"Corruption occurs all over the globe and in all historical eras. Just think of 18th century England, the urban political machines of 19th century America (Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall), the caciques of Spain and Latin America, or the chaopho (godfathers) in Thailand. However, especially given the Asian economic crisis and increasing and apparently irreversible globalization, crony capitalism must somehow give way to more enlightened forms of governance if developing economies are to move forward.

The Philippine state remains weak, and the continued power of entrenched éelites makes it difficult for the central government to provide cohesive and non-corrupt leadership. Insider factions still maneuver for their pieces of the federal government pie, tax collections and customs collections are highly centralized, and the Philippines bureaucracy's long tradition of corruption remains intact. Further, the President and other national officials remain dependent on local politicians to deliver the votes on demand. All in all, a recipe for continued corruption.

In short, the problems are structural and institutionalized. Among the prerequisites for a viable democratic system are a stable middle class, educational achievement and opportunities for social mobility, and open access to the political process. The still-extreme polarization between rich and poor in the Philippines (see Globalization Part 1 and Globalization Part 2) remains a major obstacle to meaningful reform. And as long as civil service salaries stay abysmally low, it will be extremely difficult to eliminate (or even minimize) corruption in the government.

There are some groups now pushing reform, including NAMFREL (National Citizens Movement for Free Elections), the Consortium for Electoral Reform (CER), the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIIJ), and Akbayan (Citizens' Action Party). One can hope that young professionals, businesspeople, and the (slowly) emerging middle class are getting tired of politics as usual.

More importantly, however, the impetus for true reform must come from the political leadership. Although all outcomes are unpredictable as I write these words, it seems clear that a totally new vision will be required if corruption is to (finally) be brought under control.

Without recounting the misdeeds of the administration, the crony-related incidents and pervasive corruption now under investigation are part and parcel of the syndrome discussed throughout this article. The current debacle reflects a major crisis of the entire system. Whatever form the upcoming resolution may take, the nation's leaders and thinkers must seriously address the causes of the problems and develop strategies to overcome the deeply rooted tradition of corruption. If they don't, the long-term prospects for this country in the global economy will be significantly jeopardized."

-From Clarence Henderson's Pearl of the Orient Seas