US Embassy & PWI: Strengthening GO and NGO Partenrships in Government Procurement Process Seminar

In cooperation of US Embassy and Procurement Watch, Inc., a seminar was conducted on "Strengthening GO-NGO Partnership in Government Procurement Process" last October 11, 2010 at Sulu Ballroom in Grand Regal Hotel.  The talk centered around the existing corruption and the possible ways of curbing it.  Project on Government Oversight or POGO shared their views and experiences in promoting improvements and setting realistic changes on certain government issues.  Mr. Scott H. Amey, General Councel of POGO in Washington, D.C. shared some views on how to apply internal and external pressure through media, the public, and government insiders to ensure that the government implements policies and programs in a manner that benefits all.  He reiterated though that this must follow a systematic approach.

OPINION

Exposing corruption could mean social devaluation.  And social devaluation could mean losing a job, a social status, friends, and even one's own life.

The question lies not in the effectivity of the systematic approach in curbing corruption but rather how to make people respond accordingly.  How can you convince someone to spill their secrets knowing this could only lead to trouble.  It's like suicide bombing for a cause.

Not that easy.

Another thing is,  "How can you implement a system without corruption when it has already become a lifestyle?"  The system works and people is abiding it, to suddenly straighten a crooked line could confuse a lot of people.  Corruption has become an integral part of processes in government implementation that to change it, no matter how good the intentions are, is to literally disrupt the prevailing practices common to everyone.  Disrupting the norm could result to resistance, not only with the officials involved, but with the people as well.  Resistance could lead to people debunking a strategic implementation whose immediate effect could inconvenience them but would literally improve their lives in the long run.

How can you help people who doesn't want it?

Annoying isn't it? how people sometimes would defend a decadent system because changing it for the better would inconvenient them.

Oh but we do want it.

We clamor for change.

We cry out for improvement.

Ironically, we just don't want to be disrupted.

But I might be wrong.  One of the reasons why people don't act on anything it's because they do not know where to report and who to report to.  The authorities? the legal department? the media? how can one be sure that it is the right agency to confess to?  The credibility of certain public officials and the public image of the police does not promote confidence.  The media could make a circus out of your life.  It has become a gamble in terms of searching the right person to talk to.  It's certainly a 'dog-eat-dog' world and the puppy cum whistle blower must play his cards right or he might find himself walking without a head.  

Is the answer an independent agency?  POGO would say yes.  and I think, why not?

But it's not only the agency to report to.

As POGO mentioned, they passively wait for someone to come forward and only then can they act on the information given.  It is easy in the American culture to boldly report but this obviously might present a problem in the Filipino culture.  Strong, we may be, we have a problem in openly raising a hand and giving our opinion even in the classroom.  Passively waiting for someone to come out may prove to be a long and excruciating wait.

The problem has spread and its root is deep.  

It is not only the system but the culture as well. 

It is not only in the government implementation but it touches the common way of living too. 

It is not only a matter of changing the implementation but changing the mindset of people in a culture that wallows in obvious decadence.

PWI President, Atty. Amador Astudillo, was correct in pointing out that to fight a corrupt system is to fix first the decadence existing in a culture.  The cultivation of Cultural Integrity by building values to create ethical structures that will guide one's actions is a must.  The issue surrounding corruption is important, but the reason why this issue must be discussed and reported must be understood as well.  Otherwise the implementation of the program, no matter how excellent, may become a playground for people with political and personal interests in the guise of promoting social responsibility.

Wastes and loss also exist not only because of corruption but also because of wrong decisions.  Capacity building and development training is also crucial.  The official in power may not be corrupt but inadequate to decide appropriately due to lack of knowledge or experience.  An uninformed official making the wrong decision is an easy target for manipulation and control. 

On the other hand, the people must also know the law and their rights.  As abuse of any kind can only be identified if the people watching knows what is lawful and unlawful.  Education and capacity building, not only of the officials but of the people as well is also important in fighting corruption.

Filipinos are ripe in exposing corruption, in my opinion.  We may not know it all, but we have an intuitive talent of recognizing ethical and moral breeches.  Ok, maybe a few fanatics and a little research on the law would be helpful.  But the thing is, each of us tend to speculate on our own but only a few brave steps out...

