But given the political structure, can reforms be passed by the legislature and will the executive take the lead in doing so? That is the operative question. David writes\u2026<\/p>\n
\nIf we hope to address corruption at its roots, we must confront the premodern features of our political system: dynastic networks, pork barrel politics, electoral clientelism, loyalty-based appointments, and informal hierarchies within the civil service. None of these can be dismantled overnight. Some require constitutional revision; others demand bureaucratic restructuring. All require civic engagement and a citizenry that refuses to retreat into despair.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
The late former President Cory Aquino had all the support and goodwill in the year she led a \u201crevolutionary government\u201d but she wasn\u2019t bold enough to introduce the needed reforms. Instead, it was political vendetta that she pursued \u2014 one that only served the interests of her relatives and allies and not that of the Filipino people. It was under the Cory administration that the term OIC or officer-in-charge was institutionalized and this is why there are more political appointees to the civil service than career bureaucrats for this reason.<\/p>\n
The president did approve the Philippine Civil Service Modernization Project, a four-year undertaking financed by the World Bank with a P4 billion loan that had as its goal the digitalization of the civil service and the review and updating of qualification standards for each position and the integration of competency based assessment. Even if the project had been completed, its implementation was another thing altogether as this would have had to eliminate ghost employees and minimize if not curb, other anomalies in the personnel services component of the budget which is also prone to corruption. <\/p>\n
It is interesting to note that David\u2019s late wife, Karmina Constantino David, was also appointed chairperson of the Civil Service Commission but she did nothing to reform the system during her tenure. And this is why I\u2019m skeptical that the present administration will initiate the much needed restructuring of the government given the socio-political environment which has been in place since the time of the Spaniards. <\/p>\n
There is no greater example of what\u2019s wrong with the system than the announcement of Trade Secretary Maria Cristina Aldeguer-Roque that P500 is enough for one family\u2019s noche buena<\/em> for Christmas. Even a political appointee should know better given her educational background. But instead, she exhibited gross insensitivity to the plight of the public who suffer the most from the high prices of basic commodities.<\/p>\n
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