Ombudsman gets P9.6-M grant from WB

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman received a P9.6-million grant from the World Bank (WB) yesterday, to be used for a project that will allow government officials to file their statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs) electronically.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales and WB Country Director Motoo Konishi signed a $230,000 grant agreement for the “Enhancing the Income and Asset Declaration System Project.”

The Office of the Ombudsman said the new system aims to improve the effectiveness of filing and analyzing SALNs by transforming the manual-based system into an electronic or IT-based process.

The mechanism will streamline business processes and procedures, enhance the monitoring and enforcement of the SALN requirements, and improve transparency and access to the SALNs.

During the signing ceremonies, Morales said equipping the Office of the Ombudsman with proper tools and systems complement the enhanced techniques and strategies of its graft investigators in the conduct of lifestyle checks.

“Bad elements are keeping up with the times and employing the most sophisticated means of acquiring and hiding their ill-gotten wealth (and it) behooves any anti-graft body to arm itself with upgraded weapons and superior counter-tactics to crush the enemy,” Morales said.

In his message of support, Konishi said the signing of the grant “represents the World Bank’s support to the government’s broader effort to build stronger and more accountable institutions and promote inclusive growth.”

“We share the Aquino government’s commitment to ensure that scarce resources are spent honestly and wisely. When public funds are rightly spent, citizens get the education, health care and social services they have paid for and deserve; roads lead to markets; businesses flourish and more people get decent jobs,” he added.

The WB has approved the grant under its Institutional Development Fund as it recognizes that the system of income and asset declaration is an important tool in detecting and preventing corruption.

Under Republic Act 6713 or The Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, government officials and employees are required to file their SALNs within 30 days after assumption of office; 30 days after separation from the service; and on or before April 30 of every year.