So there we have it, it's official: 20% of all project costs are pocketed by corrupt government officials. Most of these government officials are proud ATENEANS, particularly certain batches that have managed to become directors and administrators of choice government corporations and agencies.
The best rebuttal I can give my salsalite friends is that their alumni are big time tax cheats and are probably the businessmen corrupting Ateneans in government -sounds futile and pathetic!
Paying taxes, writing annoying complaint letters to goverment agencies and contributing petty cash to petty advocacies isn't cutting it for me anymore. I'm f@*king pissed!?!!
Another EDSA that will put a corrupt lapdog of Atenean oligarchs in power won't change things either.
ATENEO IS SO SILENT ON CORRUPTION ISSUES I'M SO DISGUSTED!
Hoy mga Atenista! GISING!!!!!
Full Version: How Do Ateneans Fight Corruption?
i, too, have been uncomfortable with the deafening silence (at least up until the last weekend) from loyola heights. but i can understand why the ateneo has been largely quiet despite the incipient noise created by simbahang lingkod, the social advocacy group of jesuit scholastics.
the ateneo community, particularly the alumni and the jesuits, have been split since the erap years. for obvious reasons, very influential classmates of erap in the ateneo were unflinching in their support of their beleaguered classmate -- and are even so until this day -- even as other sectors of the ateneo community were at the forefront of public outcry in the wake of the failed impeachment trials in 2000-2001. now, more than half a decade later, another prominent atenean in the first gentleman is in the crosshairs of public indignation, while another one, CHED chairman romy neri (GS san beda, HS ateneo, college UP) may yet turn from hero to heel if he maintains his silence.
thus, it is not so easy for a community to condemn one of its own. sure, we always say "fight wrongdoing!" "combat corruption!" etc., etc. it was easy enough for the ateneo community to do so in the 1980s. marcos was never identified with the ateneo, and marcos took the fight directly to the jesuits by raiding the loyola house of studies. one will also recall a full-page ad in the then-burgeoning philippine daily inquirer in february 1986 calling on all ateneans in government to abandon the dictator -- which they eventually did. but fast forward decades later to the early 21st century, and one will see an ateneo community that has understandably finds it exceedingly difficult to pick up a stone and cast it on their own -- be it erap and jinggoy estrada years ago, or mike arroyo and romy neri today.
but condemn wrongdoing we must. after all, that was what we were taught, first at home, then at the ateneo. ang mali, mali -- kahit pa atenista ang gumawa. filipinos as a people have been too prone to look the other way when wrongdoing happens, and that is what must be corrected. we fear we would appear too vengeful if we do, but you've got to hand it to people like the israelis who have scoured the ends of the earth for the nazis who sought to exterminate their race -- no matter that these nazis are now stooped, aged men who can barely lift a finger to help themselves. you've got to hand it to the koreans, who thought nothing of convicting 2 of their former presidents for -- you guessed it -- corruption. those are guys are still in prison.
as a people, are we like that? doesn't seem like it. we're too forgiving. no wonder the marcoses are back and waltzing like nothing ever happened. call it a flaw in the national character, but that's the way it is. we can rant and rave for days, weeks, or even months. but after we've expended our energies, it's business-as-usual -- literally. and honestly, it can be tiring trying to rid ourselves of the cancer that inflicts us. we hope the next generation will do better, but didn't we hear that when we were kids? and now, a generation later, the problem is just as bad, perhaps even worse.
perhaps the solution is to prosecute such crimes doggedly and yet dispassionately. how will that be done? you tell me.
the ateneo community, particularly the alumni and the jesuits, have been split since the erap years. for obvious reasons, very influential classmates of erap in the ateneo were unflinching in their support of their beleaguered classmate -- and are even so until this day -- even as other sectors of the ateneo community were at the forefront of public outcry in the wake of the failed impeachment trials in 2000-2001. now, more than half a decade later, another prominent atenean in the first gentleman is in the crosshairs of public indignation, while another one, CHED chairman romy neri (GS san beda, HS ateneo, college UP) may yet turn from hero to heel if he maintains his silence.
thus, it is not so easy for a community to condemn one of its own. sure, we always say "fight wrongdoing!" "combat corruption!" etc., etc. it was easy enough for the ateneo community to do so in the 1980s. marcos was never identified with the ateneo, and marcos took the fight directly to the jesuits by raiding the loyola house of studies. one will also recall a full-page ad in the then-burgeoning philippine daily inquirer in february 1986 calling on all ateneans in government to abandon the dictator -- which they eventually did. but fast forward decades later to the early 21st century, and one will see an ateneo community that has understandably finds it exceedingly difficult to pick up a stone and cast it on their own -- be it erap and jinggoy estrada years ago, or mike arroyo and romy neri today.
