GMA orders probe into perks of government firms’ execs

Apparently stung by criticisms about widespread corruption in the bureaucracy, President Arroyo directed yesterday her anti-graft "czar" to go after executives of state-run firms getting excessive salaries, allowances and other benefits.

Presidential Anti-Graft Commission Chairman Dario Rama said he received the directive through a memorandum sent to him by Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo.

In her memorandum, the President ordered Rama to look into reports that executives of government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) were not complying with the compensation scheme she laid down in Memorandum Order No. 20 issued on June 20 last year.

Rama was specifically told to look at the compensation packages of officials of the Bangko Sentral ng Pi-lipinas, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, Development Bank of the Philippines, Government Service Insurance System, Social Security System, Home Insurance Guarantee Corp., Land Bank of the Philippines, National Power Corp., Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp., Philippine Economic Zone Authority, Philippine Health Insurance Corp., the Philippine Postal Corp., PTV-4, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and the Trade Industry Development Corp.

Rama said they were still awaiting documents from the Department of Budget and Management pertaining to the compensation structures of these agencies.

He vowed to complete his inquiry within two months after receiving the documents from the budget department. — Marichu Villanueva