Where History, Faith, and Food Meet: Angeles City, Philippines

What amazed me about Angeles City is how its people were able to rebuild their city after the Americans left the Clark Air Base, and after it was severely damaged by the monstrous eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the early 1990s. Because of this, I have come to hold deep respect for the endurance and indomitable spirit of the people here.

The first place I visited in Angeles was the Holy Rosary Church, constructed in the late 19th century and recently declared a minor basilica. Its classic Spanish-era design and towering structure dominate the surrounding area. I felt that I was truly on holy ground as I knelt before the image of Our Lady of the Rosary and the famous Santo Entierro, offering prayers of thanksgiving and guidance. One can easily sense the people’s deep devotion to God and reverence for Mama Mary.

Just across the church is Holy Angel University, which I also had the chance to explore. The campus is neatly laid out, with its structures, green spaces, and open areas properly organized. Having been educated in public schools, I was amazed to step into buildings equipped with elevators and air-conditioned classrooms.

I then went to the Museum of Angeles, also located across the church. In front of it stands the monument of former Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos, one of our national heroes who gave his life for the country during the Japanese Occupation in the 1940s. Inside the museum, I learned more about the city’s history and its people through narratives, old photographs, and various artifacts displayed on the walls.

Beside it is the Pamintuan Mansion, now under the management of the National Museum of the Philippines and officially known as the Museum of Philippine Social History (Filipino: Museo ng Kasaysayang Panlipunan ng Pilipinas). Built in the late 19th century by the spouses Mariano Pamintuan and Valentina Torres as a wedding gift to their son Florentino—who would later become mayor of Angeles during the American period—the mansion showcases furniture and artifacts reflective of an affluent lifestyle. I could only imagine the daily life of those who once lived in such an opulent home. From one of its windows, President Emilio Aguinaldo waved the Philippine flag and marked the first anniversary of Philippine Independence on June 12, 1899.

What adds to the Hispanic-era charm of this part of Angeles City are the cobblestone streets surrounding the area. It is commendable that the city has preserved its historic town center.

For any visitor, the gastronomic delights of Angeles are an experience in themselves. I am truly grateful to our hosts for treating us to some of the best Kapampangan dishes—kakanin, various pork and chicken dishes, and grilled freshwater fish. I have never eaten this much in my life. It was also my first time to taste the famous Razon’s Halo-Halo, and it was simply perfect.

I also had the opportunity to tour Clark Global City, which is being developed as a major business and government hub in the country. I saw buildings rising, vast green open spaces, and high-end residential areas taking shape. Perhaps in a decade or two, this will not only be a bustling city but a truly livable one, with everything properly planned and managed.

As I reflect on this journey, I can only look up to heaven and hope for more opportunities to return to Angeles and Clark—to once again experience its history, its people, its food, and its vision of a sustainable city.

Trip to the Creative City of Dumaguete

 

Every time I think of Dumaguete, what comes to mind is the famous Silliman University where numerous literary geniuses were honed to greatness. This was why when I got the opportunity to travel to the city, I grabbed it at once. The opportunity came when I received an invitation to attend the national convention of the Philippine Institute of Environmental Planners scheduled from November 3–7, 2025.

As early as 8 a.m. of November 3, I rode a tricycle to Allen and then at 9 a.m. boarded a van bound for Calbayog Airport. It was already Signal No. 2 because of Typhoon Tino, so I anticipated turbulence up in the air.

At past 11 a.m., I boarded a Cebu Pacific flight. Contrary to my apprehension, the trip was almost flawless and we arrived in Cebu minutes ahead of schedule. At the airport, I learned that the typhoon signal in Cebu had been raised to Signal No. 3. At once I had the feeling that I might be stranded there. Indeed, the connecting flight to Dumaguete was cancelled and the next available flight would only be on November 5, when the weather was expected to improve.

Since I was on a connecting flight to Dumaguete, the airline immediately arranged hotel accommodation at Savoy Hotel Mactan Newtown, located within the posh Mactan Newtown developed by Megaworld Corporation. Everything was provided for free. A van fetched me from the airport and brought me to the hotel. After checking in and settling into my room on the fifth floor, I had dinner and then retired early while Cebu was being battered by the raging typhoon, which by then had been raised to Signal No. 4. It felt like an unexpected staycation at Savoy for two days, granted by an act of nature.

