President-elect Bongbong Marcos is aware that his incoming administration has to "dig deep" in order to solve the corruption problem in the Philippines.
"There’s no place for, there should not be any place for corruption," Marcos told select media Thursday, May 26 during a Facebook live interview.
"Unfortunately naging, in some areas, naging endemic na talaga yung corruption (Unfortunately corruption has become endemic in some areas). You’ll have to really dig deep," said Marcos, who gained a rare majority mandate during the May 9 polls.
I hope we do not have to do what then- Prime Minister Mahathir did. 'Sige mag 15-30 lang kayo.' Kasi may tenure sila e. 'Mag 15-30 na lang kayo wag kayong papasok, palitan ko kayong lahat ('All of you will be under 15-30.' This is because they have a tenure. 'All of you are under 15-30, don't report for work, I'll replace all of you). I hope we don’t have to go that far," he said.
"But I'm willing to. This is too important, otherwise it just doesn’t work," Marcos said.
The incoming president vowed to go after corrupt sectors, especially those that have to do with tariffs and taxes.
"Habulin talaga namin kayo at hindi pupwede yan (We will really go after you, we cannot allow that) because we will not succeed. The economy in the Philippines will simply not succeed if we cannot collect duties, tariffs. It's through the Bureau of Customs (BOCs) and we do not have good collection on taxes both of the national and the local level, hindi talaga uubra (it won't work). We cannot, the numbers don’t match," Marcos noted,
"That’s why it’s very important and we will, we have at the very least reduce the corrosive influence of corruption in government," he added.