Ombudsman at our doorstep

 “MANINDIGAN kontra katiwalian.”

That’s the slogan of the Office of the Ombudsman and it’s a call on citizens to help the agency do its job of prosecuting crooked officials and preventing corruption in government. The public must remember that under the law (Section 13, R.A. No. 6770; Section 12 Article XI of the 1987 Constitution), the Ombudsman acts on complaints and can only pursue a case if there is sufficient evidence to support charges.

For its part, the Ombudsman has been exerting effort to make its office more accessible to the people as with the opening of satellite headquarters outside the capital, the latest being in Rosales, right here in the province. Looking at the size of the building, which is intended to serve northern Luzon, it is a very serious effort. The opportunity to more easily pursue good governance, particularly at the local level, has been brought right at the doorstep of Pangasinan. And Pangasinenses should take advantage of this.

Anonymous complaints are accepted, for citizens who fear retribution from those in power, as long as “it merits appropriate consideration, or contains sufficient leads or particulars to enable the taking of further action,” according to the Ombudsman website (ombudsman.gov.ph). Citizens can also band together or seek help from non-government organizations/civil society groups for the filing of administrative or criminal charges, or both, against those in government who have violated their mandate to serve the people and have stolen from the public.

Pangasinan, and the rest of the country for that matter, deserves better public service. The purging of corrupt servants is long overdue. And it rests on the public to take the crucial first step of standing up, going to the Ombudsman, and saying enough with corruption.

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Good job

SUCCESS is the only available word to describe it. Just one word.

The Palarong Pambansa had just bade adieu with flying colors.  Not a single hitch marred it. Not even a minor snafu.  From athletes to coaches, from technical officials to delegation personnel and heads, they gave our hosts an A-OK grade in handling an event of national magnitude.

One barometer for success in every undertaking is when the national papers highlight it. This time, literally, the entire national media came in full force to banner screaming headlines on spectacular feats in the Palaro.

Guv Spines and his chief lieutenants led by Raffy Baraan, Butch Velasco and Modesto Operania, to name but a few, deserve more than a tap on their shoulders for deeds worth Olympic gold medals. Good job, guys.

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