The question has been asked over and over again, why do things in the Philippines never change? The comparisons have been made ad nauseam that, in the same span of time, other countries have seen exponential growth and development, while the Philippines continues to mire in poverty, despite politicians popping up and declaring “progress” or boasting about awards. 
James Silver wrote a piece for The Atlantic in 2012, where he drew several parallels between politicians and psychopaths; he offered a disclaimer for those who jump the gun on the analogy, “Although some psychopaths are violent men (and women) with long criminal histories, not all are.”
“Psychopathy is a psychological condition based on well-established diagnostic criteria, which include lack of remorse and empathy, a sense of grandiosity, superficial charm, conning and manipulative behavior, and refusal to take responsibility for one’s actions, among others,” he explained.
Silver also cited researcher psychopathy Hervey Cleckley, noting, “Some people with the core attributes of psychopathy – egocentricity, lack of remorse, superficial charm – could be found in nearly every walk of life and at every level, including politics.”
Meanwhile, Zac Goldsmith, a member of the UK Parliament, described his experience in the chamber as “weird” and “bizarre,” telling Bryony Gordon in a 2014 interview for The Telegraph, “People seem to relapse back to their school days, where you have prefects you have to butter up,” he said. “It’s amazingly childish and superficial.”
“I think that there is probably a slickness of sorts with the civil servants, but the political element is just kindergarten,” he added.
The political forum is an environment where officials present a façade to the general public, in hopes of earning votes, then, once in office, it is spent playing games with other elected officials, as Goldsmith said, “It’s amazingly childish and superficial.”
What’s worse is these superficial tendencies are then presented to the public, through policies that are intended to make officials seem determined and forward-thinking, but once the press release is out, that’s where it stops. Many times, it does not even get to the point of an ordinance and statements are made, with no follow-up – just to put the idea out there for people to think, “This person has ideas;” but that’s as far as it goes, an idea.
Earlier this year, the Bacolod City Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) heralded their plans to enforce the anti-jaywalking ordinance, a piece of legislation passed back in 2003, which, apparently, took 14 years to be enforced. Back in January, they passed an ordinance increasing penalties from P100 to P500, something City Councilor Caesar Distrito said was a way to discipline pedestrians into observing traffic rules and regulations.
However, none of it mattered, considering, by April, the city passed the Comprehensive Traffic Ordinance, which, essentially reiterated the content of the original ordinance and even reverted fines to P100. In addition, photographs of crosswalks in the city and signs posted by law enforcement were distributed to local media to show just how serious the government was about the matter.
Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) head, Police Superintendent Luisito Acebuche, said the policy would eliminate jaywalking in the city.
On the first day of implementation, Acebuche, boasted about the over 300 violators apprehended. The next day, another 188 were fined. Later in the week, BTAO let the city know, “The city government of Bacolod has collected around P229,900 from fines” – a laudable effort.
Since then, jaywalking is still rampant in the city, especially in front of Robinsons Place Bacolod, where there shouldn’t be any since there is an elevated walkway solely intended for pedestrians to cross the street safely. Drive through Bacolod City on any given day and drivers will encounter jaywalkers – either slowly slinking across the street, seemingly unaware cars exist; or suddenly running out into traffic, something stray animals even avoid doing.
Back then, Acebuche also discussed the painting of more crosswalks; clearly, that went nowhere.
Around the same time, the city government and BTAO were also applauding the “No helmet, No travel” policy. After announcing the apprehension of over 800 violators, which included city traffic enforcers, City Councilor Dindo Ramos said violators were challenging BTAO on their consistency in apprehending bad drivers, as if to say, the actions taken in prior days were proof the city government doesn’t play around when it comes to enforcing the law.
By early April, apprehensions numbered over 1,000.
Since then, motorcyclists continue to ride without helmets, often times, with passengers in tow – along with children. Should city residents merely look to archives to see a city taking action? If implementation of ordinances were only intended for one or two weeks out of the year, then there is no other explanation than to say those pieces of legislation are merely for show. Why prove the city has the ability to take action on violators, but refuse to enforce such policies 365 days a year? Is it all just to stock one’s arsenal for their re-election bid? Slap their name on a policy, enforce it for day, and when it’s time to vote, call it “progress?”
In the same way elected officials pen ordinances for the sole purpose of enforcing past ordinances – as if there wasn’t already proof that politics is redundant.
Back in August, City Councilor Em Ang penned an ordinance in order to enforce City Ordinance 562, which she wrote back in 2011. By virtue of passing an ordinance, it should be considered enforced, proceeding with the ordinance should not be done by passing another ordinance, it should be done in the same way the anti-jaywalking and the “No helmet, No travel” policies were enforced, albeit for just a week.
If the process to enforce an ordinance is to pass another ordinance saying to do so, that only goes to show reforms in the legislative process are desperately needed.
Given that an ordinance is only enforced for a week or so, if at all, goes to show everything going on within the chambers of city government is all in an effort to create a façade, expecting a fawning public in response.
City officials boast about their accomplishments, making sure media outlets receive copies of their work (some even send selfies to go along with their releases – a clear indication they would rather the headline be about them, rather than the content of their work). Yet, with none of it is implemented long term, those items they call “policy” are just window-dressing for their re-election campaign – or maybe the next self-congratulatory award, which will undoubtedly lead to the dissemination of a photo of them holding some trophy./WDJ