names have been published, he must have either been successful in stopping corruption, or he was not truthful. Since I think he is a very honest man, and no names have been published, he must have succeed in cleaning up corruption.

    • Yep Bob….He must have cleaned it all up……That must feel nice for all of you that live there….corruption free country…beautifull sun rizes and sun sets. I wish could say the same for the good old USA here……but I never read in any paper where the president of the USA said he would clean up corruption.

  19. Bob;
    For a fact the corruption is gone, I was in a store and was looking for some, and the sales lady told me “Out of Stock”, Oh wait, I’m sorry Bob, that was something else.

  20. I believe the ingrained corruption goes far beyond what any political leader can accomplish, competent, connected or not. It goes far beyond the Spanish collonialism and their land grants to the friars to delegate law and order for 350 years. Remember this occured in Californis as well, (my cousin’s wife is one of their descendants, and she explained a few of these facts to me). As I see it it, it is a coping mechanism of the Filipinos, developed through centuries of dominance and opression by colonial powers, loose definition, reflect upon this.
    A solution… not likely under the dynamic available. The haves’ are not willing to relinquish their power. Only a catastrophic revolution will accomplish that. (remember 1776?)
    Jade

      • Bob,
        Good point!!!
        A comprehensive research in the history of this Spanish colonial ‘invention’ might give some insight into how to defuse this medieval legacy. The California situation was much less complicated than what had occurred, and it is still occurring in the Philippines.
        BTW The ancestors of the Califonia Spanish colonials are reclaiming their original Spanish land…
        (I am not arguing that the Philippines cannot?) but how???
        Jade

      • They didn’t.
        Bob, are you feeling ok?
        You don’t seem like your usual self, by my observation,…
        I have never before seen so many adversarial comments from you.
        Did you really read my carefully thought out comment or did you just skim it?
        Jade…???

            • OK, but seriously… I am very curious what I have said to anybody that was adversarial as you suggest? I have only stated my opinion, and in my view it has been in a non-confrontational way. I guess I must be missing something.

              • The corruption thing is a curious issue, no responsibility of ours except in our personal morality in our personal dealings with the people we interact with.
                Peace.
                Jade

    • Sure, blame corruption, and all its other problems, on “colonial powers”. The Philippines has been independent for over sixty years. That’s like a 60 year old man blaming his parents for his wretched life. Time to grow up and take responsibility for their actions. BTW, Thailand, never colonized, is corrupt as well. Singapore, colonized, has the best legal system and the lowest corruption in Asia, maybe the world. Therefore?????

      • ProfDon,
        You certainly blew my theory out of the water and I accept that.
        What is your view on how this pervasive corruption got it’s start?
        Jade

          • The corruption in Philippino society is a legacy of Spanish rule – every country that was colonised by the Spaniards has the same problem. Singapore is an example of a country that transitioned from being a colony to self rule without going backwards.The British left a system that was relatively honest, and those countries that retained it – such as Malaysia and a few others have prospered. Many others of course went down hill from the day of independence – have a look at Africa.

            • Bryan G,
              Thanks for your comment. I agree with you 100%.
              Still waiting for ProfDon to enlighten us with the defining answer. He He
              Jade

  21. In 1935, during the inauguration speech of Manuel L. Quezon as the first President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines said this:

    “I would rather have a Philippines run like hell by Filipinos
    than a Philippines run like heaven by the Americans, because however a bad Filipino government might be, we can always change it.”

    Well, 70 years later, the first half of his speech holds true while the people are still waiting for the change to the better.

    Mars

    • Ha ha.. that’s a very famous quote, Mars. I, for one, agree that the Philippines is best run by Filipinos. I am just happy that the President has been able to overcome the corruption problem in the country.

  22. Issuance of names is not a concrete solution. However to reconsider his sincerity we will see later how our country moves from mass poverty
    since mass poverty is the effect of mass corruption. Thank you for this opportunity Bob. Its almost 1:00 AM here in mid-east. Ciao…

  24. Hi Bob
    I can now tell all my friends and co-workers that Philippines is now corruption free. They won’t think I’m sira ulo since evreryone knows how honest Aquino is.

  25. So glad to hear that ALL the corruption is now gone now people and business will start poring into the Philippines. LOL Really how can you stop something that is so wide spread and has no top or bottom no beginning or end? I remember my last trip there I was riding in a cab and the cab driver and I were chatting. He was ranting and raving about the corrupt politicians and at the same time was working the magic meter on his cab. I informed him that I saw him and asked him how he expected corruption to stop when ALL including him was involved?? I told him that maybe he should start to end corruption by stopping to steal and cheat people at the level he is at. It is not only the top level politicians it is at every level. The saying I live by is ” It does not matter if you steal a penny or a million dollars you are still a thief”
    But it is so great that your new president just by one threat to expose a number of corrupt politicians and everybody just stopped the corruption Just amazing!!!!

  26. I did not say that issuance of names was a concrete solution, Yousof. That is what P-Noy said he would do, and he didn’t do it, so I have to assume that he solved the corruption problem.