Its time to collaborate.

There is strength in numbers. 

This way, the coward can hide behind the brave while he learns how to be one in the process.  

One doesn't have to face bullet to be useful.

chaos, the universe, and i

The complexities

what's the difference between the universe and I?

at a glance, the universe and i look look chaotic.

Let me correct that. It is true, that the universe and I stay to look chaotic even if you stare at us for an hour or so. And we will remain to do so for the rest of your life, if you dare to just look for the rest of your life.

the underlying order in the existing chaotic way I live my life, is the same to the system the universe is using. The silent relationship of give and take that's happening between me and the cosmos is something I have yet to deeply understand, but only now do I see it unfolding as I unfold.

You see, I am a woman who loves to study other people and their personalities, not to make fun of them -- but because I find it interesting how differently people react to the same thing we all have and this one thing we all share -- it's what we call life and world.

I easily catch manners and detect abnormalities in the situation. A certain look passed between two people. a certain smile, a certain reply...I can easily spot the not in a situation in terms of human relations. That's why I don't ask...I assume...this is a game i play silently with other people...hmmm what is he up to now?

Being alive means many things for everybody and the world can be as colorful or can be as desaturated -- depending upon one's perspective.The composition of my thoughts and action and its relevance to my life and decisions are strings not available for others to scrutinize unless I opened it up for anybody to criticize. The private me is a certain show I rarely put on stage.

I am not terrified of being scrutinized but I find it irrelevant and inconsequential. Little did I know, this is a product of me being scared to test my capabilities. One example is that, If someone gives me a project, I can deliver it, more than what is expected. I can spearhead it for the other person, plan it according to what he may want, act on it according to his tastes and preference...Ask me to lead even a small team for a project that originally came from me, my knees buckle and i call in sick. i will change that. soon.

anyway, one person commented on how i look scattered. I was about to say the same thing about him too... except that he believes otherwise... He know what he wants and what he is doing...just as I know what I want and what I am doing...

His need to re-arrange my life according to what he can understand, is a need he must do, not for me, but for himself. This need if he acted on it, will benefit him, he will begin to see me flawlessly as I strut in this life. However, I will feel broken. His order is my chaos, just as my order is his. The perfection of the moment I am experiencing can only be perfect in its perfect sense to me, others may try to understand, other may actually understand a little, but never will they look at it the way i see it.

Just as the unverse chaotically choose to exist, my chaos is partly a result of a certain system relaive to my existence and also partly an acquired choice.

No one needs to understand it not even me, just as no one needs to understand yours. There are somethings that we must answer to socially. The community requires the individual to do so,however, the creativity of one's life as one lives it is beyond time and space. And so if you see me jumping up and down the bed, you don't need to know the reason why...just join in if you feel it's fun ^.^

a more refine post on this one when I wake up. *tsup!

give me a farewell kiss

special moments are often moments tha don't last a lifetime...but those moments are tend to be remembered forever...they get stuck somewhere between the right hemisphere of our brain and our tonsils - where we the push button is readily available for pushing. they haunt us and often brings about memories we would always think to be too good to be true...or too scary that we ask ourselves why we did it.

they fly too fast.
they taste so sweet...
and it often warms the soul or leaves us cold...whichever comes first.
so goodbyes become so hard when preceded by such an experience...
goodbyes doesn't really matter without those experiences.
Goodbyes are not necessary between people who treat eachother as strangers.
Even enemies, as they say goodbye to eachother feel a sense of nostalgia and a loss of purpose especially when they've hated eachother for a long time.
Goodbyes doesn't have any meaning between two indifferent people who could care less if you walk out that door...
Goodbyes only hurt if you don't want to say it.

But goodbyes are enivitable. Every beginning has an end just as life has death. But goodbyes are also choices... others kisses eachother's cheek as a sign of farewell because they chose to, others just do it inspite of themselves. We human beings just love to cut ourselves deep...just to know if we are still alive...coz the fact of the matter is, a too-sweet-life is numbing...and goodbyes are knives to make us bleed to live again...