Eye Opener
By Rodolfo P. Gumabong

The ugly Filipino politician

Ugly is defined by Webster Dictionary as “offensive from moral aspect or ill-natured or unpleasant.” Nowadays, politicians whether they be in the barangay, town, city, province, Congress and Malacañang, look respectable. Running for the first time in a public office, they seem to be saintly and with untarnished character. Politicians are supposed to be the role model of our youth whom Dr. Jose Rizal said “is the hope of the fatherland.” But what kind of role model our politicians are leaving behind our youth?

Politician means a person versed in the science of government. But what kind of science of government our politicians are teaching our youth?

We salute and take off our hats to some politicians who are honest and God-fearing and whose purpose in being there in Congress is to legislate laws for the welfare of our people. Since time immemorial, hundreds of laws have been passed in Congress! But why is the Philippines still behind in other Asian countries in alleviating the poor condition of the Filipinos? Before, graft and corruption abound only in cities, towns, provinces, in Congress and the executive branch. Today, graft and corruption proliferate in several barangays. Many barangay captains and kagawads are facing graft charges and other crimes. People in the barangays are beginning to be corrupt especially during election.

From the Aquino administration up to Arroyo regime, graft and corruption is widespread. Cannot politicians stop this No.1 cancer in our society? Cannot the politicians give up their billions of pesos pork barrel which is reportedly the source of graft and corruption in the government? If all the billions of pesos are spent for productive purposes, the poor Filipinos will not live in abject poverty. How the pork barrel of solons are spent, many are in the dark. How many percent of the pork barrel goes to developmental projects? If these billion of pesos in pork barrel are spent honestly and wisely, why are there still unemployment problem, lack of economic opportunities for our 10 million unemployed graduates. Why not channel these billions of pesos in pork barrel and stolen money by corrupt people in government to development projects.

The poor in the rural areas resort to jueteng, “daily double” and other games of chance because the government has no livelihood program for them. Our ugly politicians are also Christians and why don't they follow the footsteps of Jesus Christ. If our ugly politicians only practice their Christian faith, the Philippines will no longer be tagged as the one of the most corrupt countries in the whole world. Are not our ugly politicians affected with the bad image given to their country? God will send the evil doers to hell while the righteous ones will go to heaven. There is still time to repent for our ugly politicians and be born again so that they can enter the Kingdom of God.