Every now and then, we upload comments from the comments section to the main page not because we agree with them but because of the important points raised by the commenter and it would be a shame if said points are not read by more readers. This comment, written on the entry, “Who’s the Richest of Them All?”, is one such comment which deserves a front page treatment.

Please note though that I sometimes edit the comments in order to a) protect my ass from libel suits and b) for brevity, coherence, etc. etc. However, the original comments in the comments section will remain unedited.

Hi everyone who made comments about our rich politicians like Wacnang, Domogan etcetera. The truth of the matter is they got rich because we are so stupid to keep on maintaining a system that make them take people’s money and get rich.

Apart from our stupidity comes our deafening apathy. Question is , are we helpless? Of course bloody no!! We the people got power when we as a nation wants changes done. People’s power was demonstrated when we got rid of corrupt regimes. I strongly believe that people can change the current system whereby politicians like governors, congressmen, mayors, barrio captains put their hands on every millions of pesos allocated for developmental projects (such as irrigation, roads, bridges etcetera) for the different provinces.

Why can’t we employ on a salary basis our many unemployed engineers to oversee these projects and independent auditors to monitor the money being spent. Also why don’t we require government money for projects received from the National government to be posted on every municipal or provincial billboard so the public will be informed. Of course there will be an itemized expenditure later on.

We have copied our system of government from the west particularly U.S., why can’t we copy the way their government spend people’s money? Why can’t we copy a system where the mayors, congressmen, governors don’t have a “kartas” on every government fund that goes to the provinces and municipalities. I believe that if the highly educated Filipinos with the help of the common tao, and the Catholic Church unite and make changes to this system, then things would change.

Take a look at the US,Great Britain, and Australia, do politicians touch any government money intended for projects? The answer is no. I am sure we Filipinos have the capacity to enact laws to sort this problem. I hope it can include a mechanism wherein the politician would have to explain why 9 years ago when he was elected as a congressman, he only have an asset of so and so and how come now he has 25 million?

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