but condemn wrongdoing we must. after all, that was what we were taught, first at home, then at the ateneo. ang mali, mali -- kahit pa atenista ang gumawa. filipinos as a people have been too prone to look the other way when wrongdoing happens, and that is what must be corrected. we fear we would appear too vengeful if we do, but you've got to hand it to people like the israelis who have scoured the ends of the earth for the nazis who sought to exterminate their race -- no matter that these nazis are now stooped, aged men who can barely lift a finger to help themselves. you've got to hand it to the koreans, who thought nothing of convicting 2 of their former presidents for -- you guessed it -- corruption. those are guys are still in prison.
as a people, are we like that? doesn't seem like it. we're too forgiving. no wonder the marcoses are back and waltzing like nothing ever happened. call it a flaw in the national character, but that's the way it is. we can rant and rave for days, weeks, or even months. but after we've expended our energies, it's business-as-usual -- literally. and honestly, it can be tiring trying to rid ourselves of the cancer that inflicts us. we hope the next generation will do better, but didn't we hear that when we were kids? and now, a generation later, the problem is just as bad, perhaps even worse.
perhaps the solution is to prosecute such crimes doggedly and yet dispassionately. how will that be done? you tell me.
ATENEO SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT
20 Rockwell Drive, Rockwell Center
Makati City 1200, Philippines
A CALL TO INFORMED ACTIONS: LETTER FROM THE DEAN
Dear colleagues,
I write this letter to all of you - our Faculty, the core research and administrative staff of the school, our partners, and to our students - to share with you my thoughts on how we in the Ateneo School of Government (ASoG) should respond to the events that are rapidly unfolding in our country. This letter is intended principally to the immediate ASoG community although it will be posted in our website to facilitate its circulation.
At the outset, let me be very clear that I cannot and do not speak for the whole Ateneo de Manila University. I cannot and do not also speak for all of the faculty and staff of the ASoG. Because we are an academic community, I respect and encourage the diversity of views in the university and the school. The present political crisis is not an excuse to abandon this best practice. However, as a leader of a school that sees and brands itself as a Graduate School of Leadership and Public Service, I also cannot be silent. As a school that prides itself with its framework of ethical leadership and as an institution that is spreading the gospel of transparency and social accountability in the country and our region, we cannot afford to stay in the sidelines as the events related to the ZTE-NBN controversy play out in the halls of the Senate, the Office of the Ombudsman, the streets of Manila and other cities, and in our very own campuses.
My principal call to the members of our community is this: it is time to act decisively based on informed analysis of what is happening. I will not prescribe the actions that each of you should take. But I urge you to listen to the testimonies in the Senate, observe the hearings in the Office of the Ombudsman and Department of Justice, and listen to the debates in media and in other public forums. I encourage you to talk to each other and to many others outside our community, to share thoughts and insights, to make collective judgments where possible and convince each other on what actions we should be taking. And I encourage you to take peaceful and nonviolent actions that will lead to the strengthening and not destruction of our democratic institutions.
For your information, I have already taken an initial personal step. Yesterday, the 17th of February 2008, I signed a statement issued by over 70 former government officials who have held high positions in the current and previous administrations. (For the full text of the statement, see the annex to this letter.)
The school itself will not take a political stand because we are not organized for that. I am also conscious that we do not necessarily have the same appreciation of the facts, including on the credibility of Mr. Lozada or the veracity of his claims. There is probably disagreement in the school on the record of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration especially with respect to corruption and human rights. We will continue to respect these differences of opinion and I encourage everyone to be respectful of each other's views.
