While our country is in the midst of political transformation by eliminating corrupt leaders, let's all be rational and stop overly criticizing the individuals who won the majority of our votes during the previous elections.
Just because most of them are rich doesn't mean all of them are corrupt. Come on, all accused are innocent until proven guilty. (Besides, there are some congress leaders who are average Juans with financial figures that are incommensurate to their ages and expertise.)
Here are five reasons why we think Pinoy politicians are rich:
Inheritance
Since most of our political leaders are from the elite class, there's no doubt that the majority of them inherited large sums of money, properties, and other high-value assets. Coming from a wealthy family almost completely guarantees lifelong financial security and comfort that is quite difficult to reach after a few years in the office.
If you try to analyze the behavior of the electorate, the majority of Pinoys vote a candidate based on popularity and wealth. It's like a competition between the elites and the commons. Whoever has the most money, air time for ads, and giveaways during the campaign period is most likely to be elected.
Now, the question that some of us have been begging to ask is: Why are most people questioning the fact that we have a lot of rich politicians?
Read more: Know Your Candidate Better: The Net Worth of 2022 Presidential Candidates
Business
They have businesses and not all are monkey businesses. Before some of them ran for office, they already have existing legitimate businesses that have been a primary source of income. But, there are also some who only put up a business during their term in the government which is somewhat off-putting, honestly.
Most often, even if a government official is not directly involved in business but a spouse or an heir is a registered owner, the business is still under public scrutiny despite the transparency of a politician through a duly accomplished SALN.
Conjugal Rights
It takes two individuals to sign one contract and then one of them is automatically richer. Just like ordinary citizens, a public servant who marries an affluent individual gets not just a slice but half of the cake. It doesn’t require an en banc decision to declare that properties and assets are shared through marriage unless a couple has a prenuptial agreement.
Entertainment Industry
This one is too obvious to even mention. Who knows exactly how many actors turned politicians there are in this country? Identify each one of them and determine their current status in life. It’s a no brainer as to why they can afford designer brands, vacations, mansions, and luxury cars.
Check the BIR’s list of top taxpayers and the taxes that they are paying every year.
Ill-Gotten Wealth
This shouldn't be on our list, but what the heck. Let's set the record straight and admit the truth that the Philippines has a long history of corruption. Being in the administration or opposition does not determine who is actively stealing billions or even trillions (for all we know) from the Kaban ng bayan.
It's enough knowledge that we are aware of how prevalent corruption is in our country and it has definitely made some people’s lives a lot more comfortable because of taxes and under-the-table negotiations.
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