Angara urges common SEA agenda vs graft

Sen. Edgardo Angara urged leaders of Asian political parties yesterday to forge a common regional agenda against official corruption that has "weakened political institutions and sapped the economic vitality of nations in the region."

Angara, president of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino, issued the call at the Second International Conference of Asian Political Parties in Bangkok, Thailand attended mostly by leaders of parliaments and congresses in Asia.

He quoted a World Bank study showing that the Philippines has lost $48 billion over the past 20 years due to official corruption.

"The huge loss to corruption should have gone to building schools, roads and hospitals, and checking the alarming rate of child malnutrition," Angara said.

He informed Asian political leaders that the Philippine Congress is formulating a comprehensive agenda to check corruption. He said that a key item in the agenda seeks a reform in the state procurement of goods and services and the bidding of government projects.

"At least P22 billion a year is lost due to corruption and waste in the procurement and contract awards," Angara lamented.

Angara has already started sponsoring on the Senate floor the proposed reform in the procurement and award of government projects.

He also said that the Philippine Congress is now pursuing vital political reforms through two measures – the proposed Political Party Act and the Campaign Finance Reform Act.

The two companion measures seek state subsidy to political parties in their organizational work and during election campaigns.

"The two proposals aim to end the grip of vested interest and dirty money into Philippine political campaigns," Angara explained.

He noted that oligarchs continue to fund Philippine elections but the influence of drug and gambling money is growing.

The other Filipino political leaders in the conference were Speaker Jose de Venecia and Justice Secretary Hernando Perez of Lakas, former Vice President Salvador Laurel and Deputy Speaker Raul Gonzalez of the Nacionalista Party; Tarlac Rep. Jesli Lapus and Biliran Rep. Gerry Espina of the Nationalist People’s Coalition; Cavite Rep. Plaridel Abaya and Davao Oriental Rep. Nareus Acosta of the Liberal Party, and Efren Villaseñor of the Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipinas. – Efren Danao