While not taking explicitly political positions, I would like however to suggest concrete ways that the Ateneo School of Government, as an institution, could contribute constructively to deal with this political crisis:
First, we should take a leadership role in our larger university community as it addresses this political crisis. Nothing less is expected of our unit which is considered a principal extension arm of the university and its link to the world of governance and politics. For this reason, I have encouraged colleagues in the school to be active in the formation and activities of different alliances within the Ateneo. Limited as our resources are, we will contribute whatever we can so that the University can respond better to the unfolding events. We will pay particular attention to what our students and other youth need to understand the events better so that they can also take informed actions
Second, I would like to encourage our senior faculty and our core staff with political and/or legal expertise to become available to media and other public forums (including those hosted by the school and in the university). You may identify yourself as coming from the Ateneo School of Government but do mention that you do not speak for the school or the university. I ask you to provide analysis, contribute your insights, and most of all suggest solutions on how we can move forward. Let us influence the national conversation and help direct it towards political and governance outcomes that truly transform the country for the better. An example of what we could do is to participate in the debate on three issues that are critical so that the current controversy result in long term gains for our democratic institutions:
* The positive role of the Senate in ensuring accountability and instituting policy reforms. The Senate must be commended for serving as a forum in knowing the facts and circumstances about this issue. It must however not waste this opportunity by not putting a clear and appropriate closure to its investigation. Ultimately, the upper chamber of the Congress should provide clear policy directions and proposed concrete actions.
* Creating an Independent Counsel with investigation and prosecutorial powers. While recognizing that the country sees the Senate as one of the few places where the truth can be brought out, it is ultimately not the place where legal accountability will be realized. That will happen only when the right charges are filed, prosecuted and ultimately judicially determined. Consistent with this need to ensure legal accountability, I think it is time to create, by law, an Independent Counsel that will investigate and prosecute those liable for criminal acts in this controversy and similar high-profile cases.
* Reforming the loan procurement, BOT and other development project approval systems. A major gap or flaw that has emerged in the investigation of the controversy is an apparent lack of transparency and accountability in the loan procurement and BOT negotiations that make the existing processes vulnerable to influence peddling and backdoor negotiations. The ASoG should assert the need for transparency and accountability mechanisms in the different stages of loan procurement and BOT negotiations. One tested approach in fighting bureaucratic corruption is civil society monitoring and evaluation of government processes and programs. We are willing to work with government agencies to expand this approach to the area of loan procurement, BOT and other development project approval systems.
Third, and finally, I am encouraging our faculty, staff and students to take part in public actions and demonstrations to show our support to Mr. Lozada and more importantly for the search for the truth. I do not know whether everything that Lozada said and will say is true. Nonetheless, his decision to step forward and face the Senate was, in itself, an act of courage that deserves our full support. As a sanctuary for leaders, we have the duty to assist whistle blowers so that others may also be emboldened and take a stand for what is right. I also encourage all of you to participate in public actions that demand accountability from the government and its officials for the actions that have been taken not only to suppress the truth but also for the crime of graft and corruption from where this controversy all began.
This political crisis challenges us as a people. It challenges us to stand up for the truth, to understand and critically analyze the issues, and act on it with resolve and conviction for the benefit of the country. Poverty continues to be the major problem of our people and the Ateneo School of Government is fully committed to a vision of building a prosperous and just society. Nation building requires helping build the country community by community with responsive local governments. But nation building also requires that we strengthen our democratic and governance institutions. Together, let us transform this national crisis into a solid opportunity for long lasting reforms.
Dean Antonio G. M. La Viña
Ateneo School of Government
18 February 2008
20 Rockwell Drive, Rockwell Center
Makati City 1200, Philippines
A CALL TO INFORMED ACTIONS: LETTER FROM THE DEAN
Dear colleagues,
I write this letter to all of you - our Faculty, the core research and administrative staff of the school, our partners, and to our students - to share with you my thoughts on how we in the Ateneo School of Government (ASoG) should respond to the events that are rapidly unfolding in our country. This letter is intended principally to the immediate ASoG community although it will be posted in our website to facilitate its circulation.
At the outset, let me be very clear that I cannot and do not speak for the whole Ateneo de Manila University. I cannot and do not also speak for all of the faculty and staff of the ASoG. Because we are an academic community, I respect and encourage the diversity of views in the university and the school. The present political crisis is not an excuse to abandon this best practice. However, as a leader of a school that sees and brands itself as a Graduate School of Leadership and Public Service, I also cannot be silent. As a school that prides itself with its framework of ethical leadership and as an institution that is spreading the gospel of transparency and social accountability in the country and our region, we cannot afford to stay in the sidelines as the events related to the ZTE-NBN controversy play out in the halls of the Senate, the Office of the Ombudsman, the streets of Manila and other cities, and in our very own campuses.
My principal call to the members of our community is this: it is time to act decisively based on informed analysis of what is happening. I will not prescribe the actions that each of you should take. But I urge you to listen to the testimonies in the Senate, observe the hearings in the Office of the Ombudsman and Department of Justice, and listen to the debates in media and in other public forums. I encourage you to talk to each other and to many others outside our community, to share thoughts and insights, to make collective judgments where possible and convince each other on what actions we should be taking. And I encourage you to take peaceful and nonviolent actions that will lead to the strengthening and not destruction of our democratic institutions.
