Up with Transparency, Down with Culture of Palakasan Under Lacson Presidency

More at: https://pinglacson.net/article/up-with-transparency-down-with-culture-of-palakasan-under-lacson-presidency

Under a Lacson presidency, transparency in the bureaucracy will be upheld while the culture of "palakasan" will come to an end.

Partido Reporma chairman and standard bearer Sen. Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson said this includes having Cabinet members attend congressional probes, especially those involving corruption.

"Hinding hindi (No, never)," Lacson said at the KBP Presidential Candidates Forum on Friday, when asked if he will ban his Cabinet members from attending House or Senate investigations such as the one involving Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp.

"Kasi ang ipu-push natin ang transparency. Paano magtatagumpay ang administrasyon kung magtatago tayo ng dapat malaman ng publiko (We want to push transparency. How can our administration succeed if we hide from the people what they need to know)?" he added.

Also, Lacson vowed to end the culture of "palakasan" that has allowed corruption to fester in the bureaucracy. This can be done by adhering to only one standard, even if the one linked to corruption is a friend or ally.

He stressed he will go after the ICUs (Inept, Corrupt and Undisciplined) in the bureaucracy in the same way he kicked out the ICUs from the Philippine National Police when he headed the institution from 1999 to 2001.

"Naging kultura ang kultura ng palakasan. Yan ang ating ihihinto (The culture of palakasan has become part of our culture. That is what we will stop)," he said.

He said he will address this through leadership by example - including signing a waiver of his rights to the Bank Secrecy Act in his first day in office, and encouraging Cabinet members and all government officials and employees to do the same.

Lacson has vowed to fix the ills of government to benefit Filipinos (Aayusin ang Gobyerno, Aayusin ang Buhay ng Bawat Pilipino) and to go after thieves, especially those in government (Uubusin ang Magnanakaw).