I'm curious if anyone has ever read "The Local Government Code of the Philippines".
Section 79: No person shall be appointed in the career service in the local government if he is relatedwith in the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity to the appointing or recommending authority.
This section in particular. What does it mean to you?
Or more importantly how should this be applied to your local government decisions.
Have you come across something you think breaks this code? And if you did what did you do about it?
And of you felt powerless what do you think your choices are towards it.
I mean who can you turn to?
Are there means to uphold the law or is this just for show?
I'm slowly reading this piece of law to understand what it is the Philippines is really about. I mean what does it mean when there are laws that are being written in the first place. I'm curious, not because I'm trying to act smart. It is an innocent question of what it is we as Filipinos really stand for.
That prose we all feel when someone asks us who we are and what we stand for. Especially when we were kids learning about the country we come from, the flash ceremonies we all had to or are observing each and every day it is being pushed into us.
By the very people that are meant to hold onto these pieces of law, written for the common good.
The common good.
The past was the past but we all came from that. We are taught about bayanihan, the struggles of the past, colonization, freedom.
Today what does it mean, common good, does this code really help us all when we elect those that have paid enough in our pockets at election time?
It's not hearsay.
It is what it is and does that mean, the common good, when each one gets to pocket something so miniscule in the game scheme of what it is that is being voted on?
Am emphasing plea to you, the Filipino. Each one as unique but from an identity point of view we are all the same so it's there the common good when we allow what's been happening each and every year since time immemorial.
Has it always been this way?
There have been laws applied to the Philippines and Filipinos. Even before the Spanish came there was a form of law apron the Philippine islands, albeit a more medieval type but there laws.
Dogs you know slavery was prevalent pre Spanish colonial times? It was a form of punishment served by those in power. I'm inclined to think then, nepotism was very prevalent.
Is this why this particular code was made in the first place?
Are we adhering to it? The powers that be of course.
Is like to think there are processes to ensure this code is applied, the question is, are the common people aware of this code?
I'll leave you with these thoughts to mull over and have a read of the complete document. It's online and publicly available.
Educate yourself and pass it on to the next person.
of course it's real. while the law only limits family members it doesn't stop friends.
but here's the thing. we can't do anything if the appointed person is qualified for the role, reaching the minimum requirements.
and as you might have noticed in the Philippines, it doesn't take much to be a politician but to get hired in a low level job you need to have a bachelor's degree!
after that they just pick who they like the most on the grounds of "this person is likely to be cooperative, perfect for the team." regardless of actual talent or performance, you must fit the puzzle.
now whether they do well or bad is just speculation until we see the results of that person working on that role.
and just because the performance of a given unit is bad doesn't mean an incompetent person is delegated to the role, it could be a number of different reasons such as the difficulty of the task and force majeure.
Should anyone wish to point it out, he or she would then need proof that it was indeed a favor, which is complicated with how our privacy law works. he or she would also have a target on their backs from these powerful people.