The following day, November 4, I attended the seminar via Zoom from my hotel room. I spent the entire day listening to the sessions, taking only a brief break during lunchtime. By early evening, I went to SM City Cebu to meet my niece Bea for dinner. Unfortunately, the mall was about to close as it was still reeling from the effects of the typhoon, and most of the food stalls had already shut down. With no other option, we ended up having dinner at a small and rather decrepit eatery nearby, hoping that the food was safe to eat. We chatted for a short while. I did not take much of Bea’s time, knowing she needed to return to her dormitory while the streets were dark because of the power outage in the area.

By November 5, at past 11 a.m., I finally boarded a plane to Dumaguete. At past 1 p.m., I arrived at the airport of Dumaguete City. I rode a tricycle going to the venue at the provincial convention center. Along the way, I noticed a lot of tricycles and private cars along the roadsides. Tricycles, obviously, are the most popular mode of transport. I suddenly became nostalgic about the clay pots we used to have at home during my younger years when I saw many of them displayed along the streets. I had the feeling that Dumaguete is an old city now facing the challenges of urbanization, particularly the need to manage its transport system.

I arrived at the venue at around 1 p.m. I registered, received my convention kit, and proceeded to the plenary hall. After finding my seat, I took lunch and listened to the speakers, albeit with sleepy eyes from the long journey. By evening, dinner was served, sponsored by the city mayor, while a group of students serenaded the participants with old Filipino songs played on their instruments. Feeling tired, I later went to my hotel and retired for the night.

At past 8 a.m. of November 6, I returned to the venue only to find that the session had not yet started and participants were still arriving. Taking advantage of the time, I decided to visit the historic St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral. As it happened, a students’ Mass was ongoing. I quietly took a seat near the entrance on the right side close to the altar. I joined the Mass and offered a prayer of thanksgiving.

After the Mass, I took some photos inside the church, at the cathedral’s façade, and at the old park across the street. I also visited the nearby Dumaguete Belfry, a century-old structure which was then undergoing renovation.

Since it was already past 9 a.m., I returned to the venue and listened to the remaining talks until about 3 in the afternoon. From there, I took a tricycle to my chosen destination—the famous Silliman University.

At the gate, the guard informed me that visitors must first secure a gate pass from another entrance. I walked several hundred meters to the opposite corner of the campus to obtain the pass. A pleasant young woman who introduced herself as one of the university’s ambassadresses assisted me in the process and even escorted me back to the main gate. Her American accent was striking and quite charming.

Soon I found myself walking along the tree-lined pathway leading to the iconic Silliman Hall, the first building of the university constructed in 1903. It was like stepping into a picture from a magazine. Standing before the old colonial structure felt surreal.

While taking photos around the building, I noticed Michael Ang and Corazon Cruz (chair and member respectively of Professional Regulation Commission's Board on Environmental Planning) having their photos taken in front of the statue of Horace Brinsmade Silliman. I approached them and introduced myself. We chatted briefly and even had some group photos taken. It was truly an honor to meet them up close.

From there, I proceeded to Rizal Avenue across the university and had a photo at the giant “I Love Dumaguete” marker. Afterwards, I visited the National Museum of the Philippines branch housed in the old Presidencia building—the term used during the Spanish period for the town hall. Inside the museum, I went through the exhibits and learned fascinating snippets of Negros history.

Just outside the building stood a romantic old fountain, and a few steps away was the bust of Eddie Romero. I learned that he was a native of Negros. I remembered his film Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon which I had watched many years ago.

Across the street was the wide plaza facing the cathedral. I also had my photo taken at the statue of Jose Rizal. I later learned that Rizal once stayed in Dumaguete for a few hours on his way to exile in Dapitan, even performing an eye operation on the town’s chief of police during that brief stop.

I ended my walking tour where I had started—at the cathedral—where I again expressed my profound thanksgiving to God for the wonderful opportunity and for keeping me safe throughout the journey.

At 7 in the evening, I boarded a flight back to Cebu. After staying there for the night, I finally arrived home by the afternoon of November 7, tired and sleepy.

