WHAT TO DO WITH SYSTEMIC CORRUPTION?

WHAT TO DO WITH SYSTEMIC CORRUPTION?

When veteran broadcaster Anthony “Ka Tunying” Taberna speaks, people listen—and this time, what he said should shake the very pillars of Malacañang.

Taberna, once known as a staunch defender of President Bongbong Marcos, dropped a bombshell recently when he declared in a Facebook live broadcast that “corruption under this administration is blatant—garapal.” Let’s be clear: he is not accusing the President himself of being corrupt. What he is saying—loud and clear—is that corruption during President Marcos’ watch has gotten worse, more daring, and far more shameless than ever before.

Ka Tunying has put his finger on the very nerve of a long-standing national headache: the so-called “percentages”—those whispered, but widely known, cuts that lawmakers allegedly demand from government projects. According to him, this issue has grown too glaring to ignore. And if the President refuses to address it publicly? Then, Taberna says, he is essentially tolerating it.

Now, in fairness to President Marcos: he did not invent corruption. It’s a disease that has plagued our system for decades, spanning all administrations. But that’s precisely why he needs to speak out. If he does not condemn it now, then isn’t he complicit by inaction?

Let’s take the President at his word. He said he wants a “fierce” and “intense” government. Then he must now bring that intensity to the fight against corruption. No more polite statements. No more sweeping generalizations. What we need is a full-throated, no-holds-barred crackdown—not just on corrupt officials, but also on the system that allows this rot to thrive.

Where Are the Lawmakers in All This?

Here’s the part that really confuses me. Maybe you’ll call me the most naïve man in the country, but… aren’t lawmakers only supposed to make laws? Since when did they become brokers or financiers for government infrastructure projects?

Why do senators and congressmen even have a say in project allocations to the point that they receive commissions? Why is that tolerated? Or is this now simply part of the unwritten rules of governance—corruption institutionalized as part of the “cost of doing business” in government?

To be “fair” to some lawmakers, perhaps it’s not that all of them are corrupt. Maybe they’ve just been swallowed by a corrupt system. Maybe, as the old saying goes, “the devil made them do it.”

But I don’t think that should excuse anything anymore.

What Taberna Is Really Saying

What Taberna is likely pointing out is not just that corruption exists—we’ve always known that. It’s that it has become worse under the time of Marcos Junior. That the percentages are now higher than ever. That what used to be done discreetly is now done openly, without fear or shame.

When corruption becomes normalized, it’s not just the poor who suffer—it’s the whole nation. Funds meant for schools, hospitals, roads, and public services are siphoned off before they can even reach the communities. And then we wonder why classrooms are falling apart, why hospitals are under-equipped, why public works are left unfinished.

The silence of leadership on these issues doesn’t just hurt reputations. It breaks public trust.

Mr. President, the Nation Is Waiting

Mr. President, if you truly want a fierce and intense administration, this is your moment. Speak out—not just about corruption in general, but specifically about the project percentages that Taberna courageously called out.

Silence at this point will only be interpreted one way: that you’re okay with it. And we all know what that means.

You have the power, the platform, and the opportunity to do what past presidents did not: call out the rot from within, and root it out for good. And if you do it, the people will rally behind you.

This is not just about protecting your legacy. This is about restoring integrity to a government that the public no longer fully trusts.

It’s not too late. But the clock is ticking.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres
iseneres@yahoo.com, 09088877282, senseneres.blogspot.com

07-23-2025

 

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