As several groups continue to gather at the EDSA People Power Monument and Luneta Park to denounce the persistent corruption and the anomalous flood control scandal on Sunday, September 21, Political Analyst and Professor Edmund Tayao questioned what the next steps would be once the issue of the matter has come to a lull.
Speaking at an exclusive interview with DZRH on Sunday, Tayao reminded the public that the issue of corruption is older than we think. Citing his opinion piece, “I Don’t Think We Get It,” Tayao expressed that although he acknowledges the anger boiling from within, he does not think that a change in public officials would be the main solution to the crisis that the Philippines is currently facing.
"Ganun lang kasimple. Kasi....mahilig tayo sa shortcut. Gusto natin, pag pinalitan, mababago na lahat. Alam po ninyo, nakadalawang pagkakataon na tayo, nagpalit tayo, we resorted to extra constitutional means to replace a sitting president. Pero andito pa din tayo ngayon, in fact mas lumala pa," he questioned.
"So sa madaling sabi, parang hindi tama na ganun ang option natin. At lalo na kung sasabihin natin resign all. Kasi pag resign all, ano nang gagawin natin? Paano natin mapapanagot yung mga dapat na managot?" he added.
No such thing as non-partisan
With all the protests in place, Tayao said he does not believe in the idea of a non-partisan rally. Whether people like it or not, he said, the subject itself remains political.
Despite it all, Tayao said it would be beneficial to wait for the Independent Commission for Infrastructure’s (ICI) findings, so that the public can be informed of the issue’s cause and effect.
In addition, he reminded that the issue does not end with convicting district engineers and contractors, and encouraged the public to look deeper into which staff or officials are involved.
"At hindi lang ito natatapos sa district engineer, lalong-lalo na kay Alcantara at kay Brice. Ito po dapat tingnan lahat ng mga distrito, tingnan lahat ng mga DE, lahat ng mga ADE. At hindi dapat matatapos sa contractor at sa DE," he said. "Dapat titingnan din yung mga miembro ng mababa at mataas na kapulungan.”
Besides this, he also mentioned that after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. announced the situation regarding the flood control projects, the issue quickly escalated. "It's taking a life of its own. And therefore, it is not something that anyone, not even him as president, can control," he said.
Not the first time
Recalling the previous protests, including the first EDSA People Power, Tayao cautioned, "At huwag po nating kakalimutan, hindi po ito ang una at huling iskandalo sa gobyerno. Sana naman mabalikan natin. Huwag tayong dito lang.”
Citing previous big cases like the pork barrel scam involving Janet Lim Napoles, the Dengvaxia issue, Pharmally, and the Department of Education’s (DepEd) laptop scandal. Tayao questioned, “What happened?” urging people to remember the past and not just focus on the present-day challenge.
Having been appointed by former President Rodrigo Duterte in the past, Tayao said he had seen things he would never choose to forget. With this, he encouraged people to focus on the issues the country is facing. To him, people should be wary of who should be held accountable, not just with the contractors or the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), but also incumbent politicians involved in the scandal.
"Ang kaduluduluhan nito dapat...baguhin natin ang sistema," he stressed.
"Hanggang ganyan po 'yung sistema natin, ganito ang resulta ng pag go-gobyerno. Kasi babawiin at babawiin nila yung ginastos nilang sarili nilang pera sa kampanya nila, at sobra-sobra pa. Ganyan ang kalakaran. Kaya hanggang di natin binabago, wala. Ganito lang tayo," he continued.