The entire experience felt like being in a wonderful dream—yet fully awake.

Second Trip to Boracay

The last time that I was in Boracay was in 2015, exactly nine years ago. From then on, I have been longing to be back in this world-class island paradise. I have missed the powdery white sand, the cool waters and the picturesque sunset.

For three days, we stayed at the posh Savoy Hotel which is located at the Boracay New Coast, a newly-established planned unit development at the mid part and other side of the island. There I with my company was able to explore and enjoy the place which is dotted by new hotels, events venues, shops, and beautiful gardens. We strolled a lot even reaching the topmost part of the island, some secluded beach resorts and the Cuho Rock Formation at the edge of the island.

We swam on our last day just by the sunset. I frolicked like a child in the waters and in the sand. We took a lot of photos until sun down. We also bought some pasalubong items at the shops. We also enjoyed singing and dancing on a bar.

It has been a very memorable travel. I felt I was in the dreamland.

Pinonayan Festival

Sometime in 2004, our parish priest called our attention to the Ati-Atihan Festival in our town. He challenged us to create a unique and distinct festival for Lavezares, noting that the Ati-Atihan we had celebrated for more than two decades was merely adapted from Aklan.

Together with two cultural workers in our town, we decided to meet and conceptualize a new festival for Lavezares. Even before the meeting, I already had a concept and a name in mind. My ideas were guided by a seminar-workshop on festival management conducted by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). From that seminar, it became clear to me that a festival must be deeply rooted in the culture and history of the town to be truly unique and meaningful.

When we met, I presented my proposal to name the festival Pinonayan, the old name of Lavezares. I explained that it would highlight the livelihoods and industries of our people from the different barangays. Since it would be celebrated during the Feast of the Santo Niño, it was fitting that the dance presentations be offered as a prayer of thanksgiving for the bountiful harvests and abundant blessings from God. In essence, the Pinonayan Festival would be a dance of praise to the Santo Niño for the overflowing harvests and blessings bestowed upon the people of Lavezares.

I was delighted when my idea was warmly received by the two cultural workers. One of them volunteered to prepare the festival mechanics and asked me to translate them into English. A few days later, I presented the concept to our parish priest, and he immediately gave his approval.

In January 2005, we staged the first Pinonayan Festival. I handled the program and led the management team. The festival was funded with ₱50,000 from the Local Government Unit. From then on, we have successfully organized the festival every year. This year, we celebrate its 26th edition.

All of these, I can only attribute to Señor Santo Niño, the true focal point of the celebration.

BE THE SALT, BE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Matthew 5:13-16 - You are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his flavor, with which shall it be salted? it is thereafter good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it gives light to all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

All of us have a purpose in life. Each of us was designed and sent by God into this world to fulfill a specific mission. We are not here by accident or for nothing. Hence, the most fundamental question we must ask ourselves is: Who am I?

It takes time—sometimes even a lifetime—of experiences, challenges, and deep reflection to truly understand who we are and the purpose for which we were created. This question accompanies us throughout our years on this planet because we perform many roles in society: in our families, among our friends, within our social circles, in our workplaces, in the Church, and in our communities. These roles change over time, shaped by the needs of the moment and the seasons of our lives.

God created us for a specific purpose in His time. It is this purpose that determines whether we become good salt that gives flavor, or salt that is bland and loses its worth.

Like salt mixed in water, do we bring goodness to the people around us? Do we add flavor to their lives, or do they experience us as something that poisons rather than nourishes their souls?

Are we allowing God to shape us into a flavorful presence for others?

Through prayer and deep reflection on God’s Word, He can transform our presence into one that radiates love, kindness, generosity, and gentleness. In doing so, those within our spheres of influence may also be transformed, becoming Christ-like presences themselves.

As we strive to become the salt of the world, may we also allow the light of God to penetrate our very being. May that light shatter our egos, our pride, and our selfish ambitions; may it enlighten our minds and souls; may it erase our worries and fears; may it illuminate our daily paths. So that, as bearers of God’s light, our lives may dispel the evils and darkness around us. Not our own light, but the light of God shining through us.

What a wonderful world it would be, if that were so.

