Public office is not for personal gain

Toni Gonzaga’s recent statement is symptomatic of reality nowadays — that public office is for personal gain for the leaders.

Whether that’s using the barangay van for family errands, or withholding government help to political opponents, public office is now private property.

Let me reiterate that Malacañang, or any other government title, property, or resources whatsoever, belong to the people. Leaders are merely provisional caretakers or shepherds of the offices they hold. We, the people, can recoup these as we deem fit. That is the spirit of democracy.

Why a Marcos presidency extremely alarms me is his family dynasty’s sense of entitlement that Malacañang is theirs, or that public power is primarily for their personal gain. The most obvious illustration is how Marcos Sr. clung to power, disrespecting the constitutionally set processes of limiting the executive power to two four-year terms.

I don’t think this whole issue of public office for private gain is a result of us Filipinos being naive or clueless. I think centuries of colonization have just forced us into this setup where people in power can do what they want. Moreover, thanks to the padrino system, I can go tomorrow to my local politician and ask for P200 and enjoy it, while oblivious (or rather just desensitized due to extreme need) that they have been stealing P1,000 from my pocket every single day.

Social transformation is difficult, but one leader at a time, one citizen initiative at a time, we can slowly reclaim ownership of the public office.

LYNYRD PERAS
Quezon City