Arroyo to establish anti-graft body

By PIA-MMIO
July 4, 2007

MANILA, Philippines  –  The Arroyo government is indeed resolved to curb graft and corruption in the bureaucracy at once. This, as the administration pushes the establishment of an anti-graft body similar to a Transparency Information Bureau. Consultations are now being made with concerned sectors to ensure that the system does not unduly delay projects and/or introduce unnecessary layers of approval.

This creation of an anti-graft body reflects the present leadership's strong and steady effort to make the economy more business-friendly by lowering the cost of doing business through the reduction of red tape and minimizing graft and corruption.

The anti-graft body will compliment the efforts of the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC), which has investigated and recommended disciplinary action on several graft cases involving employees and ranking official of government.

Recently, the PAGC recommended the dismissal of five ranking government officials, who included an undersecretary, an assistant secretary and a regional director, and a three-month suspension for another on graft charges and this received an affirmation by the Office of the President.

In 2006, the PAGC recommended the dismissal of 32 government officials of which 14 were dismissed, four suspended and one was given a reprimand. Since January of this year, the PAGC made 31 recommendations for disciplinary action of which 6 had been given due course.

The government acknowledges that the problem of corruption need to be addressed and is exerting all efforts to counter this. Government successes in countering corruption was reflected the recent 2007 SWS Business Survey on Corruption. The survey showed that, though the scale of public sector corruption remains high, bribing for government contracts has declined particularly in Metro Manila. It, also, showed that 17 of 21 government agencies have negative ratings on sincerity in fighting corruption, however, compared to 2006, the ratings are nearly all either better or not as bad.

Sixty-one percent of the company managers interviewed, likewise, see good or excellent business weather over the next two years and this is up from 46 per cent in 2006 and 2005. One-half are satisfied with the National Government, and two-thirds are satisfied with the Local Government, on their promotion of a good business climate.