A Little Tour of a Dreamer

After 28 years, I was given the chance to visit once again the Santo Niño Shrine of Tacloban City, also known as the Romualdez Museum. The first time I set foot there was in 1998, when I attended the Media Cultural Workshop hosted by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in partnership with the National Book Development Board (NBDB). I was part of the delegation of The Pillar, the official student publication of the University of Eastern Philippines, where I served as a member of the editorial board. At that time, I was a third-year college student.

Our visit to the Santo Niño Shrine was part of the seminar, meant to help us appreciate local arts and history. Earlier that day, we had also toured the San Juanico Bridge. The NCCA and NBDB officers were truly amazed by the experience, especially since it was their first time to visit the area—most of them being from Manila.

During that first visit to the shrine, I was astounded by the mansion’s opulence. It was the first time in my life that I had ever set foot in a palatial home. Our guide ushered us through its many rooms and vast halls, each reflecting a blend of Filipino, Asian, and European design. The furniture and fixtures were impressive, crafted either locally or imported from abroad. The President and the First Lady each had their own rooms—so enormous that our modest home could have fit inside them several times over. Each member of the family also had a private room. The first family truly lived like royalty, with rooms, halls, and staircases seemingly designed for a royal household.

The guest rooms were especially striking, each with distinctive motifs showcasing artworks and handicrafts from Ifugao, Tacloban, Bicol, Mindanao, and other regions. I vividly remember several art pieces from Guiuan, Samar, most notably a fountain made of seashells and coral stones. Even after all these years, I can still recall the details as if it were only yesterday.

On my second visit, 28 years later, I felt the same sense of awe and wonder. Time, however, had left its mark—the interior had visibly aged. Still, the façade remained impressively unchanged, standing as grand as ever.

After my recent visit, I sat on a bench a few meters away from the mansion and found myself overcome with reflection and nostalgia. My thoughts drifted back to 1994, when I first came to Tacloban as a high school delegate to the Regional Schools Press Conference held at Leyte National High School. I was only 15 years old then, brimming with youthful idealism and ambition. That experience was followed by similar trips in 1995 and 1998. Today, I have lost count of how many times I have returned to this city.

As I sat there at the age of 46, all I could do was heave a quiet sigh for the years that had passed. My age had changed. Life had changed. In that moment, I realized how God had blessed me throughout the years—how He carried me through every struggle and allowed me to survive them all. I first came here at 15 with nothing but dreams. Today, I return at 46 with many of those dreams fulfilled, still weaving new ones—this time not so much for myself, but for my loved ones and for the people I hope to serve.

GRAFT AND CORRUPTION

  

Issue Paper

 

GRAFT AND CORRUPTION

by: Rodel C. Cuyco

 

Introduction

Graft and corruption is a lingering problem that has adversely affected the Philippine Administrative System from generation to generation. It creeps in all the branches of government - the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. It hampers or cripples delivery of public goods and services and put the entire government in bad light in the international community. It has dampened people’s trust in government institutions and policies.

Generally speaking, corruption is “the abuse of entrusted power for private gain”. Corruption can be classified as grand, petty and political, depending on the amounts of money lost and the sector where it occurs (Transparency International).

The word corruption is derived from the Latin word “corruptus,” which means “corrupted” and, in legal terms, the abuse of a trusted position in one of the branches of power (executive, legislative and judicial) or in political or other organizations with the intention of obtaining material benefit which is not legally justified for itself or for others (Sumah). It pervades public life, keeping tax revenues low and hurting efforts to alleviate poverty. (http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/)

According to corruption watchdog Transparency International, corruption worsened in the Philippine government in 2019 as it ranked 113th of 180 countries studied on their perceived political integrity (www.cnn.com).This only means that the government’s previous and current efforts in combatting corruption is insufficient or ineffective or needs improvement. It is thus a must for the government along with the private sector as it forges a corruption-free government to continuously track and determine the nature and extent of corruption so that appropriate responses and interventions will be put in place and/or constantly improved.  

With corruption, the government will find a difficulty in attaining its national long-term vision called Ambisyon Natin 2040 and realizing its commitment in the Sustainable Development Goals 2030.

Hence, it is just appropriate that this issue should be continuously and vigorously studied so that sustainable and practical solutions will be formulated and implemented.

