AMIDST the controversies currently faced by some of our government agencies, I find myself thinking of the whereabouts and stance of President Ferdinand "Bong Bong" Marcos Jr. (BBM).
With the obvious power-tripping suffered by our kababayan from immigration officers in our airports, the Department of Tourism's 49 million-peso campaign that includes a promotional video that uses stock footage, and the poorly-designed 3 million-peso logo of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), where is the President in all of this?
During times like these, the Filipino people look to the President for action. Why? Because he has control and is responsible over all executive departments, bureaus, and offices according to our constitution, which makes him just as accountable as the people directly to blame for these blunders.
And yet, despite all the buzz on social media, we haven't heard from him.
Past presidents like Rodrigo Duterte, Benigno "Noynoy" Simeon Aquino III, and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo would address the public in times of critical and controversial issues.
President Duterte even dismissed officials proven to be involved in corrupt practices.
In times when the public clamors for solutions to pressing problems, we need the reassurance that the President stands with us. He secured 59% of the votes during the 2022 presidential election, representing millions of Filipinos who entrusted their support to him.
Yet, we have not heard any pronouncements from him regarding his stance and actions on these unfortunate events.
Three (3) million pesos is way too much money to spend on a logo that lacks so much in quality that a child could have done a better job. Imagine how many creative professionals who could have done the job a hundred times better could have been produced with that same money through scholarships.
Furthermore, the legitimacy of the bidding process and the grantee itself are suspicious. Something seems amiss in this situation.
It is imperative for the President to address the seeming misuse and possible corruption of public funds on government projects that fail to enhance the lives of Filipinos. Upon reviewing the contents of his social media accounts, it is apparent that the President focuses primarily on bolstering his public image.
Regrettably, the comments section reveals a complete absence of any response from the President or from any representative.
As people see the significant amount of money spent on these fruitless efforts, they can't just laugh and scroll away. When we are struggling to make ends meet, why is the government spending millions to fund source material for memes?
At the very least, the President should say something.
