The silent majority?

Here's something for despairing folks to chew on: There are many people in our bureaucracy who want good government, who are against the crooks' kalakaran of "facilitation fees" and kickbacks.

- ANA MARIE PAMINTUAN

This is according to Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto, who says he speaks from experience in his effort to promote good government in his city.

From my days as a reporter in various government agencies, I can believe the mayor's assessment of the Philippine civil service. The question is whether the rotten eggs now outnumber the good ones.

What if the good ones—or those who want to be honest and efficient civil servants—constitute the majority, but feel helpless about wrongdoing in government, for numerous reasons including possible threats to their jobs or life?

While corruption has become entrenched across all levels of government, with red tape designed into systems and processes so that payment of grease money becomes the norm or kalakaran, I prefer to believe that there are many civil servants who want to take pride in honest and efficient service to the people. They want to be proud of their work, even if the compensation is modest.

What they need is some reassurance that many in their offices are of the same mindset. This can protect them from harassment or retaliation from colleagues, especially crooks who outrank them. Leadership by example is critical.

With that kind of reassurance, such government employees may no longer see the need to go with the flow, to live and let live. If provided with effective mechanisms for reporting wrongdoing, they can be encouraged to help in cleaning up their agencies. They need not see, hear and speak no evil.

They will typically want anonymity in reporting, but there must also be efficient mechanisms for verifying complaints to prevent the system from being abused for harassment.