Near Empty Government Coffers? You Mean Empty Government Coffers Right?!

I read in the Inquirer today an article that said the next president, who ever it may be, will inherit a government with near empty coffers.

I read it, I pondered about it, then I laughed.

Why did I laugh?

Because the article is wrong. It's not just near empty . . . it's just plain empty . . . period.

Let's face it . . . the Philippine government is broke. Money that was earmarked for development went to something else . . . and that something else definitely was not development.

Oh wait I take it back . . . it was for development but not necessarily for the country.

The emergency fund that was suppose to be for . . . erm . . . emergencies . . . was used as part of a travel fund.

$20,000 for dinner in New York was what I heard. First it was the President . . . later it was just a congressman which made matter's worst because you have to wonder just how much that congressman stole to afford to pay for a $20,000 dinner when more than 2/3 (I'm guessing) of the country can't even put a complete meal on the table.

You wonder why the country has no money? That's why.

And that's not all.

Money that could have been used to raise the standards in education instead used to develop road overpasses that no one uses and fly-overs which is useless because it increases traffic, not alleviate it.

But mostly it's because of CORRUPTION. I won't be surprised if CORRUPTION eats up 50% of the money that is suppose to be used for out country. And the number above I am just guessing.

“The next president will inherit a system that is nearing fiscal collapse,” so says economist Benjamin Diokno.

Yes nearing fiscal collapse indeed. Hmmmmmm . . . aren't we there yet?

Taxes have been put out there to help the government get some revenue. Get ready for higher income tax and value added tax as well - and you think they are high now.

And because we are out of money how can much needed developmental projects be done - more power generation and better distribution network as well as transportation networks, irrigation and water supply development, and food security.

We have to eat you know.

So what should the next president do? I suggest he shoot himself rather than tackle a hopeless system that was perpetuated by the prior regime - but that's just me.

The only way would be to have more accountability and less corruption.

But then perhaps that's spitting against the wind.