Major General Carlos Garcia Photo: MNS Wirephoto We've touched on this topic many times in the past however, we find it hard to stay away from it for long. According to many observers corruption is now an integral part of Philippine society. But why it is, and how things deteriorated to this point is what many Filipinos both at home and abroad are asking themselves. Take the case of Major General Carlos Garcia, it seems inconceivable that he was able to legally amass such personal wealth on his government salary alone. His position as comptroller of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) however, gave him a sure-fire ticket to staggering wealth and riches...well, for as long as corruption was allowed to seep into the various "nooks and crannies" that surrounded the job. And what about deposed President Estrada: where did he get the money to build all those exotic mansions for his mistresses? In the Philippines, a government post is now seen as an easy way to acquire great wealth, not as a way to serve the public. All this of course bodes ill for our country. We Filipinos are harming ourselves in the long run if we condone such practices. We cannot continue to look the other way. Why, because if greasing palms is perceived as a the only way to do business in the Philippines, most foreign businesses will simply go elsewhere. And in today's highly interconnected world, the Philippines has nothing extraordinary to offer that can force international firms to do business there if they don't want to. Our current economic standing against most of our Southeast Asian neighbors already provides ample proof that many businesses have skipped the Philippines altogether and gone elsewhere. As Filipinos, we can continue to stick our heads in the sand. We can give the General Garcias and the President Estradas a slap on the wrist for all plundering they've done. As individuals we can continue to slip a few pesos into the open desk drawers of corrupt civil servants. We can refrain from rocking the boat as it heads towards the edge of a cliff. Or we can take a stand and try to change things. Published 2004