Corruption top concern for businessmen in 2025

As the new year begins, it’s the flourishing corruption that the country’s business executives are most worried about, according to a survey towards yearend 2024 conducted by the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP).

Fears that official corruption could seriously affect the bottom line were expressed by the business leaders, more or less echoing the concerns of those Filipinos who are keeping themselves informed.

Thus, unsurprisingly, they want something to be done about the educational system, the state of the national economy, the ease of doing business, climate change and cybersecurity, and they are quite critical of most local government units (LGUs).

We are not alone. The MAP survey results show that over 80 percent of the world’s population live in countries with Corruption Perception Index (CPI) scores below the global average of 43 percent, according to the Transparency International Report for 2023.

Out of 180 countries measured by the CPI, more than two out of three countries scored below 50 percent, strongly indicating that “they have serious corruption problems.”

More disturbingly, the vast majority of countries have not made progress or even declined in the last decade, according to the report. What’s more, 23 countries fell to their lowest scores as of 2023.

There is a global trend of weakening justice systems among nations, and this trend is “reducing accountability among public officials” that drives corruption to thrive.

What is it that allows the plunder of public resources that should be going toward meeting the needs of people and communities?

Corruption exists, the CPI report affirms, where there are weak checks on the exercise of governments’ executive power and on the undue influence of private sectors on the various branches of government.

Thus, justice and the effective rule of law are “essential for preventing and stopping corruption at both the national and international levels.”

Take note, though: the same report actually says that the Philippines improved its corruption scores among countries belonging to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – to 34 percent in 2023, from 33 percent in 2021 and 2022. Only Malaysia and Singapore, the two more-developed ASEAN member-states, scored higher than 50 percent.

On the global scale, the Philippines slightly improved its ranking (based on a downward scale) from 117th in 2021 to 116th in 2022 and 115th in 2023. The top-ranking countries with the lowest corruption index, from 2021 to 2023, were Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

But do our political leaders even wish to rise in our rankings?

Where do we start? The current MAP president, Alfredo Panlilio, speaking at the briefing to disclose his organization’s survey results, explained their problems in dealing with local government units, including the delays in the issuance of permits to undertake projects. Specifically, he cited the complaints of companies in the telecommunications and power sectors, which are vital components of the economy.

To tackle these concerns, the MAP board has identified four main thrusts as their guideposts: enhancing the engagement of its members; striving for country competitiveness; promotion of environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles and shared prosperity; and investment in the country’s youth.

To confront the problems of corruption and ease of doing business, the MAP commits to continue its active participation in the programs of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), Panlilio said. The ARTA is mandated to implement a national policy against red tape and to provide ease of doing business.

Meantime, the MAP general membership meetings will cover issues that are relevant and beneficial to its members and to the economy, he pointed out.

To enhance the country’s competitiveness, Panlilio said, the MAP would continue to advocate policy reforms that would achieve the following goals: eliminate corruption, improve the ease of doing business, ensure food security through agricultural productivity and sustain an enabling environment for both local and foreign investors.

The MAP’s aspiration, Panlilio stressed, is “to attract greater and more diverse job-creating investments for more Filipinos to be gainfully employed.”

He added the other objectives, thus:

• To foster ESG and shared prosperity, MAP would continue to promote sustainable practices, ethical leadership and inclusive growth to create long-term value for members and all stakeholders.

• The MAP would continue pushing for the discourse and activities to champion responsible business, uplift communities and contribute to a resilient and equitable future for the Philippines.

• The business executives’ group would also continue its campaign against malnutrition and child stunting in line with the thrust to invest in the country’s youth.

• It would also continue current efforts to urge both the government and the private sector to pursue relevant education, health and wellness programs, particularly for the  youth.

The overarching objective, Panlilio emphasized, “is for the youth to become productive members of society, with competitive skills and capacity that will ensure a progressive economy of the future.”

Beyond these four main thrusts, he added, the MAP would pursue other advocacies and programs that would help business adapt to developments in the domestic and global arena.

What we the people, and the business sector, also need to think about, and do something about, is how to ensure justice and the effective rule of law, in order to confront the systemic corruption that has defeated all our goals and aspirations for such a long time.