UGLIEST BILLBOARDS ON THE PLANET
MANILA, MARCH
31, 2008 (STAR) PEPE DON'T PREACH By Pepe Diokno - You wanna get
rid of corruption?
Here’s one simple measure: Outlaw those ugly billboards our politicians put up wherever there’s public infrastructure.“This highway is a project of Gloria Arroyo,” “This outpost was built by Chiz Escudero,” “This wall was erected by Councilor Heywood Jablomi.”
How can we live with such crap?
I mean, first of all, Gloria Arroyo, our government is supposed to be “of the people, for the people, by the people” — and if you understand that — those roads you build all over the country are not your projects, girl.
“This highway is a project of the Filipino people.” That’s how it’s supposed to read.
I mean, yeah, you signed a little paper in your little office — but wait, your little office isn’t yours in the first place. Whether by election or complacency, we put you there to fill up our seat. Big difference, woman.
And, secondly, Chiz Escudero: your name is a waste of paint. Here you are spending our money paying a guy to stencil your name into the people’s outposts? When the word is we have a rice shortage? Shame on you.
And shame on all you politicos, too — using public funds to put your faces on billboards. What’s the justification? I mean, other than ego masturbation.
Honestly, why do you need the whole world to know you built some crummy (insert piece of infrastructure here)? It’s stupid.
And it also shows us why this country is in such a dire state.
Take Them Down
For decades, we’ve pondered over what makes Philippine leaders so unabashedly corrupt. Now, growing up in a media-mad generation, I can see why. These billboards offer us a look into the minds of our politicians: for some strange reason, they think the power they have is theirs.
Our politicians think that our money is their own to dispense. They think that public works come from the pureness of their heart. They see themselves are vanguards, as our hope for our future.
These billboards show us how unashamed our leaders are of showing their power. The subliminal message they send out is, “If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have new roads. Mwahahahaha!”
But since when has it been okay for us to let our politicians do this?
With these billboards alone, we are letting our leaders be corrupt. The mentality that public works are somehow theirs leads to a mentality that public funds are also theirs. And that’s where corruption starts. And that’s why people are poor.
So, I’m sorry, but as long as we have these god-awful, “This road was built by Gloria Arroyo,” abominations, then we deserve all the sh** we get.
While this Supreme issue is about giving back, I say it’s time we start taking away.
Take those billboards down. Now.