For your information, I have already taken an initial personal step. Yesterday, the 17th of February 2008, I signed a statement issued by over 70 former government officials who have held high positions in the current and previous administrations. (For the full text of the statement, see the annex to this letter.)
The school itself will not take a political stand because we are not organized for that. I am also conscious that we do not necessarily have the same appreciation of the facts, including on the credibility of Mr. Lozada or the veracity of his claims. There is probably disagreement in the school on the record of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration especially with respect to corruption and human rights. We will continue to respect these differences of opinion and I encourage everyone to be respectful of each other's views.
While not taking explicitly political positions, I would like however to suggest concrete ways that the Ateneo School of Government, as an institution, could contribute constructively to deal with this political crisis:
First, we should take a leadership role in our larger university community as it addresses this political crisis. Nothing less is expected of our unit which is considered a principal extension arm of the university and its link to the world of governance and politics. For this reason, I have encouraged colleagues in the school to be active in the formation and activities of different alliances within the Ateneo. Limited as our resources are, we will contribute whatever we can so that the University can respond better to the unfolding events. We will pay particular attention to what our students and other youth need to understand the events better so that they can also take informed actions
Second, I would like to encourage our senior faculty and our core staff with political and/or legal expertise to become available to media and other public forums (including those hosted by the school and in the university). You may identify yourself as coming from the Ateneo School of Government but do mention that you do not speak for the school or the university. I ask you to provide analysis, contribute your insights, and most of all suggest solutions on how we can move forward. Let us influence the national conversation and help direct it towards political and governance outcomes that truly transform the country for the better. An example of what we could do is to participate in the debate on three issues that are critical so that the current controversy result in long term gains for our democratic institutions:
* The positive role of the Senate in ensuring accountability and instituting policy reforms. The Senate must be commended for serving as a forum in knowing the facts and circumstances about this issue. It must however not waste this opportunity by not putting a clear and appropriate closure to its investigation. Ultimately, the upper chamber of the Congress should provide clear policy directions and proposed concrete actions.
* Creating an Independent Counsel with investigation and prosecutorial powers. While recognizing that the country sees the Senate as one of the few places where the truth can be brought out, it is ultimately not the place where legal accountability will be realized. That will happen only when the right charges are filed, prosecuted and ultimately judicially determined. Consistent with this need to ensure legal accountability, I think it is time to create, by law, an Independent Counsel that will investigate and prosecute those liable for criminal acts in this controversy and similar high-profile cases.
* Reforming the loan procurement, BOT and other development project approval systems. A major gap or flaw that has emerged in the investigation of the controversy is an apparent lack of transparency and accountability in the loan procurement and BOT negotiations that make the existing processes vulnerable to influence peddling and backdoor negotiations. The ASoG should assert the need for transparency and accountability mechanisms in the different stages of loan procurement and BOT negotiations. One tested approach in fighting bureaucratic corruption is civil society monitoring and evaluation of government processes and programs. We are willing to work with government agencies to expand this approach to the area of loan procurement, BOT and other development project approval systems.
Third, and finally, I am encouraging our faculty, staff and students to take part in public actions and demonstrations to show our support to Mr. Lozada and more importantly for the search for the truth. I do not know whether everything that Lozada said and will say is true. Nonetheless, his decision to step forward and face the Senate was, in itself, an act of courage that deserves our full support. As a sanctuary for leaders, we have the duty to assist whistle blowers so that others may also be emboldened and take a stand for what is right. I also encourage all of you to participate in public actions that demand accountability from the government and its officials for the actions that have been taken not only to suppress the truth but also for the crime of graft and corruption from where this controversy all began.
This political crisis challenges us as a people. It challenges us to stand up for the truth, to understand and critically analyze the issues, and act on it with resolve and conviction for the benefit of the country. Poverty continues to be the major problem of our people and the Ateneo School of Government is fully committed to a vision of building a prosperous and just society. Nation building requires helping build the country community by community with responsive local governments. But nation building also requires that we strengthen our democratic and governance institutions. Together, let us transform this national crisis into a solid opportunity for long lasting reforms.
