Nepotism in the Philippines

What is nepotism? According to The New Lexicon Webster’s Encyclopedic Dictionary of The English Language (Deluxe Edition), nepotism n. is a favoritism shown in the advancement of relatives, esp. by appointing them to offices for reasons other than personal worth. 

 Nepotism is a social ill that needs to be addressed in all stages of hierarchy. In Philippine politics, it is very much felt. More often than not, a department head, a councilor, a mayor or any official that holds a certain position in all kinds of institution—private or even in government arena, has always been practicing of giving out positions to people because they are the daughter of some high-ranking potato. But nepotism doesn’t only limit itself to appointing relatives. It could also be stretched out to kumpanyeros and kumpanyeras, or those people that you feel close to. Thus, there’s a huge niche of people who made it to their oh-so-great-positions because someone put up a big toe to fill in the gaps of incompetence.

Finding a job is no play. You could land in a job where you can say, “This is only for additional experience.” Half a year or so, you’ll find yourself finding for a stable company where you can hopefully share you’re knowledge and experiences to a wide range of people. But in most cases, applying for a post in a government institution and getting hired is as tough as me winning the next presidential election. It’s not about what you have learned, it’s about whom you knew that could help you propel in that position that you’re applying for. You’re qualifications can only get you so far. It’s how well your family knows the mayor or anyone in the office. 

 This whole thing made me think: Why did I have to go to an expensive school, study and maintain an average grade, have sleepless nights and take up the Civil Service Eligibility if I can easily ask my father to put up a good word to the mayor? Truth is, he did and it was without my consent. To say that I didn’t like it is an understatement. I loathed it. Every time I’m applying for a position, he would give out a suggestion about how he knew someone from that work place. And every time that happens, I’m constantly praying that the board will see me as a qualified candidate not because my father and his friends told them so but because of their OWN judgment, that they see something in me that made me standout from others. I tried hinting my father once that I don’t like what he’s doing but he gets mad at me like a raging Taurus! It’s like he’s been possessed with a demon. HAHAHA! 

Months and months ago, I asked my godfather (with some hefty pushed from my father) to help me find a job. I could really die at that moment but I know that if I didn’t get a satisfactory report for my father, he would scold me to death. And so I did ask him. The good thing was, he didn’t tell anyone to give me any priority. He just helped me pass my resume to the HR department.  But he told me that they really needed an extra hand in their department since they don’t have that much workers than they used to have. That made me quite at ease. After two days, I asked if there’s any news on my application. But the lady in that department just said, “Sorry, but there’s no opening yet.” It was okay with me. I understand that finding a job isn’t that easy. The only thing that made me comfortable with my whole application is that I’m a CS passer (a certification that you needed to get before you can be hired in any government position). I never heard from them. After a month or so, to my surprise, one of my friends got a job to that municipal establishment even if he’s not a CS passer! Don’t get me wrong, I’m very happy that he got the job and all and I will never, ever, resent him for that. The thing that troubles me is the way they are employing people. It was never about you’re qualifications, nor the years you’ve spent in school; it has always been about how the government can minimize their expenses with regards to their employees that they sometimes forget what fair salary is.

The problem is with the whole system of hiring employees. The problem is with the institution itself. They kept on hiring contractual employees (a contract of 6 months) and leaving the regular post to rot just so they can avoid the benefits that they are entitled to give to a regular employee. Someone in the municipality once told me that he’s been working there for about 20 years—basically all his life—and he was never considered to be promoted even just to a regular employee (and that means minimum wage, still). Not once. And to my disappointment, some people here are hiring their sons—not to a regular post yes, but with a salary much like a regular employee would get. Which leads me to the question: Why are the sons of these councilors been given out a regular post when there are more qualified and EXPERIENCED candidates in the area? And the result: More unstable jobs and a whole lot of jobless professionals. 

 I don’t mind high-ranking officials giving out recommendations to the candidate of their choice, but to manipulate the results to favor another applicant is just UNFAIR. The reason behind interviewing and taking all the necessary exams is to find out if you are QUALIFIED and CAPABLE to handle all the things that may be given to you. By predetermining who will get the job INVALIDATES the supposedly process that everyone has undergone with. I hate going to STAGED interviews. Why can’t they just hire their bet candidates and spare us all the effort, time and the misery of interviewing? That’s why I can’t blame most of my countrymen had they tried their luck abroad than stink in this whole injustice. It is happening in Mindanao, in all parts of the Philippines for that matter, and it’s hurting a lot of people—professional or not.