Stop Political Ads on Government Projects

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President Noynoy Aquino ordered to ban political advertisements of politicians on government projects. We all know that here in the Philippines, most politicians posts their faces in front of government projects. It is as good as claiming that they are the reason why these projects has been put in place.

Just today, my son received 3 notebooks donated by our city mayor. And guess what, the face of our city mayor is on its cover page. In a nearby city, government Ambulance bears the name and face of the city mayor as well.

Did you notice that there are many waiting shed whose design of the main posts form a letter? Most of these letters is the first letter of the surname of the politician who made the project. Try to go along Rizal province, and you'll see waiting shed with “Y” main posts. Travel along Leyte province, and you'll see waiting sheds with “P” shape posts.

But who are the real champions of these projects?

It's no other than the Filipino people. Those people who are paying taxes. It is you. You who pay for VAT, you who pay for all those kinds of taxes.

Do the politicians have the right to place their faces on these projects???

They don't have any right to do that. It just so happen that Filipinos got used to it because they can do nothing after all if these rich politicians do it anyway.

Here's quote from the president's website:

In line with the President’s memo to cabinet secretaries to refrain from using his name or his photograph on project site billboards, Secretary Rogelio Singson issued yesterday department order (DO) 37, banning the placement of names and pictures of politicians on government projects.

 

According to the order, project billboards should only contain the name and location of the project, name of the contractor, the date the project started, contract completion date, contract cost, construction consultant, implementing office of the DPWH, and source of fund.

In an interview, those who are in favor of placing political ads on government projects reasoned out that it is the only way to remind the people what the politicians have done.

However, going back to their original job. Politicians are public servants. Unlike to what is actually happening, they are becoming lords of the people. Politicians' work is to improve their own localities. It is a normal work, so it doesn't really need any form of self boasting. Not working on projects is actually a form of unbecoming a leader of the people.

And finally, the money that was spent on these projects came from the people and not from their own pockets.

So what gave them the right to put their names and their faces on these projects? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!