Dean Antonio G. M. La Viña
Ateneo School of Government
18 February 2008
from what i observed at last monday's truth and accountability mass at the Gesù, the ateneo community is now more involved in the public outcry -- now more of outrage -- over the NBN-ZTE controversy. it appears the majority in the community were itching to get involved but were waiting for some signal or someone (whether the student council, the faculty, the jesuits, etc.) to take the lead. now the die is cast, and there is no turning back.
having said that, and a more in an earlier post, i sincerely wanna congratulate the vlsalle (ganun pa rin ang spelling? ) community for being one of those in the church that spearheaded the call for mrs. arroyo to resign in the wake of earlier scandals -- and now this, which could be the tipping point in the snowballing campaign to remove mrs. arroyo from office. i admire the christian brothers, particularly bro. armin luistro, for taking a stand on this issue even when it was unpopular or when it was unsure which way the public clamor for mrs. arroyo to step down would go. (this was back in 2005-2006 in the wake of the "hello, garci" scandal.) right is right and wrong is wrong, and i am glad the brothers made their lasallite communities in taft and greenhills understand why they had to take that position. that they have been successful in doing so is an entirely different matter, though, as the lasallites i've talked to can't seem to comprehend why their beloved brothers "are involving themselves in politics" (their usual rant against their beloved brothers). i just pray that the brothers will remain true to their stand, even as jun lozada has also pointed at lasallite ricky razon as being one of those businessmen who sought to curry favor with malacañang on the NBN deal -- and more. i hope not, but this could tighten the spigots of razon's normally generous flow of funds into DLRT, especially the archer team.
parenthetically, i also hope the brothers apply the same moral standards in cleaning out their green archer team, especially in light of recent allegations in other forums that there is still more to the benitez-gatchalian controversy that resulted in their suspension in season 69. i hope they cut and cut clean where they need to. i hope they restore order in their house (and their gym, most especially) and perhaps a vlsall sports program worthy of admiration and emulation shall finally be attained.
having said that, and a more in an earlier post, i sincerely wanna congratulate the vlsalle (ganun pa rin ang spelling?
) community for being one of those in the church that spearheaded the call for mrs. arroyo to resign in the wake of earlier scandals -- and now this, which could be the tipping point in the snowballing campaign to remove mrs. arroyo from office. i admire the christian brothers, particularly bro. armin luistro, for taking a stand on this issue even when it was unpopular or when it was unsure which way the public clamor for mrs. arroyo to step down would go. (this was back in 2005-2006 in the wake of the "hello, garci" scandal.) right is right and wrong is wrong, and i am glad the brothers made their lasallite communities in taft and greenhills understand why they had to take that position. that they have been successful in doing so is an entirely different matter, though, as the lasallites i've talked to can't seem to comprehend why their beloved brothers "are involving themselves in politics" (their usual rant against their beloved brothers). i just pray that the brothers will remain true to their stand, even as jun lozada has also pointed at lasallite ricky razon as being one of those businessmen who sought to curry favor with malacañang on the NBN deal -- and more. i hope not, but this could tighten the spigots of razon's normally generous flow of funds into DLRT, especially the archer team.parenthetically, i also hope the brothers apply the same moral standards in cleaning out their green archer team, especially in light of recent allegations in other forums that there is still more to the benitez-gatchalian controversy that resulted in their suspension in season 69. i hope they cut and cut clean where they need to. i hope they restore order in their house (and their gym, most especially) and perhaps a vlsall sports program worthy of admiration and emulation shall finally be attained.
in fairness to the ateneo community, i do not quite agree that in the case of erap there was really a serious split in the community's ranks in holding him accountable and calling for his removal. as i recall, it was just the limited circle of erap's high school classmates who - for whatever reason - chose to stand by him. indeed, the pivotal KOMPIL II congress when cory openly called for erap's resignation was held in the hs covered couts; and i remember marching in the 'jericho march' with a large contingent of ateneo college and high school students and faculty, including fr. nebres himself. (if anything, it was dlsu which was in an uncomfortable situation then, with bro. andrew sticking it out with erap's cabinet to the end, despite anguished calls from his community.)
