Patronage politics: Likely root cause of corruption

The 1987 Constitution was meant to establish a democratic government, restore freedoms, protect civil and political rights and put safeguards against authoritarian rule. But almost four decades later, the Constitution has yet to live up to its promise of a transparent, accountable and corruption-free government that the Filipino people deserve.

Corruption has been around for decades, but the gargantuan levels we are seeing today in the flood control projects alone – running into billions of pesos and buried under technical jargon and complex procedures – has provided a gold mine for crooked politicians, corrupt government officials and unscrupulous contractors who know how to work around the system: insertions, kickbacks, under the table deals, ghost projects, padded contracts, substandard and defective projects – to steal billions of taxpayer money to line their pockets.

At the heart of this corruption is patronage politics where quid pro quos are the norm, with favors and other benefits given to political supporters or loyalists. For instance, government positions are handed out as rewards, resulting in inefficiency because expertise and credentials are overlooked in favor of political loyalty.

Others also point to the existence of political dynasties as a contributory factor to the corruption that we are seeing today. Article II, Section 26 was drafted by the framers of the Constitution precisely to prevent the proliferation of political dynasties. On paper, the words sound impressive: “The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.”

However, this provision is just empty rhetoric since no enabling law has been passed by Congress because lawmakers – many of them coming from political dynasties – would not legislate anything that could spell their own political demise. Let’s face it – there are families that rule cities and provinces like their own private estates, with public offices passed down like inheritance from husband to wife and children or grandchildren succeeding one after the other.

Checks and balances should be intensified at the local level. In many provinces and districts, dynasties control not only elective positions but also wield influence over local courts, law enforcement and the bureaucracy, making it difficult to root out corruption.

But while political dynasties are criticized, some believe they are not inherently bad because families with a reputation for competence and efficient delivery of public service can provide stability and continuity in governance. The real problem is not because a politician comes from a political dynasty – it’s the abuse of power, lack of accountability, the use of public funds to amass wealth and the stifling of meritocracy to reward loyal political supporters.

The country’s presidential system, modeled after the United States, has not worked as intended in our political culture. Instead of providing strong leadership balanced by institutions, the system has encouraged personality-driven politics and concentrated too much power in what many call “imperial Manila.”

Perhaps now more than ever, the time has come to consider a parliamentary system or at least a hybrid model – one that minimizes patronage politics that is the root cause of corruption and demonstrates the essence of a democratic government that is of the people, by the people and for the people.

In a parliamentary government, leaders continue to hold office only as long as they have the confidence of the legislature – thereby forcing constant accountability. Instead of personalities, elections would become more focused on issues, parties and programs.

The fact is, even the current party-list system needs to be reexamined and changed because traditional politicians and moneyed candidates now use it as a tool to gain seats in Congress – to the detriment of those candidates who genuinely represent marginalized sectors.

Of course, changing course would not be easy. Any talk of Charter change or “Cha-cha” always sparks heated debates. A lot of discussions have also focused narrowly on economic provisions: foreign ownership, investment caps or trade rules. These are important, but they miss the bigger picture.

Critics warn against constitutional change, saying it could open the door to more abuses such as term extension or power grabs. Any political leader who broaches the idea of Charter change is also suspected of political opportunism or branded as a self-serving “trapo” (traditional politician).

Yet even the Constitution of the United States was amended 27 times to make the fundamental law more relevant and attuned to the need of the times, with specific rights and limitations incrementally added to address the flaws without resorting to violence or revolution.

The Philippines is blessed with so much talent and potential, but until and unless we break free from a political culture where the same methods and the same corrupt practices dominate, we will continue to lag behind our neighbors. We must find the right kind of system that fits the Filipino way of thinking. In fact, we might even need to overhaul the system so that it will not be business as usual for the crooked, the dishonest and the corrupt.

There are those who argue that the problem is not the Constitution but the voters who elect unqualified candidates just because they have the machinery, the “brand name” and the financial muscle to buy their way into an elective position.

People’s frustration and anger through protests and rallies will continue and will not stop if we allow the flawed system to stay in place. Throwing all corrupt politicians under the bus will only be a temporary solution – others will just take their place. What we really need is a busload of good leaders who will take our country on a different path towards prosperity for all.

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