Buwis Namin, Huwag Nakawin!
Workers pay the price of corruption. Much of government
revenues come directly from income taxes of workers and value-added tax (VAT)
from consumers, the majority of whom are workers. Yet, instead of being
returned to us in the form of quality public service, our hard-earned money is
stolen by corrupt politicians, contractors, and syndicates in the bureaucracy
like DPWH.
“Buwis namin, Huwag Nakawin!” is our battle cry.
Corruption does not only enrich the few—it creates obscene
wealth for contractors, politicians, and bureaucrats while leaving workers and
the poor with broken roads and dikes, collapsed bridges, and unfinished
projects. Corruption kills. Ghost projects and substandard infrastructure cost
lives and livelihoods.
Unchecked corruption breeds impunity, as seen in the Marcos
dictatorship’s billions in ill-gotten wealth—an era whose shadow still haunts
us today, on his birthday. Fraud unchecked strengthens political dynasties,
fattens entrenched elites in Congress and local government, and perpetuates
inequality in our society.
The working people deserve justice. To have that, the
government needs total cleansing of corruption in public service and
infrastructure projects, as well as in politics. Heads must roll! We also need
political reforms to break dynasties, dismantle patronage politics, and
strengthen accountability.
We acknowledge, though, that more action by workers, the
youth and the majority of people to resist and expose corruption is needed,
because if we remain silent, they will continue to steal our future.
The wealth of the nation comes from the sweat of workers. We
will not allow our labor, our taxes, and our lives to be sacrificed on the
altar of corruption.
Buwis namin, huwag nakawin!