in fact, it was the sharp contrast between the ateneo community's forthright positions with regard to erap (and marcos) and its hamlet-like vacillation in the wake of the 'hello garci' scandal that upset so many in civil society who had traditionally looked to the ateneo for moral moorings. (I do recall, though, the two full-page ads put out by an array of ateneo faculty, administrators, and students as among the most eloquent manifestos calling gma to account.) perhaps indeed it was harder to definitively "cut clean" from supposedly "respectable" alumni like the arroyos (as opposed to erap). i myself think though that this was not as much a factor as two others. One, i think especially among the jesuits, was the real fear and reluctance to inadvertently give aid and comfort to elements like the erap forces, the radical left, and military adventurists, who at different points held very visible positions in the anti-gma coalition then. The other point, i think, was that there was then a very real divergence in opinion within the community - and within the broad middle class - and i think that, in the absence of a true consensus, the university must be credited with taking the then-unpopular stance of respecting this divergence, allowing the several sectors of opinion within it the freedom to express their respective views. (i myself had then early taken a position in favor of gma's resignation and had initially been upset when the ateneo had declined to take a position similar to the la salle brothers; but, after witnessing the very divisive reactions then among my la salle friends - and similarly among friends in the makati business club after it took a similar stand - i belatedly felt i saw the point of such a stance as the Ateneo leadership's.)
in any case, it does seem that the consensus absent then has coalesced in the wake of jun lozada's testimony. while saluting the la salle brothers' courage in providing sanctuary to lozada, which has certainly been the critical element in the train of events, i do feel it has not been sufficiently noted that it was the ateneo human rights center which early on provided the assistance to lozada's family in its legal steps to recover him after his disappearance. at this critical juncture in the national situation, i do hope that something as petty as ateneo-la salle one-upmanship can be laid to rest for now. (well, at least until the start of the uaap season.)
in fact, it was the sharp contrast between the ateneo community's forthright positions with regard to erap (and marcos) and its hamlet-like vacillation in the wake of the 'hello garci' scandal that upset so many in civil society who had traditionally looked to the ateneo for moral moorings. (I do recall, though, the two full-page ads put out by an array of ateneo faculty, administrators, and students as among the most eloquent manifestos calling gma to account.) perhaps indeed it was harder to definitively "cut clean" from supposedly "respectable" alumni like the arroyos (as opposed to erap). i myself think though that this was not as much a factor as two others. One, i think especially among the jesuits, was the real fear and reluctance to inadvertently give aid and comfort to elements like the erap forces, the radical left, and military adventurists, who at different points held very visible positions in the anti-gma coalition then. The other point, i think, was that there was then a very real divergence in opinion within the community - and within the broad middle class - and i think that, in the absence of a true consensus, the university must be credited with taking the then-unpopular stance of respecting this divergence, allowing the several sectors of opinion within it the freedom to express their respective views. (i myself had then early taken a position in favor of gma's resignation and had initially been upset when the ateneo had declined to take a position similar to the la salle brothers; but, after witnessing the very divisive reactions then among my la salle friends - and similarly among friends in the makati business club after it took a similar stand - i belatedly felt i saw the point of such a stance as the Ateneo leadership's.)
in any case, it does seem that the consensus absent then has coalesced in the wake of jun lozada's testimony. while saluting the la salle brothers' courage in providing sanctuary to lozada, which has certainly been the critical element in the train of events, i do feel it has not been sufficiently noted that it was the ateneo human rights center which early on provided the assistance to lozada's family in its legal steps to recover him after his disappearance. at this critical juncture in the national situation, i do hope that something as petty as ateneo-la salle one-upmanship can be laid to rest for now. (well, at least until the start of the uaap season.)
I have to admit that as a student I wished that Ateneo be more active in the current political crisis. However, I am glad to see that we are finally taking a stand. It seemed unfair that this stand was delayed due to supposed connections to certain guilty parties. After all, in a country as small as ours it is inevitable that there will be corrupt politicians coming from any of the country's universities. Anyway enough ranting for now. The important thing is that they took action in the end.
By the way there will be a symposium with Mr. Jun Lozada tomorrow at the Law school, 2 pm. There will also be a Truth and Accountability concert on Monday in between Gates 2 and 3 from 4pm-8pm.
By the way there will be a symposium with Mr. Jun Lozada tomorrow at the Law school, 2 pm. There will also be a Truth and Accountability concert on Monday in between Gates 2 and 3 from 4pm-8pm.
To a fellow economist and former colleague, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
A statement from economists of the Ateneo de Manila University
We are outraged by the revelations made by Engr. Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr. at the Philippine Senate Blue Ribbon hearings last 8 February 2008 about the overpriced Zhong Xing Telecommunication Equipment Company-National Broadband Network (ZTE-NBN) project. The project has no clear public rationale in the first place. We are dismayed by the revelations of Mr. Lozada that former Commission on Election Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr., with the alleged involvement of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, ordered the inclusion in the proposed project a large amount of kickbacks, amounting to as much as 130 million US dollars (or more than 5.2 billion pesos), enough money to remove the yearly public school classroom backlog, or purchase 5.8 million sacks of NFA rice, or alternatively secure the basic needs of about 29,000 poor families for a year. Simply put, a lot is being sacrificed for the greed of the few.
