Generation of change

EYES WIDE OPEN

- IRIS GONZALES

Lucky are those who belong to the Class of 2025, UP Diliman College of Engineering as they were reminded, even before they could step into the real, unfiltered world—which at times could be unbearably cruel and ugly—of their potential and great opportunity to help bring about change in our country today.

No less than Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto gave such simple yet powerful reminders to the graduates during their commencement ceremony last week as he warned them against corruption in both public and private sectors.

It is a timely reminder, considering how unfathomably corrupt this nation of 120 million has become and, like the good mayor, I am pinning my hopes on this generation of graduates to strive to fight the system that has been causing society's moral decay.

'Standard operating procedure'

He talked about SOP or the usual kickbacks which corrupt politicians get from government projects.

"Pag pumunta po kayo sa gobyerno, makikita ninyo kaagad 'yung kalakaran kung gaano kalaki yung mga kickbackan na tinatawag na 'standard operating procedure o SOP.' Isipin po ninyo kung P6 trillion ang budget ng isang pamahalaan—ng ating pamahalaang nasyonal—kung kalahati niyan dumadaan sa procurement, P3 trillion. Sabihin na lang natin na ano ba'ng 10 percent ng P3 trillion, e di P300 billion. Tama ba? Pero alam naman natin hindi talaga 10 percent 'yan. Pinakamababa na daw 20 percent, 30 percent, 40 percent."

Against this backdrop, he said, it's easy to lose hope, and he himself isn't spared from such feelings of frustration and hopelessness.