Governance

MANILA, Philippines – The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) continues to support government initiatives to curb corruption in the country.

The Senate started the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Corona yesterday with 11 House Representatives acting as prosecutors presenting 8 articles of impeachment. The House prosecution panel was composed of Niel Tupas Jr. of Iloilo, Joseph Emilio Abaya of Cavite, Raul Daza of Northern Samar, Georgidi Aggabao of Isabela, Marilyn Primicias Agabas of Pangasinan, Elpidio…

SEN. Panfilo Lacson on Sunday claimed that some lawmakers are demanding commissions from government projects funded by their “pork barrel” and that he intends to personally inform President Benigno Aquino 3rd about it.

Last of two parts The law applies to all — or none at all. — Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim The nation’s high hopes for governance reform got a couple of boosts this week. On Tuesday the Cabinet Cluster on Good Governance and Anti-Corruption, chaired by President Benigno Aquino 3rd himself, adopted the Good Governance and…

Corruption by lawmakers in the use of their so-called pork barrel continues to take place even under the stewardship of President Aquino, a political ally in the Senate bared yesterday.

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III approved a four-year good governance and anti-corruption plan during a Cabinet cluster meeting Tuesday, which will focus on transparency, accountability and citizen engagement, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said.

Despite the supposed all-out effort of the Aquino administration to stamp out graft, experts from the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA), has identified in a forum, corruption as the persistent obstacle in the development of the local property market.

MANILA, Philippines – President Aquino has formed an inter-agency task force to unify and strengthen the performance monitoring of national government agencies, as well as simplify, harmonize and boost the reporting systems in place. Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said Administrative Order 25 will result in “a collaborative instrument for a unified and integrated Results-Based…

The Philippines’ ranking among the world’s most corrupt countries has slightly improved. From 134th last year, it ranked 129th this year out of 183 most corrupt countries surveyed in the 2011 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) released by Transparency International (TI)-Philippines on Thursday.

INDONESIA, VIETNAM RANKED CLEANER IN CPI SURVEY The Philippines under President Aquino and his straight path mantra failed to breach perceptions of being among the most corrupt country in the region, landing 129th among 182 countries on the list, the worst among key Asian economies and 25th of 35 countries in the Asia-Pacific, the latest…

MANILA, Philippines – The global group Transparency International (TI) yesterday said the corruption perception in the Philippines has slightly improved.

Senator notes European criticism of President Aquino’s vindictiveness in prosecuting his predecessor SENATOR Miriam Defensor Santiago on Sunday scolded Malacañang and its supporters for their arrogance toward the Supreme Court, saying they were damaging democracy in their rush to prosecute former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

One of the signs that prove a government office is efficient is that people don’t fall in line to get their documents or papers or anything of that sort. Long queues at a government office are bad omen as people thought that something fishy is going on inside that office.

Recruit hackers  — lawmaker WHILE the Commission on Audit (COA) can very well ensure that the government is not disadvantaged in all contracts it had entered into, state auditors still lack the technical expertise to effectively sniff out irregularities in national and local government contracts involving information and communications technology (ICT) projects.

THE government had lost at least P1.2 trillion to “high technology” corruption involving the underdelivery, incorrect implementation and non-implementation of various Information and Communication Technology (ICT) projects in almost all local governments nationwide.

World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick arrived in Manila on Tuesday and pledged the bank’s support to fight corruption and lift the Philippine economy from poverty.

A NEW World Bank report details the extent of corruption in the Philippines, where its says charitable foundations and organizations are being used to embezzle government funds or the proceeds from corruption.

MANILA, Philippines – An international study has shown how large-scale corruption through bribes, embezzled state assets and other “official” criminal proceeds is being kept under wraps via legal entities such as foundations, trust funds and others.

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has signed an agreement with the Office of the Ombudsman that seeks to address corruption in local government units.

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III’s House allies on Sunday were accused of manipulating a probe of the P10-billion Poverty Eradication and Alleviation Certificates or Peace Bonds that taxpayers must begin paying for on Oct. 16 this year, and at a total cost of P35 billion.

FORMER President Gloria Arroyo’s program to hire out-of-school-youth may have had a noble intention but its implementation was riddled with irregularities that even the Commission on Audit (COA) cannot say if the beneficiaries received the salary promised them.

Last of five parts THE last section of the Philippine Government Action Plan for open governance, Maximize Technology and Innovation, aims to use information and communications technology to enhance access to information about the public sector, especially its finances, policies, decisions, operations, and performance.

With the congressional leaders agreeing to list, as one of Congress’ priority bills, the Freedom of Information bill, there was an instant reaction from President Aquino, who came up with yet another excuse not to have this bill prioritized and conjuring up images of dangerous situations as a result of an FoI Act.

Fourth of five parts (Note: We are extending the three-part Open Governance article by two more installments to cover the performance management and information technology commitments in the draft Philippine Government Action Plan for open government.) THE final sections of the Philippine Government Action Plan, submitted by President Benigno Aquino 3rd to the 46-nation (so…

Last of three parts THE Philippine Government believes that open government will curtail the ability for corrupt officials and those interested in political patronage at public expense, to operate with impunity. Open government also plays a key role in empowering the poor and strengthening the constituency for reform. — Philippine Government Action Plan 2012 for…

Second of three parts FOR all the transformative measures outlined in the Philippine Government Action Plan for open governance, PGAP can only be as successful as the political will behind it.

MANILA, Philippines – Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo called on lawmakers yesterday to fast-track approval of the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill.

First of three parts THE Philippine Government aims to transform People Power from a nonviolent form of street protest to a means for citizens and workers in government to collaborate in the halls of government to ensure that the benefits of governance reaches the poor in a direct, immediate and substantial way.

Boasting the result of his administration’s effort toward transparency in the government, President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday urged businessmen and the public to take a more active role in governance and promote integrity.

Widespread corruption, not only in government but also in the business sector, is a stumbling block that keeps the economy from growing, business leaders and analysts said at the 1st Integrity Summit Wednesday.