THE RECENT survey on corruption in Asia released by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) places the Philippines as the sixth most corrupt country in Asia in 2008. This is already a marked improvement from the country’s performance in 2007 when it was ranked the most corrupt country in the region then.
Bagging the title in 2008 is Indonesia, followed by Thailand, Cambodia, India and Vietnam. Perceived least corrupt in the region is Singapore, followed by Hong Kong, then Australia. (See story here.)
I first witnessed corruption as a young girl when I saw a jeepney driver slipping a P20 bill in between his driver’s license and LTO registration official receipt and handing this over to a policeman apprehending him in one of the major thoroughfares of Quezon City. When the policeman handed back his license and the jeep sped off, the driver chuckled and boasted to us passengers how he got away with just a P20 bill.
Small time indeed. Corruption, though, pervades almost every area, including the business world. Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Artemio V. Panganiban, in a speech delivered during the recent Leadership Conference Series 2 presented by De La Salle University, PLDT-Smart Foundation, and Smart Infinity at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza, cited the results of the Social Weather Stations Survey of Enterprises on Corruption conducted from September 9 to October 10, 2008. In this survey, Panganiban said, “a staggering 71 percent said they had been blatantly asked for bribes in connection with their dealings with government, like when they secured business permits, paid customs duties and income taxes, supplied the government with goods and services, or availed of government incentives.”
Today, we are seeing more people calling for and practicing integrity in the government and in business. During his term, Panganiban called on 2,000 justices and judges to adhere to four core values: independence, integrity, industry and intelligence. “From the 26,000 judicial employees, I pleaded for ‘DHL’: Dedication to duty, Honesty in every way and Loyalty to the Supreme Court. And from the 45,000 lawyers, I called for ‘EC’: Ethics and Competence. Finally, I asked all these sectors to help reform the judiciary by fighting the ‘ACID’ problems that corrode justice: limited Access to justice by the poor, Corruption, Incompetence and Delay in the delivery of quality judgments,” remarked Panganiban in the same speech.
There is hope in business as well. Panganiban further told the story of how PLDT chair Manny Pangilinan, on his second day, ordered that a briefcase full of cash representing his share of the commissions in the company’s advertising placements be deposited officially in the bank’s accounts.
Can corruption ever be eradicated in our country? The task may be enormous, but little steps like these count. If we were able to improve our standing on Asia’s most corrupt list from first to sixth in one year, we can do more in the coming years.
12 Feedbacks on "Face to face with corruption"
mang goding
face to face with corruption…. and the whole system is corrupt… laments the letter writer.
first impression is lasting, this is how i observed about the first time incident where this letter writer was a witness.
but do we make a blanket statement that the entire government is corrupt, that the philippines is corrupt.
i think one bad egg does not spoil the entire basket of eggs.
see, this one bad policeman was in dire need of pang kape and 20 pesos is worth the kape and it helped.
besides, the hassle of transporting the passengers was not aborted to their destination. a liitle grease was worth the trip.
but do this kind of incident really reflects the entire bureaucracy, it is not.
Even in the US, there is still minor incident like this that happens, but no Big deal. They let it pass.
In short, it is only in the Philippines that we make a big deal out of it.
we create a bad image by broadcasting it. In short, we are the one doing this corrupt thing.
there might be instances of bribery but it does not mean the country is corrupt.
it is only in our mind that we magnify the small things, we aggravate the situation by aggrandizing the small things.
in short, we have dirty minds, we are suspicious of our countrymen… a sign of paranoia.
edwin quiros
I propose that in the fight against corruption in the government, let us start by doing justice to government service. Let us pay government employees with livable and decent salaries to compensate their hard work and so that we can attract the best people to join and stay. Then let us demand performance and integrity. We pay peanuts, we get monkeys.
rockyd
mang goding, I beg to disagree with your point of view. This small deals collate together is a Big Deal. One bad egg can affect the whole basket if left just as it is. This small things that made us numb to corruptions, so even with the big ones now we don’t care anymore. What we have become is due to inefficient implementations of the law, officials that thinks only for themselves.
troy
@mang goding:
wake up… unless we change our mindset, we will never be able to change the Philippines. this country is corrupt to the core, that is because we, the people, let “small” things pass. remember, if a person can be corrupted by small things, how can the person say no to bigger bait?
i could say the same about politicians in government. how do you think did they learn to swindle their own countrymen of billions of pesos? well, they started small, pang kape as you may say.
the fight against corruption in the government is an enormous task, but let it start within ourselves, for us not to give in and offer pang kape just to get ahead of the line when processing our driver’s license, etc.
let our leaders be an example, remove the pork barrel and spend this instead to increase the salary of our civil servants, the true servants of the people.
and finally, let the law punish severely those who are corrupt. for in this country, corruption pays… a LOT. and unless we put a stop to pardoning the likes of erap estrada, we will continue to see more corrupt leaders in the future.
victor manalac
leadership by example is more effective than the loudest and most eloquent talk. so long as the leadership is corrupt the influence on the being of those below will be strong. what leaders do the rank and file will likesie practice. a corrupt leader gives reason or justification for subordinates to be corrupt. then the practice permeates, collusion makes interdependence, a “culture” gets instilled, and any minority that seeks to change the value system of the majority will himself be clobbered and destroyed as THE corrupt one.
admissions such as those stated by jun lozada about his being part of the greedy club in the past - while in government service - is a rarity.
the looming charter change being campaigned in the House speaks of the lurking desire to stay on without having to ask the people to vote anew. the charter change will ensure their continued stay, and continued practice of graft and corruption.
with leaders like these in power how can we beat corruption ? and how can we replace them if the alternatives who can replace the trapos refuse to run for office ? they speak of some “moral force” yet hide in the comforts of their homes and leave the race to lead reforms and moral revival to the existing politicos and the non-winnable alternatives ?
tony santos
In Manila alone, many years ago when I had my house constructed, people from the building permit section asked for bribe to expedite my application but i preferred to go the hard and long way. . . recently i was talking to a neighbor securing a similar permit and was told the same offer for bribe stands or one has to take the difficult and uncertain way. . . Mind you, re my house after completion, no occupancy permit was issued until the one in-charge of the sidewalk permit got P1,000! Ang kapal! Walanghiya talaga! How can they feed their families with money from foul means. . . I called the attention of the then head of the Engineering Department, and you know what he told me? Talk it out with the inspector daw! Made me suspect that he has a share at stake.
