Rules are for following

The week has been swamped by reports of the City of Cebu serving closure orders left and right to business establishments which have not complied with the law. The law requires establishments to secure necessary permits from the local government unit such as the business permit, sanitary permit, and many more. Without these, your business is deemed void by the local government unit.

A lot of people are praising the mayor for such a brave move, even if he had to go against an investment his daughter-in-law made. Others are also criticizing him for being too stern, as if forgiveness is not in his vocabulary. During one of his press conferences, Mayor Tomas Osmeña posed a theoretical question, "if you rob a bank and return the money, does that make you not guilty?" A thought we should all ponder on.

I guess it is just very simple -follow the law and you'll be fine. It has become common for Filipinos to have their way through the "hangyo" system, especially when one is a close acquaintance of the people in authority. They think that they can get by when they can present a gift or a huge amount before the government official, even when it is illegal. In these times, we need leaders who can stand up for what is right despite the big prize dangled in front of them. Our country needs leaders with conviction and determination to run their area the clean way.

Why does it have to be hard to comply? Yet, it becomes so easy for us to pin the blame on other people when the fault is thrown back at us. It's time that we set aside affinity and follow the rules. They were called rules for us to follow so that things will be in order. I pity those small time businesses who sacrificed their time and money lining up at the offices so they can get their documents the right way. Still, there are those who think that their influence can speed things up. It is still a form of corruption.

Let's be strict, because we need discipline in this country. Look at how Transport Vehicle Network Service Uber received their punishment for not complying with the LTFRB. It is not just their business that is affected, but also thousands of drivers who gave up their regular jobs because the app gives them more income than usual. They were forced to apologize and comply. Why does it have to end up that way?

We can all learn from the way our government is working to achieve the change that we have always wanted. Instead of backlashing these brave people who are doing their jobs right, we can choose the right response and follow. When we were young, our teachers always told us to follow rules. Maybe it's time to put that into our minds and hearts. Rules are meant to followed, not to be bent or to be broken.

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