 

Root Causes of Corruption

            Corruption in the Philippines can be traced in its history, public ethics, values and culture of the people.

 

 Historical

Corruption in the Philippines can be traced during our colonial past. According to Corpuz (1957), the Spanish colonial government has fatal flaw: the private and personal interests of the members led them to subvert the declared colonial administration. The moral corruption of its members was the fundamental weakness of the colonial bureaucracy (Corpuz 1957:129). The colonial administration was “bankrupt in constructive policy, as the bureaucrats were corrupt in their motivations and either incompetent or oppressive in their actions (Alfiler:46-47).” During the early Philippine Republic after the American Period, Corpuz noted that the bureaucracy seemed to have entered a period of “normalcy” in that the public charges of corruption committed by government officials seemed to be part of the regular fare of newspapers. The public appeared to have accepted the accusations of corruption raised against bureaucrats as being part of the “normal” scheme of things (Alfiler:53). This has run through the next administrations up to the present time.

 

Ethics, Culture and Values

Corruption is a failure of public ethics, and generally holds back growth and progress. (Reyes:381-382).

Some blame the Philippines’s corruption problem on the merging of Filipino traditions with American institutions. One Filipino political scientist told Smithsonian magazine, “Americans taught us the idea of honesty and integrity in civil service but local culture conflicts with the democratic model.” With no tradition of civil service and the prevalence of strong family and community ties, bribery and nepotism have seeped into the system (http://factsanddetails.com.)

Specific culture of Filipinos is enhancing the proliferation of graft and corruption. The strong family ties justify giving benefits to unqualified recipients which are very evident in employment and awarding of contracts. This societal phenomenon is adversely affecting professionalism, efficiency, and effectiveness in the government service as well as in the construction of public infrastructure and procurement of government supplies and materials that are sometimes substandard & overpriced (Aranas.)

 

Nature, Extent and Magnitude of the Problem

Nature

Grand corruption consists of acts committed at a high level of government that distort policies or the central functioning of the state, enabling leaders to benefit at the expense of the public good. Petty corruption refers to everyday abuse of entrusted power by low- and mid-level public officials in their interactions with ordinary citizens, who often are trying to access basic goods or services in places like hospitals, schools, police departments and other agencies (Transparency International).

Acts that constitutes the crime of corruption are all contained in the main anti-corruption laws that which include among so many others Republic Act No. 3019 (The Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) and Republic Act 6713 (The Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees).

Republic Act No. 3019 (The Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) criminalizes active and passive bribery, embezzlement, extortion, abuse of office and conflict of interest in the public sector. Bribery of public officials and trading in influence are also criminalized in the Anti-Red Tape Act. The Act forbids office-holders from accepting any gifts or material benefits in exchange for any government permit or license. Under the Revised Penal Code, gifts are classified as indirect bribery. Under the Code, public officials are required to regularly file a statement of their assets and liabilities. In case of any discrepancy between the official’s asset declaration and the amount of property or financial assets actually possessed, the official is subject to immediate dismissal. Punishments for corrupt acts include imprisonment of up to ten years, a fine, removal from office, and/or confiscation of property.

Republic Act 6713 (The Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees) prohibits public officials and employees from soliciting or accepting, directly or indirectly, any gift, gratuity, favour, entertainment, loan or anything of monetary value from any person: (a) in the course of their official duties; or (b) in connection with any operation being regulated by, or any transaction which may be affected by, the functions of their office.

 

Extent and Magnitude

Corruption in the country is of high magnitude as this involves huge amount and it creeps even up to the highest-ranking officials of the country. For example is the PDAF corruption scandal which involved some senators. It must be noted that the country has gained the notoriety as one of the most corrupt country in Asia.

Deputy Ombudsman Cyril Ramos reckons that the government might have lost to corruption around ₱1.4 trillion in the past two years. Using 2017 United Nations Development Programme’s estimates, (Ramos) said corruption loss in the Philippines equated to 20 percent of its annual government appropriation. (https://cnnphilippines.com)

The reason for this long-running unimpressive rating is that conditions in the Philippines point to a systemic failure, where institutional safeguards work in fits and turns and reforms may not be working. Worse – in the clearest indication that the problem is embedded in the country’s heritage of clientelism – institutions are vulnerable to political capture by predatory interests. An inconsistently functioning legal system, weak accountability structures, and inadequate financial transparency are just some of laws that negate the country’s attempts at institutional effectiveness and credibility. (Reyes:382).

