Jazztin Antonii Acedillo 
“When you turn a blind eye to atrocities, you are complicit in them.”
– David Crossman
A quick Google search on the word “corruption,” and you’ll find a common theme of dishonesty, betrayal of public trust for personal gain, and the misuse of power. Sadly, in today’s world, corruption is common place, taking on several forms, and even seeping into everyday life transactions. It is seen as something we can never get rid off, especially in politics with notions such as “it doesn’t really matter if they’re corrupt as long as I get something out of it.”
Now we might ask ourselves, how has corruption reached a scale of this size, well, small things add up, it starts with one person, another person catches on and does the same thing, and the next thing you know everyone’s in on it, setting aside integrity and principles for momentary relief and a false sense of power.
The cumulative effect of small efforts cannot be overstated, taking a step in the wrong direction has detrimental effects which are carried unto several generations. Steering ourselves in the right direction relies on the conscientious choices we make, refusing to participate in corrupt practices, and the commitment to uphold values of transparency and accountability.
Today as we celebrate the International Anti-Corruption Day, with the theme of “UN Convention against Corruption at 20: Uniting the World against Corruption,” we celebrate two decades of a shared commitment to unite against corruption, emphasizing that this battle is not solely fought on a grand scale but hinges itself on the collective acts of individuals standing up for what is right and are committed to change.
