‘No one is talking about the leakage – the corruption, the SOP – that is draining our people of their country’s wealth.’

YESTERDAY, I hosted breakfast for some friends from the media, politics and even national security (!!!), something I’ve been doing on weekends on and off since – believe it or not – 2005 when the “Hello Garci” tapes came out and we were wondering if it would mean the downfall of a presidency (it didn’t).

I remember: there were about 15 of us and we met every weekend at the Global Cafe in Greenbelt 3 each and every one of us would come with a kwento or a question and we would all try to figure out what the hell was going to happen next.

As the years passed, some people started to join less and less frequently, others would join this once, and sometimes we would have VIP guests so we could pick their brains, or grill them on this or that current or even past matter that was our “flavor of the breakfast.” Over the years, we’ve had a wide range of guests: senators, ex-PNP bigwigs, local government officials, budget experts who explained insertions in the national budget, and even young geology students. We even had James Yap once, when we decided to meet at Mary Grace in Serendra rather than in some Greenbelt restaurant; it was a timely meeting as James was then going through his legal issues with ex-wife Kris and, of course, we peppered James about “sub judice” matters, wishing him the best when breakfast was done.

It was maybe seven or so years ago when Nelson Navarro, who was such a rich source not only of pop historical trivia but also of salacious ones involving the rich and powerful, decided to dub our group “Los Rematados.” a group of a broad range of interests, backgrounds, and experience that make up for a very lively, sometimes passionate and almost always animated discussion every time we meet. Our regular weekend breakfasts are no longer that regular, but when we do get together (at times for dinner at Milkyway!) you can just imagine all the stories that get shared, all the opinions aired, and all the jokes said as well.

Yesterday was no different, as we sat around a long rectangular table at Wildflour Greenbelt 3. I was seated at one end, while my good friend Atty. Noel Ostrea was seated at the other. On both of the long sides of the table sat our regulars, the usual suspects whose names I shall not reveal for their own sake. But no, Nelson was not with us; he actually has not been coming to our meetings for some time now. Neither was Guillermo “Gil” Santos present, as he too has not been coming around for some time. But I can imagine that they were in that room, listening, but staying quiet.

The topics that provoked a lively discussion around the table were: first, the courtesy call by the current Vice President of the Philippines on the former Vice President of the Philippines; second, the courtesy call by the current Vice President of the Philippines on the former Vice President of the Philippines; and third, the courtesy call by the current Vice President of the Philippines on the former Vice President of the Philippines. Actually, there were a few more things we talked about over three hours, but I guess you can tell that for most of the people around the breakfast table, this was the topic du jour.

Without much to contribute, I just listened (as did Atty. Noel!) and to be faithful to my breakfast mates anyone sitting there would get to hear both sides: why the visit was a bad idea for the former VP and why it was good; why it was a bad idea for the current VP and why it was good. What if any were the political implications on the national as well as the local level, and what next?

The discussion was fast and furious, but there was something bothering me. As I listened, I heard this name and that, this party and that, this interest and that, this outlook and that. But to me, there was something bothersome because, on the one hand, the discussion was repetitive, while on the other hand, it was missing something very important.

What was repetitive to me was the fact that here we were, 19 years since we started the group, once again throwing names of politicians around and discussing who was for what and who was doing what. It struck me that while 19 years had passed and names had changed, we were still discussing issues that have been bedeviling us since long before “Garci.”

Which for me only further highlighted what we were missing. And that was focusing on very critical issues that are why we are a country that is always “ready to take off” but has actually been on hold at the end of the runway for 50 years now.

What was missing in my book was discussing an issue that Mayor Vico Sotto mentioned in one interview: corruption. The good mayor said that when we took over City Hall, he discovered that there was a practice of pocketing a significant amount of public funds. I just don’t remember if he said it was 10% or 20%.

Think about that. Even at the lower level of 10% — with a national budget of over P5 trillion, this means that every year P500 billion goes to pockets rather than projects, to mansions rather than municipal health centers, to sweethearts rather than to schools. That’s just 10% — P500 billion.

And that’s what bothers me about all the political talk already brewing around us for the 2025 elections and beyond. It’s about names and families and parties. No one is talking about the leakage – the corruption, the SOP – that is draining our people of their country’s wealth.

That is what is at stake. Now more than ever before.