TRAPOs: Stealing conveniently and concealing perpetually

By Monday, we shall all be confined in a booth for a few minutes to choose our barangay officials. Supposedly, to participate in a non-partisan (as provided for by law) activity than can even be worse than the presidential and mid-term elections.

Undeniably, partisan politics is written all over the places and traditional politicians (TRAPOs) are actively involved in it. Obviously, they are trying to expand their footholds.  Not only that, to gain support from relatives, promises of lucrative positions (like Barangay treasurer and secretary) in the barangay are made. Thus, onwards, we can only expect that they will be a lot bolder as checks and balances will be totally inexistent. Consequently, corruption shall flourish.

For instance, in business, to safeguard company’s assets, internal control system is established and made sure to be adequate. To ensure success, the internal control system is structured to have both basic and supervisory controls. With this in mind, the company’s organizational structure is so designed that each person does not handle incompatible functions.  It is established in a way that the internal control’s cardinal rule of segregation of duties is well observed and checks and balances are assured. On top of these, most companies made it a policy that their personnel are rotated periodically to ensure that the work of another person shall be reviewed and accountabilities established upon turnover.

The same should have been true (or even more) in public service. This is so, because what these public servants deal with are publicly-owned funds or our money. But with a congress and, worst, local government units ran like family-owned corporations by our government leaders (who have made sure their family members are in key positions, whether by election or appointment), the internal control aspect of governance is set aside. Consequently, corruption pervades and has remained unabated.

Some quarters though are suggesting that anti-political dynasty provisions should be considered in the proposed amendment to the constitution. This proposal, though quite appropriate, is something we can’t hope for. For one, this concern was already recognized in our 1987 constitution. Our constitution explicitly states in Article II Section 26 that, “The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.”

However, despite this constitutional prohibition and strong clamors for change in the country’s political landscape, huge clans have continued to grow not only in numbers and in strength but territories as well. Why? Though prohibited by our constitution, the enabling laws never saw the light of day. Thus, in the absence of such laws, their (political dynasties) fate in every election rest on a “telenovela-enamored” and seemingly parasitical population that pervasively decide solely on the candidates’ popularity, and, to some extent, the political clans’ dubious generosity and vote-buying capability. Obviously, therefore, they stayed.

So that, no matter how loud our clamors might be, nothing positive will happen if the same old lawmakers will still be there. Why? With these TRAPOs around, the enabling laws will never see the light of day.

Truth to tell, to these political clans (down to the barangay level), they’ve made their elective positions their businesses or livelihoods to bank on. Thus, just like any businesses, they pass it on to their future generations. Unlike privately owned businesses, however, their hold of such devious inheritances is perpetuated at our expense. How? The answer is so simple.

First and foremost, it breeds cronyism and nepotism. History tells us what happened then when Pres. Marcos had Danding Cojuangco ruled the coconut industry and Roberto Benedicto, the sugar industry. Then, both industries were in a mess and the wealth was just concentrated on the few elites, the cronies. Thus, the economy was in shambles and the rest of us had become unwilling paupers.

Moreover, it begets nepotism. Notably, even family corporations abhor nepotism because of its disadvantages. First, it denies the business of highly qualified individuals who are really fit for the job. Secondly, when relatives are placed in incompatible functions, internal control is compromised. Inarguably, these instances are both unhealthy for the business.

Indeed, as politicians (from dynasties) and their cohorts (cronies and relatives) deceitfully siphon money from the government’s treasury through illegitimate deals, the economy starves.  Therefore, let us not give these TRAPOs and their descendants the opportunity to eternally stay and