Bongbong Marcos gives up fixing corruption, VP Leni Robredo offers a viable solution

Aside from having different approaches to several major issues, Vice President Leni Robredo and Bongbong Marcos also do not share the same views on the subject of getting rid of corruption.

In an interview with broadcaster Erwin Tulfo earlier in March, Marcos said corruption won’t cease to exist because “it is a human condition.”

“Yung corruption, talagang hindi matitigil yan dahil, as I keep reminding everyone, corruption is not a Filipino condition. It is a human condition,” he told PTV-4.

“Meron talagang laging tao diyan na talagang hindi deretso mag-isip. Gusto talagang gumawa ng kalokohan,” the former senator said whose family amassed 5 to 10 billion dollars in ill-gotten wealth.

His solution, to handle the fixers at the lower levels, has been advocated by previous presidential bets but the practice thrives to this day.

“At the high level of the government, ang talagang kailangan ay mamili ka ng magaling na tao, na alam mong hindi korap.

“Kailangan mag-set ng example. Eh kami, hindi namin ginagawa ‘yan. Huwag n’yong gagawin ‘yan, kundi tanggal kayo. Hindi lang tanggal kayo, kundi ikukulong ka namin,” he furthered.

Meanwhile, Robredo promises to run a transparent administration should she win the presidential race.

During a forum organized by the Kapisanan ng Mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas in February, she vowed to have government agencies abide by the laws of full disclosure and Freedom of Information (FOI).

“Ito ‘yung mga ise-certify kong urgent. I-require ‘yung full disclosure sa lahat ng government offices and instrumentalities kahit wala pa pong batas,” she said.

“Kasi kahit wala pang batas, pwede akong gumawa ng executive order (EO) para meron nang ganun na demand from all government,” she added.

The Full Disclosure bill was filed by the Naga native in 2013. It would require the national and local governments to disclose info on budget, accountability and accomplishment reports, procurement plan, and financial statements.

Pres. Rodrigo Duterte signed an executive order on the FOI bill in the infancy of his presidency.

“Mas maganda kung may batas dahil kahit hindi na ako pangulo, tuloy tuloy na i-instituionalize ‘yung requirement na ‘yun, pero habang wala pang batas, ay maggagawa na tayo ng executive order. The same with FOI,” she said.

Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto also signed a similar measure called the Pasig Transparency Mechanism Ordinance.