So ke si bulaklakin ke si intsik, walang pinag-iba! Slogan such as Linisin Ikarangal Maynila or Buhayin ang Maynila are as empty as a political bait.
Maggie
Corruption is so rampant all over the country. That it has become a social norm makes it even more difficult to fight. Eradicating it is seemingly nil to impossible.
My view may be too cynical but accept that the social cancer has metastesized to a greater degree that is outraging and sickening day after day.
It is so infectious that those few morally upright in governance sooner become demoralized and as corruptible as the system is.
We need a cultural revolution. And it will be a much long hard toil to achieve.
But at the moment, we can start this at HOME. We need to educate our children. We need to exposed our children to what constitutes good governance and sustainable developments by being examples to them. We need to instill to them the sense of discipline, sensibility, leadership, responsibility and accountability.
We can shape the future by contributing TODAY!
Cebu Pictures
The corruption in public servants will not lost even after 50 years from now. It simply because the people sitting on the government are marginalized Filipino who experience low salaries and demoralization. To give them courage and pride is to make their economic status reasonable.
The reasons of corruption is
not balance distribution of wealth resulting to majority of professional poor Filipinos.
Whatchamacallit
@ mang goding,
Same thing..I don’t agree with your view …that’s not the way to eradicate corruption….being tolerant of just measly sum will become a habit of this lowly cops and other bureacrat in the gov’t …I feel so sad that corruption is in fact very visible even in the highest power in our country…Ano na bang nangyari doon sa “hello garci, nbn-zte mess, fertilizer scam to name a few…..I think we really are just ningas kugon…never prosecute those whose really are erring..why, coz you’re fighting with the big fishes of the sea…
Just like what happened to countless of people who really wants to expose the ills of these big fishes..we hear of journalists disappearing and being put to death…whistleblower Mr Lozada have to be put in jail for expose’…So, it’s clear what they want to project here..put your mouth shut, be blind and deaf to their atrocities…
I really regret, participating to EDSA 2..that put GMA to power….Ok lang si Estrada na mawala sa power coz he’s corrupt but what we did not see happening is that GMA with his husband FG is as much worst than Estrada when corruption is concern…maraming katiwalian..mind you not all of these has been reported to the public..
And now the cha cha thing..they’re just using it to extend their power for more years to amass more wealth…Marami silang gimik…kagaya ni Nograles na obvious na tuta nila…walang ba siyang matinong magawa eh ang pinagtutuonan eh cha cha..lahat yata ng gimik eh gagawin nya para mag succeed sila …even the sons are very active in soliciting votes in the congress para ma-pass ang cha cha…just read between the lines what’s their motive..alam mo na.. kwawang pinoy…please, don’t let this succeed.
Also, where can u find a country that the no. 1 export are the people ,OFW …they just see the big buck through fees, remittances.but when the OFW has problem, most of the time, they say..sorry, solve your own problem…so pathetic…
This time, when you are planning for a big rally..make sure something will happened just like EDSA 2…not just a rally just to be dispersed for nothing…
I challenge you Filipino, if you love peace, democracy, truth and justice..it’s about time to end these ills..
I want to finish this with what the present president of South Korea said that in order for a country to move on we have to stop corruption from the lowest to the highest position in the land..those who will be found erring will pay double to the amount corrupted..Then we will be a prosperous nation..
Where is justice, truth, honesty in this country? long forgotten I think..
Whatchamacallit
P.s.
I really commend Mr Jun Lozada for your courage to go out into open even though it’s your safety and your family is at stake here…Just be strong and a lot of people are praying for you…God bless you..I hope this bold step of yours will open up a path for our country to shape up…trust me it will never go to waste…Someone up there see your heart and will help you in your quest for truth and justice..
Guys, give him our hundred percent support…he needs encouragement at this point of his life…don’t lose hope..Mr Lozada.We’re behind you and your family..
Take care..people like you are very rare..
I hope to some more Jun Lozada in the future…
maverick
Cebu Picture,
First of all, not all people are created equal. There are people who really deserves what they have and who they are right now. The one who works hard gets the bigger chunk.
The issue is satisfaction! People are not satisfied for what they have. If you are a teacher and you are earning less then be satisfied. Live within your means. Im not degrading anybody here not even the teachers. What im saying is that we should just be contented of what we have. President Macapagal-Arroyo is greedy not just for money but for power. I dont know why people like her can still go to church and pretend that theres nothing going on. I know they need GOD more than anybody. Sobra na laki ng kasalanan nila. I just wish they will have a conscience to stop all this crap and do what they are asked to do not just a leader but as a FILIPINO.
PB
I propose that in the fight against corruption in the government, let us start by doing justice to government service. Let us pay government employees with livable and decent salaries to compensate their hard work and so that we can attract the best people to join and stay. Then let us demand performance and integrity. We pay peanuts, we get monkeys.
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