We are angered by the continuing attempt to cover up the anomalous circumstances surrounding the project, including the supposed kidnapping of Mr. Lozada to keep him from testifying in the Senate. We demand that government remove the cloak of Executive Order 464 and the invocation of executive privilege to allow public officials that have knowledge on the transaction to publicly testify on the circumstances of the deal. We demand the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to release records of the meetings that allowed the contract to be processed. Because of the nature of the work of the NEDA in national economic planning to promote national development and public welfare (and not for private or individual interests), these minutes are public records. We want Secretary Romulo Neri, an Ateneo high school alumnus and supposed staunch advocate of reforms to eradicate transactional politics and oligarchic dominance in the country, to reveal all that he knows about the matter. Efficiency and equity demand no less.
We abhor the habit of this administration of forging secret deals and engaging in non-transparent processes in developing and contracting large infrastructure projects, especially foreign donor-funded programs, contrary to the tenets of good governance. We call on friends and colleagues in the government, especially the alumni of our university, and other sectors to help ferret out the truth about other alleged irregular deals entered into by corrupt public officials, including the fertilizer scam, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority book scam and the North Rail project.
We urge our fellow economist, alumna, and former Ateneo colleague, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, to fully explain and account for all the anomalies under her administration to prevent our country from plunging into another political and economic crisis. Indeed, we are dismayed that Mrs. Arroyo has not exercised the vast powers and resources available to the Presidency to ensure that large-scale corruption in the government is not only blocked but also punished, and that these irregularities have only increased political instability and uncertainty in the country. We are also offended that the Presidency has instead utilized these vast powers and resources to turn its back from servicing the public and contribute to the advancement of private greed, including the Machiavellian buying of congressmen, governors, and everybody else that get its way. And sadly, these abuses have eroded the meaning and legitimacy of the Presidency. If she fails to fully account and explain the anomalies and corrupt practices in her administration, the most honorable thing she can do is to resign from the Presidency.
Finally, we publicly pledge to heed the Catholic Bishops’ call to communal action by supporting the activities that would promote transparency, accountability, and good governance, and we call on our fellow social scientists and academics to support this advocacy. We pledge to make our voices heard by committing to various ways of peaceful and non-violent political mobilization.
– Signatures –
Fernando T. Aldaba
Cristina M. Bautista
Germelino M. Bautista
Edsel L. Beja, Jr.
Diana U. del Rosario
Luis F. Dumlao
Cielito F. Habito
Leonardo A. Lanzona
Joseph Anthony Y. Lim
Romelia I. Neri
Ellen H. Palanca
Malou A. Perez
Joselito T. Sescon
Tara Sia-Go
Patrick Gerard C. Simon-King
Rosalina P. Tan
Philip Arnold P. Tuaño
With all due respect to fellow Ateneans, our responses have so far been... weak. It's like having sex without the orgasm. 
But then again, what can be expected from a school where most alumni would be subject to financial risk from political upheaval?
If we really want sustainable economic development, we must do away with patronage politics and its economic corollary of disguised monopolies run by oligarchs. To do this we have to vote against family and friends, pay the appropriate taxes and-most important-see that votes and taxes are properly disposed. Translation: Put our very lives and livelihoods at stake.
Can the typical Atenean do that?
We have to fight against powerful vested interests not as heroic individuals but as an amalgam of determined groups. Everybody must be a leader so that individuals arrested can be replaced and momentum is not impaired. This administration is particularly adept at divide and rule tactics (from jeepney drivers to bishops and political parties, name it, they divied them up!) after all.
At the economic level, assets generating core cashflows for politicians in the way of reform must be denied them (legally or by refusing to buy goods and services-but hey, if you are NPA you are welcome to burn said assets). Denying cashflows ensures these politicians and oligarchs cannot practice patronism and return to the game.
At the extreme level, everybody can just stop paying taxes until the changes we want are effected. Talk about uncertainty!
And if we wait a little more for mass hunger to set in we can just witness the situation boil over to a Fiesta where many atenean oligarchs and sallsalite tycoons and smugglers are sainted while the people eat "burjers". But before that day comes, I would very much want to see Abalos' head on a pike!
These are just words, of course.
