Why Filipinos Tolerate Corruption and Avoid Asking Questions
Filipinos have shown a high tolerance for corruption, often due to their unwillingness to question things. However, this sentiment may not be entirely by choice. In Filipino culture, questioning is often seen as an attack or a sign of disrespect. Paradoxically, this means that in order to respect something, one must refrain from questioning it. In Filipino society, a child who asks too many questions is seen as “pasaway” or “pilosopo,” while a citizen who questions authority is considered subversive and ungrateful. Even government officials who dare to question are likely to face repercussions, such as losing their jobs.
But the avoidance of questions is not without consequences. By refusing to ask important questions, Filipinos allow corruption to pervade their political landscape. This is evident in the recent budget hearings, where the House and Senate shut down opportunities for questioning the Office of the Vice President’s budget proposal under the guise of “parliamentary courtesy.” Marikina Rep. Stella Luz Quimbo explained that this tradition aims to protect the OVP from potential embarrassment. However, if the OVP stands behind its proposal with integrity, why should questions and deliberations pose a threat?
Furthermore, the OVP has recently been embroiled in a scandal involving confidential funds. They have requested funds that exceed the Department of National Defense’s own request and received P125 million in confidential funds last year, despite not having such a line item in their budget for 2022. When confronted with these allegations, the OVP evaded questions by dismissing them as mere opinions from individuals who lack legal or auditing expertise. This dismissive attitude towards questions raises concerns about transparency.
It is worth noting that even government officials tasked with investigating the use of public funds are being portrayed negatively for daring to ask questions. Those who belong to the opposition are particularly targeted, as if their questions are undeserving of answers. This behavior not only creates an atmosphere where allies protect each other from transparency, but it also extends to agencies like the Office of the Ombudsman. Instead of serving as guardians against graft and corruption, the Ombudsman has made statements undermining transparency and defending government officials rather than the public interest.
For instance, the Office of the Ombudsman has urged Congress to drop the mandate for the Commission on Audit (COA) to publish their reports on government agencies, claiming it leads to public prejudice against officials. COA reports are crucial for transparency and accountability, ensuring that taxes are being well-spent. By prioritizing officials’ reputations over their mandate, the Office of the Ombudsman appears to have abandoned its role in investigating misconduct. They have also defended their own lack of receipts for confidential funds, arguing that such receipts are unnecessary as long as the money was used for its intended purpose.
These unprecedented and troubling times reveal a government that proudly refuses to be transparent about the expenditure of taxpayer money. Instead of acknowledging that the Filipino people have the right to question and deserve better answers, Vice President Sara Duterte, in thanking her political allies for the confidential fund, seems to forget that it was the Filipino people’s money that was given to her. The Filipino people deserve transparency and accountability.
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