Jose Rizal called corruption a “social cancer.” As both doctor and reformer, he knew what he was talking about. Cancer spreads quietly through the body, weakening it until its defenses collapse. Corruption behaves the same way: it seeps through society’s bloodstream — its institutions, culture, and collective mindset — until the whole system can no longer care for itself.
To cure a chronic illness, a doctor must diagnose its causes and treat them systematically and continuously. The same is true for corruption. Despite countless anti-corruption drives, we Filipinos still ask: Why does corruption persist?
The answer lies in one word: institutionalization. Corruption in the Philippines has become embedded in our structures and routines. It has become normal.
Let us imagine corruption as a three-legged stool. A person thinking of engaging in corruption — whether a public official, contractor, or businessperson — will subconsciously ask: Is this stool strong enough to sit on? If all three legs seem sturdy, that person will feel safe to proceed.
The three legs of this stool are:
1. Weak enforcement of laws and rules against corruption;
2. Weak moral commitment of professionals and officials to uphold the public interest; and,
3. Public acceptance and normalization of corruption in everyday life.
All three must be addressed if we hope to make corruption too risky and too shameful to sit on.
1. Weak Enforcement: When Crime Pays
People respond to consequences — especially rewards and punishments. A businessperson who considers bribing a regulator to secure a contract makes a simple calculation: Is the gain worth the risk?
In the Philippines, that risk is minimal. The likelihood of detection is low, the penalties are light, and high-profile offenders often escape punishment or receive pardons. Impunity emboldens wrongdoers.
Contrast this with countries where corruption is deterred by credible and swift punishment. There, the fear of certain retribution outweighs any temptation to cheat.
Our justice system must act like an immune system — detecting, isolating, and neutralizing corruption cells before they metastasize. That requires not just laws but effective enforcement agencies, protected whistleblowers, and independent courts. Without these, the first leg of the stool remains strong.
2. Weak Moral Commitment: When Duty Is Forgotten
Public office is a public trust. This constitutional principle should guide every public servant. Yet too often, it becomes a mere ceremonial phrase recited during oath-taking and forgotten soon after.
Professionals such as lawyers, accountants, and engineers are pillars of good governance who swear to serve the public interest. Their ethical codes are clear: Lawyers must defend justice and rights. Accountants must ensure accuracy and transparency in financial transactions and reports. Engineers must guarantee the safety and soundness of structures.
When public servants and professionals perform their moral duties faithfully, they reinforce integrity in public service. But when they look the other way — or worse, collude in wrongdoing — they enable corruption.
Recent scandals, such as the fraudulent flood control projects, reveal this breakdown. Engineers sign off on substandard work; auditors falsify records; public officials approve disbursements despite glaring irregularities. Each small compromise erodes professional honor until moral collapse becomes systemic.
Professional associations and the government must reignite their members’ ethical core through continuing education, peer accountability, and swift sanctions for violators. The second leg weakens only when moral courage is restored.
3. Public Acceptance: When Wrong Becomes Normal
Perhaps the most dangerous leg of the stool is cultural acceptance. Ask an average Filipino about corruption and you will likely hear: “That’s just how things work.”
This sense of helplessness keeps corruption alive. Even those who dislike it may rationalize small acts of dishonesty. A “facilitation fee” becomes “practicality.” A bribe turns into “smooth relations.”
These everyday compromises feed a culture of tolerance. Changing it requires a deep cultural shift. Citizens must stop rewarding dishonesty with admiration or silence. Schools and media must celebrate integrity, not clever shortcuts. Families must teach that honesty is not weakness but strength. When people collectively reject corruption, its social oxygen runs out.
CONFRONTING ALL THREE LEGS
Many anti-corruption drives fail because they address only one leg at a time. Strengthening enforcement without moral renewal breeds fear but not virtue. Promoting ethics without credible punishment invites hypocrisy. Raising public awareness without institutional follow-through leads to cynicism.
To cure the cancer, all three legs must be attacked simultaneously — through law, ethics, and culture. This is not the task of one president or one administration. It is a national mission requiring the cooperation of government, business, and civil society.
Business leaders, in particular, play a crucial role. They can refuse to pay bribes, demand clean procurement, and reward employees who report wrongdoing. Corporate governance codes already mandate these principles — but they must be practiced, not merely posted on office walls.
Citizens, too, must act. Every time we demand receipts, report irregularities, or vote for integrity, we chip away at the stool’s foundation. Every act of honesty, no matter how small, strengthens the nation’s moral backbone.
THE HOPE OF HEALING
Rizal diagnosed corruption as a social cancer more than a century ago. Yet he also believed Filipinos could be cured — through education, moral awakening, and civic courage. His prescription remains valid today.
Our society can heal itself if we act with consistency and conviction. Like a good doctor, we must remove the tumors, strengthen our institutions, and change the habits that cause relapse.
If we confront corruption on all three fronts — law, ethics, and culture — then future generations may finally look back and say: “That was the disease our nation once suffered — and overcame.”
Dr. Benito L. Teehankee is a full professor specializing in management ethics at De La Salle University. He chairs the Shared Prosperity Committee of the Management Association of the Philippines.