But then again, what can be expected from a school where most alumni would be subject to financial risk from political upheaval?If we really want sustainable economic development, we must do away with patronage politics and its economic corollary of disguised monopolies run by oligarchs. To do this we have to vote against family and friends, pay the appropriate taxes and-most important-see that votes and taxes are properly disposed. Translation: Put our very lives and livelihoods at stake.
Can the typical Atenean do that?
We have to fight against powerful vested interests not as heroic individuals but as an amalgam of determined groups. Everybody must be a leader so that individuals arrested can be replaced and momentum is not impaired. This administration is particularly adept at divide and rule tactics (from jeepney drivers to bishops and political parties, name it, they divied them up!) after all.
At the economic level, assets generating core cashflows for politicians in the way of reform must be denied them (legally or by refusing to buy goods and services-but hey, if you are NPA you are welcome to burn said assets). Denying cashflows ensures these politicians and oligarchs cannot practice patronism and return to the game.
At the extreme level, everybody can just stop paying taxes until the changes we want are effected. Talk about uncertainty!
And if we wait a little more for mass hunger to set in we can just witness the situation boil over to a Fiesta where many atenean oligarchs and sallsalite tycoons and smugglers are sainted while the people eat "burjers". But before that day comes, I would very much want to see Abalos' head on a pike!
These are just words, of course.
Wow, I'm quite surprised that ONLY 20% goes to corrupt pockets! ! ! But come on, why use such a shallow example of blaming "the" La Sallian businessmen for corrupting Atenean bureaucrats. The whole system is so corrupt from businesses, media, government, religious groups, labor leaders, etc.
I've realized years ago that it actually takes only "some" connection to work the system to your advantage. The smart people (doesn't necessarily mean highly educated) are just using the system to milk this country dry and once they've made enough money, they just migrate and become a model citizen in their new host country. It sucks right? But that's reality in a nutshell.
This sounds far out but I feel the biggest group who can introduce reforms is the Catholic Church, being the dominant religious group in the country. I think the leaders should step in and do a massive education campaign to reduce poverty. How? I know gaining new converts is VERY important to any organized religion but please put a hold on greed first and aggressively teach people proper family planning. The Church can't blame the masses for selling their votes too cheap cuz they do need to eat to survive too. With our current birth rate, I don't think even 10% GDP growth is even enough to sustain the economy. And where is this high birth rate coming from? Its usually from the masses who treats the Church's word as their only salvation.
Another big sector in society who can help improve the country would be the OFW (over 10 million Pinoys so I heard) as they have so much experience from advanced nations. But going back to earlier, with their big family (plus extended family, neighbors, and relatives of their neighbors) lined up for balato, the last thing they will think of is changing the system.
I always dream of a progressive Philippines and do my tiny share by helping people around me (e.g. employing people, paying taxes, etc) but I know this won't change anything. But if can just lessen poverty a bit, I think we can change this "massive" corrupt situation to just "severe" and it will change society a lot already.
I've realized years ago that it actually takes only "some" connection to work the system to your advantage. The smart people (doesn't necessarily mean highly educated) are just using the system to milk this country dry and once they've made enough money, they just migrate and become a model citizen in their new host country. It sucks right? But that's reality in a nutshell.
This sounds far out but I feel the biggest group who can introduce reforms is the Catholic Church, being the dominant religious group in the country. I think the leaders should step in and do a massive education campaign to reduce poverty. How? I know gaining new converts is VERY important to any organized religion but please put a hold on greed first and aggressively teach people proper family planning. The Church can't blame the masses for selling their votes too cheap cuz they do need to eat to survive too. With our current birth rate, I don't think even 10% GDP growth is even enough to sustain the economy. And where is this high birth rate coming from? Its usually from the masses who treats the Church's word as their only salvation.
Another big sector in society who can help improve the country would be the OFW (over 10 million Pinoys so I heard) as they have so much experience from advanced nations. But going back to earlier, with their big family (plus extended family, neighbors, and relatives of their neighbors) lined up for balato, the last thing they will think of is changing the system.
I always dream of a progressive Philippines and do my tiny share by helping people around me (e.g. employing people, paying taxes, etc) but I know this won't change anything. But if can just lessen poverty a bit, I think we can change this "massive" corrupt situation to just "severe" and it will change society a lot already.
Ang tanong, "paano pag Atenista ang kurakot?? Babawiin ba ang diploma? ostracize him in the community? Or prove it in court kuno? I don't believe that the family is that rich..old, but not rich. Now even his sons are millionaires. oNLY IN THE pHILLIPNES.....
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