“Will we let corruption win again, or will we finally break the cycle?”
The 2025 mid-term election season is upon us, and, once again, we Filipinos stand at a critical crossroads.
Each ballot cast is not just a vote for a candidate; it is a statement about the kind of future we want to build.
The question we must ask ourselves is simple yet profound: Will we allow corruption to continue crippling our country, or will we choose leaders who genuinely serve the people?
Corruption in the Philippines is more than just a talking point—it is an insatiable monster that feeds on our economy, undermines democracy, and exacerbates poverty.
It leaves the poor even poorer while the corrupt in government grow more entrenched. We suffer its effects in delayed public services, overpriced infrastructure projects, and ill equipped hospitals.
In the keynote speech of Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman during the side event of the 2025 Open Government Partnership Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting organized by the Stratbase Institute in partnership with Democracy Watch Philippines, she emphatically stated that corruption means slower public service delivery, higher prices of commodities, and poorer living conditions.
These adversities erode trust in government, weaken democracy, and hinder economic growth.
The forum brought together government officials, civil society leaders, and policy experts who all agreed on one thing: corruption is not just a moral failure—it is a governance failure.
Ateneo School of Governance Dean Philip Arnold Tuaño described it as an abuse of public power for private gain, manifesting in election fraud, patronage politics, and bureaucratic bribery.
These forms of corruption don’t just benefit the powerful; they deepen poverty and inequality, limiting access to quality education, healthcare, and infrastructure, especially for the marginalized.
A Pulse Asia survey reflects this frustration, revealing that 90 percent of Filipinos want corrupt officials held accountable.
Meanwhile, a Social Weather Stations survey found that while Filipinos prioritize job creation, food security, healthcare, and education, 70 percent also want candidates who will actively push for anti-corruption measures.
Clearly, the Filipino people want clean governance.
Dr. Francisco Magno, Director of the La Salle Institute of Governance, emphasized that elections should be a contest of ideas and leadership, but too often, they are hijacked by financial interests.
This means that money, more than merit, dictates who gets elected.
Politicians with deep pockets can drown out more qualified candidates by funding massive disinformation campaigns or outright buying votes.
Vote-buying has long been an ugly feature of Philippine elections. A few hundred pesos, a sack of rice, or even a simple meal—these short-term handouts keep the corrupt in power while the people remain trapped in long-term poverty.
But voters are not powerless.
Dr. Magno stressed the importance of recognizing and resisting vote-buying, noting that money politics thrives on voter ignorance and economic desperation.
This means we must look beyond campaign promises and scrutinize candidates’ records. What policies have they championed?
Have they been involved in corruption scandals? Have they truly served the people or only their own interests?
Civic education must go beyond voter registration drives.
Voters must be equipped with the tools to discern propaganda from fact.
As Dr. Magno put it, critical analysis of candidates and policies is necessary to reduce the influence of misinformation.
As citizens, we must actively participate in governance by monitoring government projects, holding leaders accountable, and demanding transparency in public spending.
It is easy to blame politicians for corruption, but, as Anti-Red Tape Authority Secretary Ernesto Perez pointed out, government alone cannot solve this problem.
It requires the active participation of civil society and the private sector to sustain a culture of integrity. Corruption cannot thrive if the people refuse to tolerate it.
The passage of the New Government Procurement Act in 2024, which mandates open contracting and transparency in public spending, is a step in the right direction.
But laws alone cannot eliminate corruption—vigilant citizens can.
When politicians realize that Filipinos will no longer sell their votes or turn a blind eye to abuse, the tides will begin to shift.
As Filipino voters, we must demand better.
We must vote not based on personal gain, but for the greater good.
We must reject the corrupt and elevate those who serve with integrity.
And most importantly, we must remember that our vote is not just a choice for today—it is a choice that will define the future of our country.
Will we let corruption win again, or will we finally break the cycle?
