EDITORIAL - Dubious honor

In a ranking drawn up by Transparency International of the world’s 10 most corrupt leaders, the Philippines is the only country that accounts for two on the list. That dubious honor drew protests yesterday from the man ranked 10th on the list, deposed President Joseph Estrada, who is on trial for plunder.

While the list is confined to individuals, the Philippine government should also be concerned about the report. It is no coincidence that the nine countries represented in the list are either weak or failed states: Indonesia, Zaire, Nigeria, Serbia/Yugoslavia, Haiti, Peru, Ukraine and Nicaragua.

The list is part of Transparency International’s Global Corruption Report 2004. TI Chairman Peter Eigen’s message has resonance as Filipinos prepare to choose their leaders for the next six years. Using political power for personal gain, Eigen pointed out, "deprives the most needy of vital public services, creating a level of despair that breeds conflict and violence… it also hits the pockets of taxpayers and shareholders worldwide."

The TI report cited lax enforcement of laws against corruption as well as the lack of transparency in campaign finance, allowing rich candidates to buy influence. The report estimates that in the barangay elections alone in 2002, about three million Filipinos were offered some form of payment for their votes.

This report is yet another wake-up call to a nation that is hard-pressed to keep investors from fleeing, much less entice new ones. The nation, however, gets such wake-up calls regularly; the Philippines consistently ranks high in every global survey on corruption. Yet efforts to promote transparency often encounter stiff resistance. Corruption has become so entrenched in Philippine culture that no one is sure where reforms should start.

Perhaps the nation can take its cue from the TI report, which focuses on national leaders. To clean up a rotten system, you need moral ascendancy and leadership by example. Filipinos should keep this in mind as they pick their leaders in May.