BY:IVY BETALMOS
Public Projects are not Personal Achievements; they are our Money at Work
Every election cycle, we are fed with the same story: Roads get paved. Buildings rise. Projects are unveiled. And suddenly, public service is repackaged as personal heroism. Faces appear on tarpaulins. Names are carved into signboards. Applause is expected.
But let us say this plainly: public projects are not personal achievements. They are obligations, delivered using the people’s money, not political generosity.
Every peso spent on infrastructure, education, healthcare, or social services comes from taxpayers. From jeepney drivers waking before dawn. From parents stretching daily wages. From young people who will inherit the debt if funds are misused. Yet somehow, these projects are framed as favors, as if citizens should feel indebted to those who simply did their job.
This mindset is dangerous.
When we allow public officials to claim ownership over public projects, we weaken accountability. We shift focus from how the project was funded, whether it was implemented properly, and who truly benefited. Praise replaces scrutiny. Gratitude replaces oversight. And mediocrity becomes acceptable.
The youth should be alarmed by this. We are raised in a system that teaches us to clap when officials meet the bare minimum. We are taught to say “thank you” for services we already paid for. Over time, this conditions us to expect less and demand even less.
A school building is not a campaign billboard. A road is not a legacy monument. A scholarship program is not a politician’s personal donation. Covered courts are not personal gifts, waiting sheds are not acts of generosity, and public facilities are not souvenirs of one’s name. These are basic duties of governance, not acts of kindness.
True public service does not need oversized tarpaulins or repeated self-congratulation. It needs transparency, efficiency, and humility. Leaders who truly serve do not ask to be praised; they allow results to speak and they welcome questions.
This is also where many citizens are misled. Not all public offices serve the same function. The executive branch implements, it executes programs, manages services, and delivers projects. The legislative branch legislates, it crafts laws, allocates budgets, and ensures that public money is spent wisely. When we elect leaders without understanding these roles, we end up praising the wrong actions and blaming the wrong offices. Worse, we reward performance that exists only on tarpaulins, not in policy, impact, or long-term service.
That is why elections should not be popularity contests. They should be decisions grounded in competence, integrity, and a genuine heart to serve the people, not those who are loud, visible, or skilled at taking credit.
And when citizens ask for accountability and transparency, why should officials be angry? Why should questions be met with defensiveness instead of answers? Public funds demand public explanation. Accountability is not an attack; it is a responsibility that comes with power. Leaders who truly serve should not fear scrutiny, they should welcome it.
Now we must ask ourselves, especially the youth:
Are we going to repeat the same mistake, celebrating officials for doing what they are required to do? Or are we finally going to demand better?
This is a choice.
A choice between blind admiration and informed citizenship.
A choice between personality politics and principle-driven leadership.
A choice between silence and accountability.
The youth have the power to change this cycle. This is our time to be informed, to be critical, and to be courageous. Empowerment begins when we stand firm on what is right, even when it is uncomfortable, even when it challenges those in power.
Change will not begin in speeches or slogans. It begins when we, as young people, refuse to be impressed by what should have been done in the first place, and start insisting on governance that respects public funds and public trust.
Public projects are not personal achievements. They are commitments paid for by the people.
The question now is simple:
Will we keep applauding the obvious, or will we start making accountability our standard?
The future is watching. And this time, the choice is ours.
(About the Author: Ivy Betalmos is a Criminology student at Bohol Island State University – Balilihan Campus. She is a youth journalist for Kabataan For Change (KFC) and currently serves as the President of Batch Bagwis, the 4th-year graduating class of Criminology students. She is the former President of the Supreme Student Government (SSG), the Campus Student Organization (CSO), and the Aspiring Criminologists of the Philippines Society (ACOPS) of BISU–Balilihan. Ivy is also a TRAILER under YouthLead Philippines and a member of the Local Youth Development Council of Balilihan. She continues to use her voice and platform to represent the youth, promote civic awareness, and advocate for purposeful and transformative leadership.)