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Corruption it seems is the very bane of The Filipino existence. Ever since one was born, one could already understand its meaning. It may even have been the first word of many politicians, knowing perhaps their future in public office. It is corruption in the midst of poverty that seems an all too common theme in governance of this great nation. It is this combined sickness that keeps us from reaching our full potential.

We have seen The NBN deal / ZTE scandal on television, read about it in the newspapers, or even the internet where it has found life within the blogging community. It is this deal, like so many other government scandals, that was born out of greed, and may I remind everyone that this scandal shows the selfishness and lack of compassion that our “public servants” have for every Filipino.

The common Juan will not dispute the poverty that pervades our country, because we see it every day on our streets, as we see children, women, and men beg for food, scraps, coins, so that they can just breath another day. We have no proper health care, and yet a few million or even billions of pesos seems to be fine with our public officials and government officials.

It is a tragic truth, that comes upon the already initiated Filipino spectator, that we no longer have a change in government from one election to another, all we have is a change in politicians with the same corrupt and “dysfunctional” system in place. A kickback here, and a kickback there, it’s OK as long as it’s only money, and maybe not too much.

Well, let’s get this straight, because it’s not just money. When we have children on the streets, joyful at the sight of a 1 peso coin, which means dinner, I can no longer call any amount of money whether 1 peso, 1 million pesos, or 1 billion pesos chump change. Every act of corruption comes with it the possible effect of the death of many more Filipinos due to poverty. That is a fact that our officials just don’t realize!

If I am angered by this, I don’t apologize. The Philippines, with it’s great wealth of natural resources and a vast amount of intellectual talent should not be undergoing the same kind of crap for decades on end. We must ask ourselves, when does it stop?

The answer of course is when corruption stops and when we get ourselves out of this poverty-stricken hole we live in. When we finally convict individuals like Erap, when we finally have politicians who abide the laws that they have made, when we have a true check and balance in government, and when we have an Administration worth looking up to. Leaders who provide projects without thought of renumeration, when we have elections that are fair and honest. When we have respect for human rights.

When we are on our death beds we should be able to say to our children, I have done the best I can to leave a better tomorrow for you.

Honesty in governance and public service is all we ask. And yet we get scum of the earth, no good trash politicians, government officials, and military men who make it their duty to constantly and consistently break the law.

Now, we have Jun Lozada, our fallen and imperfect hero. He has his sins to pay for, and yet we must admire his courage. He may not have wanted to be in the situation he is in now, but whether or not he was thrust into the spotlight, he has shown to do his countrymen justice. I can only hope, that more individuals from the Arroyo Administration fear God more than they fear Madam, because in the end there can be only one ultimate judge, jury and executioner. And it will not be the person in Malacañang.

This country is worth dying for, I believe this ever since Ninoy uttered it in his own words. The words would ultimately be fulfilled, and it is this great sacrifice which is being trampled upon by men of corrupt and evil agendas.

Corruption is pervasive in this country, ask any Filipino on the street and one would probably get a 100% consensus on this. But it is indeed corruption in all its form that has a trickle down effect unlike the economic gains that this Administration is so eagerly trying to push in front of news media every day. The trickle down effect of corruption can be seen by the many roads unfinished, the millions of individuals still in poverty, the health care that is non-existent, and the overpriced non-essential projects. The effect is a population that is willing to install an acceptable level of corruption, a threshold. It is corruption that will be the defining issue which will finally decide whether or not we can move on or whether we stand still in hopeless hoping.

All is not lost, and Jun Lozada is another chance we have for hope. He can be redeemed, as I wrote before, only if he can willingly sacrifice for the good of his nation. His Chinese father told him not to leave The Philippines so that they can repay all that this country has done for them. Well, we can rest assure Mr. Lozada that the time for payment has come. I’m all too happy to cash in that check of truth once and for all.