EDITORIAL - Insurmountable task

Once elected into the highest position in the land, Nicanor Perlas vowed to eradicate corruption in 100 days. While admitting corruption has become a way of life in the country, Perlas remained confident he can clean up corrupt departments in the government.

"We are not born corrupt. It's a tragedy for me because it (corruption) destroys who we are," Perlas said, citing DTI, DENR, DPWH, and DepEd as the most corrupt government offices.

Perlas, who barnstormed Metro Cebu the other day to promote his candidacy, continued that corruption has torn the "social fabric of the nation and ruptured the hearts and minds of Filipinos."

The environmentalist is one of those running on the premise of eliminating corruption in government. Evangelist Eddie Villanueva promises six years of corruption-free government.

There is Liberal Party's Benigno Aquino III, whose campaign promotion largely dwells on attacking the present administration for the rampant corruption sweeping through government offices.

Of course, Nacionalista Party standard bearer Manny Villar also promised to eradicate corruption in government. He kept saying in the past that once elected president, he does not have to steal public money since he already has the means to live a decent life.

For nine years, the administration of President Gloria Arroyo had been rocked by various corruption scandals. Prominent of these were the fertilizer scam and the national broadband deal with the Chinese company ZTE.

It's no wonder that those running to succeed this admin   istration are trying to buy public support by cashing in on the corruption issue. They wanted to promote that theirs is a government of transparency.

However, are they really capable of stomping away corruption in the country where it has been rampant from the barangay to the office of the president?

The fact is, corruption has already been part of the Filipinos' way of life. And eradicating it from the grassroots would be an insurmountable task that needs not only political will but a miracle as well.