Are the Philippine Government Agencies

Really Doing their Job?

By Apolinario Villalobos

After reading the title, viewers will surely comment: “must such question be asked?”

The overused alibis of the government agencies once confronted about their failures are:

-          Lack of personnel

-          Lack of budget

-          Lack of facilities

-          Lack of cooperation from other agencies and the people

-          And, that they can only do so much…which is the worst!

The people in the government are supposed to be employed on the basis of their capabilities and intellect. Even used as gauge is the Civil Service Examination which issues eligibilities to the passers, and still, there are rungs to further classify the employees. Unfortunately, with the setting in of corruption since the postwar Republic, the gauge became useless because of the rampant political appointments to sensitive posts. The really capable are left with rank-and-file jobs, with the highest post currently as Assistant Secretary. This reality resulted to discouragement among the employees who became desperate because of lack of “padrino”.

The career path of the poor government employees has been waylaid by the corrupt sitting government officials who appoint people with questionable credibility to head government agencies. The government agencies headed by appointees, obviously, are used for the selfish motives of the appointing officials, the ultimate of which is to amass influence that can used as a campaign tool during election! That is the reason why would-be appointees long for agencies that are intended for community outreach. I need not name them because their malfunctions are obviously displayed or exposed during calamities and in ongoing investigations on anomalies, and which tabloids, broadsheets, as well as broadcasters scream.

Ever wonder why the perennial problem on flooding seems to be without solution? It is because those who are supposed to be monitoring even the simple drainage system and their manholes are not made by local government administrators. They are supposed to be the “managers” of local governments, yet, they just rely on the reports of their subordinates to make them believe that everything in their city or municipality are alright. It is doubtful if these “administrators” ever make regular rounds of checks on manholes some of which are exposed to the elements, waiting to be filled with garbage, gravel, rockets, etc. They may not even have a slightest idea how an estero with overflowing garbage actually looks like. But tell them that an inspection will be covered by a TV crew, and in seconds they will be on their toes!

The rugby boys are still prowling the streets, even havoc terror among motorists by throwing rocks at the cars from flyovers, yet the government has many programs for them, even facilities. When confronted, agencies merely say that they are undermanned. But wait until a foreign visitor drops by the city, these agencies, in minutes can clean the streets of these urchins, even innocent travelers from the provinces who rest on sidewalks, bringing them to their compounds for an overnight stay, or even expensive resort just like what happened when the pope visited the country.

The above are just the most discernable situations that point to the incompetence of the government agencies. Many more can fill pages…

So, for the question whether the agencies are really working efficiently in consonance with each other or on their own to ensure a smooth operation of the government system or not…my answer is not!