The abolition of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) was so long in coming. But better late than never. That body, ironically, was the anti-thesis of good government. Tasked to go after the Marcoses’ ill gotten wealth, it did the opposite. It enabled the Tita Cory boys to enrich themselves by ransacking the coffers of the sequestered companies in the names of the dummies of Marcos or his cronies.
For more than 30 years, whatever ill-gotten wealth the PCGG recovered is nothing compared to what was expected of it then to accomplish. Well, how could it accomplish much when the people running, and those it assigned to take care of, the crony companies were busy enriching themselves. “Make hay while the sun was shining,” was their mantra every time they went to work.
In fact, the whole Tita Cory government was that. It has come to be known and will always be known as the instrument that drove away the dictator only for corruption to be democratized. When the people saw that the supposed “do gooders” which took over government agencies were stealing the people’s money, everybody started thinking they might as well get a piece of the action. Thus everybody, down to the lowest clerk in the bureaucracy, was on the take.
Subseuent administrations strengthened that viewpoint or culture. While the Ramos administration sort of started to institute meritocracy in government, everything that was achieved during his time were all washed away when Erap took over. After Erap’s ouster, it appeared hopeless if government could get back on its feet. Morally, that is.
And that’s what subsequent years showed. Though PGMA poured in a lot of money to the Corddillera, it did nothing much, to stem the tide of corruption. In fact, it continued with a vengeance.
When PNOY came to power. Nothing happened. Corruption even developed deeper roots.
Now, it is PDu30’s time. Corruption is as strong as ever. Coupled with high taxes causing the high prices of everything and big political blunders, these might prove to be his undoing.**