A letter from the US

Changes... Greetings! No matter what you are going through in life right now, always think there is always a better tomorrow. That is right, you always have to positively reinforce yourself and believe it. Inhale, exhale, inhale and exhale, good job, that is the spirit!      I want to write about an astounding experience that I had in Manila about 8 years ago. It is kind of old but I believe the thought still applies to present days.      Sometime in 2002, I went to visit the Philippines and stayed in Manila. Prior to the visit, I carefully planned the whole vacation in detail: Airlines, transportation from airport to hotel and back, accommodation, lodging, sightseeing and etc. It was fun and easy as long as you are organized and with the help of the computer.     Upon arriving Manila, I was immediately transported to my hotel. In the front desk of this lavished 4 stars hotel is where I experienced one of the biggest shock in my life.     I had reservations and all I had to do was register and do the credit card info to guarantee payments for my stay. In the registry paper work, it asked what I was doing for a living and what kind of business. I wrote Deputy Sheriff and Law Enforcement on it then handed it back to this lovely young highly educated lady. She perused it carefully and asked me, "Magkano ang  money ho ninyo on the side?"    I was instantly startled. Wow…this young lady was terribly blunt! I asked her what she meant by the question. She answered, "Kasi dito sa Pilipinas and mga pulis maraming pera from kurakot para ma suportahan ang mga asawa". I told her that it is different in the US and such action is not tolerated. I added that I will not hide the fact that mayroon din mga kurakot na pulis sa states but most are really good people. I explained to her that it is our honesty and loyalty to law enforcement is the basis of our retirement pension. One criminal act, no matter the severity, can take away your past, present, future and completely ruin you as a person and hurt all the people that depends and believes in you. One criminal act, no matter the severity, can completely take away the pension that you labored hard for. The lady was quite. Could it be because of my answer / explanation or she was suddenly embarrassed on why she asked me that appalling query?     I am not naïve about the kurakot by many of the law enforcement officials and officers in the Philippines. It happens in many parts of the world especially the impoverished ones. I lived almost half of my life in the Philippines particularly in Metro-Manila and saw (1st hand) how "dirty cops" operate and functioned the whole day. Most of you, if not all, know what I am talking about.    What really came in to my mind is "How can the Philippines improve the quality of officials and officers in law enforcement if corruption like cancer is so wide spread in all these agencies?"   A good natured person will hesitate to become a police officer because of how the general public views one: corrupt, adulterous, abusive, the real criminal and very shameful. A lawless individual will readily apply for and take advantage of the job because it gives him the opportunity to do all his criminal deeds in the pretense of enforcing the law. Mahirap mahalo ang sariwang mansanas sa mga bulok lalo pa kung peste na. Diba madali rin mabulok ang sariwa?   I can just imagine a rookie cop trying to be that knight in a shining armor trying to save the day. His veteran peers will look at him and say "Nandiyan na yan, huwag mo nang pakialaman, ikaw din baka magsisi ka. Maghanap ka ng sariling mong dilehensya". I am certain that this is the attitude and conversation that takes place in many (not all) police stations and outpost.   How can this be rectified? Correction must start from the very top. I am talking about from the President, The cabinet member in charge of policing the country, to chiefs of all these various law enforcement agencies, supervisors such as captains, lieutenant and sergeants down to the street cops must not only take an oath of " To protect and serve" but with conviction. From the top to the bottom must be held accountable for their actions and a rating system in how each agency, each division, each unit and each officer is performing is a must. The financial budget for each agency is based on their rating. When the rating is poor then the less the budget or it is completely lost. The better rated agencies gets rewarded by expanding its' territorial responsibilities and of course gets addition budget. Under performing officers, divisions and agencies must be terminated and over achieving ones must be recognized and rewarded.    This might sound too basic or we have tried it but it failed. The way it will only succeed is through conviction and commitment from the top to the bottom to be accountable for their agency, division, unit and individual's actions. This is a good way to weed out lazy and dirty cops. In addition to accountability, proper training and equipments must be supplied. These are the little things that can make the attitude change. Pride needs to be restored for being a cop and with that pride comes confidence, dedication and righteousness. Those are the building blocks and when completed, that good natured person will hesitate no more to become an officer of the law and that criminal minded individual better change his ways because the cops are out to get him.