Little Red Riding Hood (lum)?

The words of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, in a speech before signingthe P1.227-trillion 2008 national budget, are clear: To fix the corruption that still plagues our nation, we call on Congress, now that you have passed the budget, to work with us to pass a comprehensive anti-corruption reform act in 2008.

This reminds me of the wolf in the story of Little Red Riding Hood a scene of which goes:

Upon reaching the house of her grandma, Little Red Riding Hood knocked on the door so the wolf asked: Who's there?

Little Red Riding Hood, hearing the big voice of the wolf, was at first afraid; but believing her grandmother had a cold and was hoarse, answered, "It is your grandchild Little Red Riding Hood, who has brought you a cake and a little pot of butter mother sends you."

The wolf cried out to her, softening his voice as much as he could, "Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go up."

Little Red Riding Hood pulled the bobbin, and the door opened.

The wolf, seeing her come in, said to her, hiding himself under the bedclothes, "Put the cake and the little pot of butter upon the stool, and come get into bed with me."

So a question for Arroyo goes: Bakit ngayon lang na naipasa na ang pinakamataas na budget appropriations? At bakit ngayon lang na meron na namang alingasngas? And to add: Why still pass anti-corruption laws eh andami na natin nun? In addition, we even have a Code of Ethical Standards for government employees and public officials?

The issue here is not that we do not have laws. The issue here is implementation. We do not need additional laws. Sumobra na nga eh kaya nga dahil sa sobrang laws like EO 464, hindi nakakausad ang mga investigations na ginagawa.

Likewise, what we need is not an additional number of anti-corruption laws. What we need is an accountable and transparent government. And we do not need laws to be accountable and transparent.

Sabagay, going back to Little Red Riding Hood story, kung transparent ang wolf, he could have not eaten the girl. Kung transparent din ang Arroyo Government, no one could have dipped in their hands in the lucrative government projects. Si sana maingay ang Spratly contract with China, o kaya ang ZTE Broadband Deal, ang North Rail Project, ang South Rail Project, etc., etc., and ad infinitum.