 

 

How it Affects to the Effective and Responsive Functioning of the PAS

According to the Asian Development Bank, corruption has negative consequences to institutions. These are the following (ADB:17):

1.    It distorts public policies, since it tends to favor vested or selfish interests that, more often than not, are detrimental to serving the public interest.

2.    Corruption leads to poor quality of programs, services and projects; breeds mediocrity; and renders administrations inefficient and ineffective.

3.    It further undermines merit and fitness in public personnel administration and inhibits civil servant motivation.

4.    Corruption weakens implementation, encourages tolerance of negative bureaucratic behaviour, and ruins public trust and confidence in the Government.

Outcomes or Impact of the Problem to the PAS and the Whole Government/Country

Corruption impacts societies in a multitude of ways. In the worst cases, it costs lives. Short of this, it costs people their freedom, health or money. The cost of corruption can be divided into four main categories: political, economic, social and environmental (Transparency International).

 

1.    On the political front, corruption is a major obstacle to democracy and the rule of law. In a democratic system, offices and institutions lose their legitimacy when they’re misused for private advantage. (Transparency International).

 

2.    Economically, corruption depletes national wealth. Corrupt politicians invest scarce public resources in projects that will line their pockets rather than benefit communities, and prioritise high-profile projects such as dams, power plants, pipelines and refineries over less spectacular but more urgent infrastructure projects such as schools, hospitals and roads. Corruption also hinders the development of fair market structures and distorts competition, which in turn deters investment (Transparency International).

 

3.    Corruption corrodes the social fabric of society. It undermines people's trust in the political system, in its institutions and its leadership. A distrustful or apathetic public can then become yet another hurdle to challenging corruption (Transparency International).

 

4.    Environmental degradation is another consequence of corrupt systems. The lack of, or non-enforcement of, environmental regulations and legislation means that precious natural resources are carelessly exploited, and entire ecological systems are ravaged (Transparency International).

 

5.    Corruption impedes service delivery and undermines the country’s ability to pursue its development objectives. Corruption pulls down the economy as it distorts and deters trade and investment, reduces revenues, increases costs, and propagates wasteful allocation and use of scarce resources (ADB:17).

 

6.    The social costs of corruption include undermining the rule of law and political legitimacy. Corruption also increases risks to national security and peace and order. Furthermore, corruption threatens the welfare of the people. (ADB:17)

 

Reforms Instituted by the Government to Address this Problem

Over the years, the government has implemented various reforms to address corruption is all levels. For this discussion, I have underscored some reforms in terms of policy, institutional mechanism, and citizen’s participation.

POLICY

1.    Passage of numerous laws addressing graft and corruption; the main references are the Revised Penal Code of 1960, Republic Act No. 3019 (The Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act), and Article XI of the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines (ADB:17).

2.    Implementation of public procurement reforms spearheaded by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) (ADB:19). This include electronic bidding to improve efficiency and accountability.

3.    Under the leadership of COA, key financial management reforms were undertaken, including simplification and computerization of the Government’s accounting system, shift from residency auditing to the audit team approach, and introduction of participatory audits with civil society organizations (ADB:19)

4.    Through Civil Service Commission, setting standards for government appointments and a punitive role by meting out penalties for violations of civil service rules. (ADB:21)

5.    Establishment of governance standards which include Seal of Good Local Governance, Citizen Feedback System, Full Disclosure Policy, Public Financial Management, Anti-Red Tape, Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS), among others (PDP 2017-2022: 63-63). These service standards are directed towards strengthening transparency and accountability.

 

 

INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISM

1.      Creation and establishment of Inter-Agency Anti-Corruption  Coordinating Council to institutionalize transparent, accountable, and participatory governance .

2.      Creation of Governance Commission for GOCCs (GCG) in 2012 to fight corruption in government-owned and controlled corporations and improve the quality of management (PDP 2017-2022:63).

 

CITIZENS’S PARTICIPATION

1.    Active involvement of civil society, private sector, and various media representatives, in demanding public accountability and transparency from the Government. Critical alliances were formed via projects that support anticorruption programs (ADB:19).

