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Bribery

Prior to the 2004 elections and afterwards, Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo allegedly utilized public funds for her victory and to continuously perpetuate herself in power.

Prior or during the election period, she dangled the free Philhealth cards to the masses. The masses surely cannot buy health securities or insurance. That move by GMA could have been lauded - as it can be a gift to the poor. The problem was that the Philhealth cards distributed were intended with political motive - for her election as president of the Philippines.

The Migrante also claimed that the money was taken from the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) welfare funds. They pointed out irregularity in the transfer of the OFWs funds to GMA’s campaign fund. Now their money is utilized for GMAs interest, rather than for the people who sweated on it.

Not only were the masses bribed with public funds for GMA’s election into office. There were the controversial fertilizer funds. Revealed by the senate in an inquiry, former Department of AgricultureUndersecretary Bolante facilitated the funds’ distributions. Bolante, a GMA ally, is nowhere to be found. There seems to be a trend for erring government official to go missing only to come out when the issue is not so hot already.

What was disturbing about the controversial fertilizer funds was that the beneficiaries were GMAs allies in congress. Farmers’ organizations swear they never received a single centavo from the controversial funds. Political motive for her continued stay in power is paramount over the farmers’ interest for subsidy that they had been crying for. Now congress had showed its real nature – a rubber stamp of GMA. Anything she wants she will get. Look at the EVAT.

But she is not contented. She has another move. She wants to play Santa for now only. Clearly however, it is another bribe – now to government employees. She promised P5000 bonus for government employees.

I certainly believe the move is to dilute these employees’ demand for a P 3000 across the board monthly increase. They continuously push for this amount as they are entitled to it, even prior to the EVAT, as they are not exempted anyway. In fact, even if this will be granted it is not enough to cope with the soaring prices.

Going back to the role of congress as a rubber stamp, they easily passed the EVAT law. Very fast. But the government employees’ call to enact a legislated wage increase, including the private sector’s call for P125 daily wage increase, for P3000 across the board monthly increased never moved from the congress processes. What then is there to expect from congress?

Whew! Bribery. I remember that during the time of former Pres. Marcos, money flooded the masses for their support to the administration. We had the bills with “Bagong Lipunan” all over the country. Will we wake up one day with the Arrovo bills flooding the Filipino people for her support? Only history will tell. But it is a big possibility. #

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