  27. Slow news day, Bob?
    LOL
    Well, I thoroughly enjoyed your article! I’ve been waiting for the conspiracy theorists to come out of the closet – casting heinous aspersions – ever since your 100 day article, but I believe that this article should silence any dissension. Now if there were only some way to encourage the Secretary of Tourism to hire you to write his speeches, all would be good in the world.

  33. Looks very satirical to me! :p But sadly, corruption is still very rampant in the country. If the Senate Bill I read a couple of days ago had any truth in it, the Philippines is no.1 in Southeast Asia. That doesn’t sound very promising. While I do not doubt the sincerity of P-Noy, I am beginning to doubt his capability to see it through.

    It takes both brain and brawn to squelch corruption in the Philippines. In one of my earlier research in my former job, I read somewhere that the culture itself fosters corruption. A culture that considers gift-giving as a sign of goodwill and a culture that is strong in regional and familial ties can make any such act appear “acceptable”.

  34. Bob… ditto with Joe’s comment. Plus I’m no pundit anyway. Seriously. He He. I do like the sunset/sunrise photograph. If ever you’re interested with the different photos from the Philippines checkout Flickr group philippinespearloftheorient. An expat posted old photos of Mindanao. Sorry for the shameless plug. Thanks for the FB add.

    PS: Macky’s comment made me laugh. Cool.

  41. I have often wondered why so many Filipino politicians say things that they know are not true or will not happenn. My favorate example. the the Clean Air Act of 1999 was passed, one of its sponsors stated, “Within a year Manila’s air will be clean.” now the questions: 1. Did he belive this satement? How could he unless he were completely stupid (the Implementing Rules and Regulations needed to enforce the law took over two years to formulate). 2. Did he think that the public was so stupid that we believe him. Not likely. So then why did he say it? My guess is that it’s all an elaborate dance with the politician pretending that shat he/she says is true and the audience pretending that they belive him/her.

    • It certainly is something to think about Don. I mean, if you say that you are going to do something “within a few days” you must have an idea of whether you can do it or now. It just makes me wonder….

  42. Hey Bob, have you got a spare bucket over there you can send this way? The drippings off that article filled my sarcasm detector and catcher buckets to the brim! Just like when my granddaddy used to catch that maple syrup up in Vermont in the winter…hehehe.
    I have a cash drawer at our laundry FULL of 20 pesos bills tonight…..seems everyone was overloaded with crisp new 20 and 50 peso bills. I’m sure that had absolutley NOTHING to do with the elections today, since corrruption is no longer an issue here in the Philippines. Yeah….right.

  45. No matter how many presidents will sit in our govt….it wont make any difference….clean-up must start from the “SYSTEM” not a few selected individuals….it needs to discipline the people behind the SYSTEM….rebellion in philippines was long time alive and still growing…If the “system” become worst….too late to realize rebellion is on the rise…the only country in the world with 4 active rebel factions… CPP/NPA/NDF, MNLF, MILF, MAGDALO (The military rebrebels)…

    • Jalil

      You are so right on that. Nothing will change unless the system changes. Hopefully it won’t have to come to a rebellion. We will see. God Bless

  47. Bob,
    As I wrote in my reply to your last post on this subject – President Aquino appears to be a very nice person,as with his mother,lacking the arrogance of the last president,but like his mother completely ineffectual.Filipinos as a group make statements which are designed to make the hearer happy – carrying out the statement would upset friendships and political allies so nothing will actually be done.There is little anger about corruption as it is regarded as normal – I think that it is a case of” lets stamp it out- after I get my share”.Years ago I used to get angry about the corruption then came to the conclusion that as it appears to be acceptable to society why should I care – I really do not think there is any great anti – corruption movement in the country putting pressure on the politicians for change.I find this very sad as clean government could make things so much better for ordinary people.

    • Hi Bryan – I agree with everything you said… except the part about “there is little anger about corruption”. The Filipino people are angry about corruption, and that is one of the reasons why they elected P-Noy as he promised he would eliminate corruption. There is anger here about corruption, just a lack of action so far.

      • Bob – There really is no great anti – corruption movement.With the absolutely blatant and open corruption in business and politics I would have thought by now that there would have been some kind of protest movement established.There is none because it has become so deeply embeded that this is now part of the culture of society. Much of the blame can be fixed at the door of the culture of the family unit which exists to an extent found in few other cultures.The result of this is that Filipinos feel no duty to society as a whole – only to the family,what goes on outside that is of no concern to them. They will deny this but they really have no idea of responsibility to the community at large.There are many Filipinos who are exceptions to this – responsible generous people but there are not enough of them to make a difference.

        • Hi Bryan – I agree with much of what you say, the family unit part. However, I do disagree with the part about no anti-corruption movement. There are a lot of complaints from Filipinos about corruption. I don’t know how it can be stamped out, but there is a growing number of people who want it stopped, in my opinion.

  49. “System” is controlled/manipulated by less than 5% of the ELITE & RICH (Like the Makati Business Club, Fil-Chinese), Corrupt Officials, Traditional politicians, Rice, Oil, Drug Cartels…to keep more than 75% Filipinos to be poor…

  50. Bob, here’s my one cent of opinion, unless the Pork Barrel system in the Philippines is eliminated, there will be no end to corruption in the Philippines, until doomsday , 12/21/12!

