EDITORIAL - ‘No damaged culture’

No president of this republic will agree with the idea that the Philippines suffers from a “damaged culture,” as Filipinos sometimes lament. Yesterday, President Marcos had a similar message, rejecting the idea as he lauded the achievements of the 2023 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos.

His message is valid and resonates with Filipinos, but it can use some nuancing. True, there are outstanding Filipinos in all aspects of life, and there is much that is laudable and cause for national pride in Philippine culture. But there are also many problems plaguing Philippine society, some of them seemingly intractable. Institutions are weak and damaged, calling for drastic repair.

Curbing corruption alone is a herculean task, with officials at high levels of government themselves setting the example in venality. The rot permeates all aspects of governance, affecting the allocation of resources and delivery of basic services. Rent-seeking is a way of life and people can’t seem to raise their gaze above their navels.

Politics, which is supposed to work for the good of the greatest number, serves mainly the narrow interests of politicians and their clans. Mendicancy and undereducation are encouraged to sustain the patronage system on which political fortunes are founded. The government, instead of being an enabler, stymies growth through graft-inspired red tape and deliberately designed inefficiencies.

People tasked to keep the public safe have shown a frightening propensity to kill on mere suspicion of wrongdoing. Foreigners have wondered why a nation steeped in religion has the highest homicide rate in the region. Surely there is something damaged in a society where people have little compunction to commit murder over rivalries even for positions in the barangay or village, the smallest unit of government.

Elections, which are supposed to be the ultimate expression of the people’s will in a democracy, have been undermined by the patronage system, outright vote buying and selling, and choices based on the immediate needs of empty stomachs rather than issues with deep and long-term impact on national life.

Certainly, there’s also a lot of good in the country, and many reasons for celebration. The culture is not damaged beyond repair, but there’s a lot that needs fixing. With the acknowledgment that damage has been sustained, the nation should intensify the repair work.