Think tank: Government should tackle corruption seriously

MANILA, Philippines — The government should institute transparency and accountability amid widespread concern among Filipinos on the need to address corruption, according to a think tank.

Citing results of the latest Pulse Asia survey that showed 92 percent of Filipinos agreeing that the government should strengthen anti-corruption laws, representatives, agencies and collective mechanisms to implement and fulfill its international commitment to battling corruption, Stratbase-Albert del Rosario Institute (ADRI) noted that there is a prevailing concern among Filipinos for the need to effectively tackle the sticky problem of government corruption.

“What we want is for government institutions to become more transparent, accountable and responsive in terms of delivering public services, in terms of managing the public sector. Because at the end of the day, they exist for the general public alone and for the national interest of the Filipino people alone. So that’s very key,” Stratbase-ADRI chief executive officer Dindo Manhit said.

The same Pulse Asia survey showed that 36 percent of Filipinos believe that controlling corruption will benefit the country’s economic recovery and development while 22 percent believe that it will improve the plight of ordinary citizens.

The survey also showed that 91 percent of Filipinos believe that to effectively control corruption, the government should cooperate with various social forces and groups, like civil society, academe, private sector, mass media and ordinary citizens.

Manhit, who is also Democracy Watch Philippines lead convenor, disclosed the survey results in an online forum last Thursday discussing evidence-based research and advocacy for democratic governance.

The survey was conducted last Sept. 17 to 21 and was commissioned by the Stratbase Group.

Manhit stressed that concerns regarding transparency and accountability in the government would not be addressed unless it is prioritized by the government.

“A very important value that we lack in our governance culture: accountability... I like the Filipino word pananagutan. Imagine if the public sector is accountable for their actions and their decisions in a more transparent way, then … it leads me to my third word which is ‘responsive,’ then they become more responsive. The public would feel that this government is serving us,” he said.

“Considering that a majority of our people are poor, imagine the responsive governance system – they can basically uplift the lives of our people because resources after resources are placed in the bureaucracy. That’s money spent coming from people’s taxes,” he added.

With the Marcos government’s proposed P5.268-trillion budget for 2023, Manhit underscored the need to ensure that public funds are spent efficiently and properly.

Manhit expressed optimism that with a whole-of-society approach, it is possible to have a transparent and accountable government.

He noted that a recent survey conducted by the Management Association of the Philippines among business leaders showed that 67 percent believe that corruption is the top factor that is delaying the country’s economic recovery.

“Bringing in even people, who might not normally be vocal, like the private sector, like the business sector, so a whole-of-society approach can ensure transparency, accountability and a responsive public sector. We just have to work together, continue pushing it and making it a top agenda of the government and society as a whole group in the Philippines,” Manhit said.

“It’s good to have the private sector – to listen to them, to engage with them, instead of vilifying them because that’s what (former) president Duterte did. Data show that the public knows the role that the private sector plays, and they have played it through the years: job creation and investments, which uplifts the lives of people,” he added.

In this context, the Stratbase Group will gather key government officials, business leaders, experts from academe and civil society in a two-day conference today and tomorrow titled Pilipinas Conference 2022: Onward to New Beginnings: Sustaining and Improving Philippine Development.

Participating in the event are key government leaders, including Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Environment Secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual and Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez.

Also attending are top officials of the biggest corporations in the country, diplomatic officials, and security and geopolitics experts.