    • Hi David – Well… if the Pork Barrel system increases or sustains corruption, the the interesting thing is that P-Noy increased the Pork Barrel this year….

    • David

      I agree with you totally. Yes you are right corruption will not end until doomsday, but hopefully not on 12/21/12. I want to enjoy retirement in the philippines. hahaha

  51. Bob,
    If I can borrow/slightly modify an expression from Bill Clinton, It depends on what your definition of “corruption” is. If corruption is defined as using your position to extort money from people and not paying your “taxes” to higher authorities, then maybe he was successful in getting them to pay their “taxes”.

    • Steve – I spent many years in the Middle East where bribery is a way of life – the difference being that the bribes were made to get things done, most corruption in the Philippines it seems to me is stealing the money that should have been used to get things done.The effect of this is much more severe than in the M.E.Much of what goes on here hurts the poorest – such as the disappearance of army pension funds – the generals who looked after it were absolved of course.

  52. That should be very good things have changes to philippines cleaned up corruptions.wish to return back like american governments policies!!!corruption has bad reputation and destroyed many Filipinos;

  53. I read this article…so, since I have negative feelings towards gov (anywhere in this world) in general, because I believe we are all being directed towards a ‘one world government’ the only thing I would say is “if he is going to expose” why didn’t he? If it is corrupt, and there are those that add to this corruption, then it should be exposed …..and why didn’t he? There is/was a reason he did not expose these individuals and I wont ‘assume’ anything, but there is a reason.

  60. A politican lying? The ruling class saying what the poor people want to hear? Say it isn’t so Bob. Corruption ends when corrupt people go to jail (for a long time) and honest people get rewarded. Human nature – 101.

    • Hi Allan – Ha ha.. I can’t argue with you in the slightest! Some others seem to be saying that the corruption problem is so big that it can’t be changed, so if a politician promises to end it, well.. what can he do – so we should just let him slide. I agree with you – send the corrupt to jail!

  61. @ david…PNoy cant expose “THEM” because HE has no full control of the “SYSTEM”… THEY can destroy or oust PNOY like what the past admins happened…Growing rebellion in Philippines is a threat for “THEM”..therefore “THEY” will do their best to have control in the Govt…They will do their best to protect their interests….They did already like CPP/NPA was tagged as Terrorists…. CPP/NPA/NDF was around since world war 2 as former HUKs….MNLF/MILF was created to protect the MOROs and Lands of Mindanao….MAGDALO was created to keep a close watch on the GOVT…

    But in the sight of Most Filipinos and biased information of the media…These rebel factions are thought to be THREATs of the People…The real threats are in the “SYSTEM”…

    • Jalil

      I really like your insight on the subject. You seem to very knowledgable. Thanks so much for the good info.

  62. I don’t think this is an overnight process … it’s so embedded in the system … however with Noy’s (note i don’t call him P Noy … he has to earn that title) focus on greater transparency i think we will see s slow change and less corruption.

  64. I currently live in Costa Rica. It has the potential to supply its own energy needs and then some nearly free of charge. There is much more than enough thermal electric resources throughout the country around the many active volcanoes; likewise with the hydroelectric potential. The abundance of natural resources for such a small country is astounding.

    But they are hamstrung by corruption and a socialistic attitude. Although their economy is based on capitalism, they’ve injected so much socialism into it that they have been essentially stomping on the economic brake for decades. And they have remained a third world country due to their own making.

    To import something you have to pay 50% to 100% taxes. To hire someone the employer has to pay something like 35% in a laundry list of all kinds of taxes going to social entitlement programs. Even more if you calculate that you have to pay for 13 months for only 12 months work each and every year! It’s called Christmas Pay! There is no part time work, not because it is illegal but because no employer can afford to hire a part timer at a loss; the full fare taxes exceed the gain in productivity.

    Corruption is not even thought of as corruption. If you want to build a house for example the same engineering inspector from the municipality also has a private practice. And of course there is always some defect in the plans or construction that only he can fix in his private practice. And it is all legal! The entire government works like that!

    In reality the actual cost of living would be ridiculously low as compared to the US. There are no heating and air conditioning costs since the climate for 90% of the population is around 75 degrees year round. But due to corruption and the above mentioned factors as well as other ill conceived policies the cost of living is kept artificially high. The economy and the population suffer.

  65. I thought your post was timely as the corruption index just came out. PI increased from 139 to 135! Indeed corruption is on the way out! I like how PNoy has taken credit for the “dramatic” improvement, even though the survey data was probably obtained prior to him taking office. In any case, its an improvement and at this rate, PI should be in the good index in about 20 years.

    • Ha ha… I saw the rankings yesterday. Thing that was not mentioned by many was that the Philippines is actually tied with 9 countries… so 135 or 139, it’s all the same.

  66. The corruption index report is just a survey of how people feel. It may or may not have any relation to reality. I assume it is possible to have grown up with corruption as the norm and not see it as corruption. In the examples I gave above people don’t see it as a conflict of interest for government employees to compete against private business! Or how about the familial ruling political party; no problem.