By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto challenged the next generation of lawyers and public servants to recognize that corruption does not begin with billion-peso scandals but with seemingly insignificant ethical compromises that gradually become accepted as normal.
Addressing the University of the Philippines College of Law Class of 2026, Sotto departed from the traditional commencement speech by delivering a reflection on the roots of corruption and the personal responsibility required to build institutions founded on integrity.
Rather than blaming government systems alone, Sotto argued that institutions merely reflect the character and choices of the people who run them.
Using the country’s ongoing flood control controversy as an example, the mayor said large-scale corruption develops over time through a series of small decisions that erode ethical standards.
“Everything systemic, everything that has been institutionalized, started with one decision, with one small practice,” Sotto said.
He stressed that institutionalized corruption does not emerge overnight but begins with a single questionable contract, a minor bribe or a seemingly harmless kickback that eventually becomes embedded in the system.
Sotto warned graduates that corruption rarely stems from one dramatic choice. Instead, it grows through repeated compromises that become easier to justify as time passes.
He pointed out that dishonesty often begins in everyday situations long before people assume positions of power.
“We condemn corruption in government, yet tolerate small acts of dishonesty in our daily lives,” Sotto said, noting that ethical lapses committed in school or at work can gradually shape a person’s moral compass.
According to the mayor, professionals may later find themselves pressured to falsify records, overlook irregularities, approve questionable transactions, or tolerate bribery because such practices have already become routine.
Honesty Should Not Be the Exception
Sotto shared an experience in which a contractor expressed surprise that Pasig City rejected kickbacks, believing such stories existed only in news reports.
For the mayor, the incident reflected a troubling reality.
“We’ve reached a point where people are more surprised to encounter an honest public official than a corrupt one,” he said.
Ten Principles for Ethical Leadership
To help young leaders resist the pressures of corruption, Sotto outlined ten principles that have guided his years in public service:
Prepare thoroughly before making difficult decisions.
Identify and regularly revisit your non-negotiable values.
Choose integrity, conscience and faith over money, power and ambition.
Understand how cognitive bias and rationalization influence decision-making.
Step outside your echo chamber and welcome differing perspectives.
Keep personal ego in check.
Surround yourself with people who share your values.
Allow trusted individuals to hold you accountable.
Respect institutions while remaining willing to challenge outdated practices.
Remember that lasting reform comes from consistent ethical choices.
No Single Savior
Sotto emphasized that meaningful reforms are achieved through years of steady improvements rather than dramatic political change.
He acknowledged that Pasig City’s gains were built upon the efforts of many individuals who advocated reforms long before he became mayor in 2019.
Concluding his address, Sotto rejected the belief that the country’s future depends on one charismatic leader.
“There will be no savior for our nation,” he told the graduating class. “How fast we move forward will depend on you—the next generation of leaders and changemakers.”
Sotto’s message underscored a central theme: the fight against corruption begins not with sweeping reforms alone, but with the daily decisions of individuals who choose integrity over convenience.
ia/xf