2.    In November 2012, the Commission on Audit (COA) launched the Citizen Participatory Audit (CPA) Program. This initiative to open the audit processes to citizens and CSOs was intended to improve effectiveness in the use of public resources (PDP 2017-2022).

 

How effective or successful are these reforms? What made these reforms successful/unsuccessful?

The Philippine Development Reform (2017-2022) Plan has noted that previous reforms to eradicate corruption has contributed to significant improvement of the Philippine rankings in most global indicators. Although the country gained recognition from international award-giving bodies, it still ranked lower than most of the neighbors in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) (PDP 2017-2022:59).

Specifically, reasons for weak implementation of reforms are as follows:

POLICY FRAMEWORKS

1.    The legal anti-corruption framework in the Philippines is complicated and poorly enforced (HRR 2016)  (https://www.ganintegrity.com/portal/country-profiles/the-philippines/.)

2.    Philippine legislation does not contain any provisions on protecting whistleblowers who report on corruption (https://www.ganintegrity.com/portal/country-profiles/the-philippines/.).

3.    Though there are legal frameworks and existing policies, compliance to standards remains low due to inadequate control mechanisms and the agencies’ lack of appreciation of the flexibilities allowed in the system (PDP 2012-2022:64)

4.    Although there are many election laws that govern election spending and contributions, there are still loopholes. Candidates resort to illegal means (for instance, anomalous use of the Priority Development Assistance Fund or PDAF, undeclared campaign contributions, and so on) to ensure that they will have funds necessary for their election or reelection. Also, elected officials thus become beholden to contributors who have interests to push with them once they are elected (Espiritu).

 

INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISM

1.    There is a lack of cooperation between law enforcement agencies, and officials are rarely prosecuted and convicted for corruption crimes (HRR 2016) (https://www.ganintegrity.com/portal/country-profiles/the-philippines/.) (ADB:22-23).

2.    Agencies deputized to fight graft & corruption are not well funded by the government( Aranas.).

3.    There is also lack of recognition, merits, awards, and rewards given by the government for the efforts of anti-corruption bodies (Aranas).

4.    Prosecution of graft and corruption cases is severely constrained by the lack of competent investigators and prosecutors, huge backlog of court cases, lack of financial resources, and corruption of OMB personnel and judges (ADB:23).

5.    The statement of assets and liabilities, which is an effective mechanism to curb graft and corruption is religiously submitted yearly by all public officials. However, no agency of government is deputized to examine the veracity of the data entered in those statements. Most public officials with unexplained wealth can successfully hide the same by paying accountants to make accurate and official statements for them.  (Aranas.).

 

CITIZEN’S PARTICIPATION

1.    Platforms for citizen participation though available were underutilized by the general public. Two possible reasons are ignorance and apathy because of misinformation or lack of proper information (PDP 2017-2022:62).

 

What can you suggest to better address the problem? Your suggestions must address the gaps that you have identified in the reforms already in place.

In my opinion, anti-corruption campaign should focus on the following:

1.    Strict enforcement of the law.

Our country has enough laws to deter corruption and to punish corrupt officials. Institutions are even in place to handle corruption cases which basically include the Commission on Audit, Office of the Ombudsman and the Sandiganbayan. Strict enforcement of these laws and fortifying these offices and courts from influence-peddling is much needed.

 

 

2.    Massive political education and values education campaign

Since corruption a described above as systemic and something that is a “failure of ethics (Reyes),” what better way to address it is to instil among Filipinos through education the values of honesty in public service.

Since election is the entry point of corrupt officials, political education should be massive during campaign period so that people will be reminded to elect only leaders who have high integrity and competence.

3.    Corruption watchdogs should be supported and protected.

Fighting corruption will be much effective and sustained if we have active civil society organizations who serve are watchdogs. They must be provided with funding support by the government and needed security.

 

Below are specific recommendations from various sources whom I believe should be implemented to address corruption in this country.

 

PROPOSED POLICY REFORMS

1.    Enhancing sanctions for corruption and strengthening anti-corruption institutions. The Philippines already has a fairly mature legal framework for fighting corruption (Espiritu).

2.    Passage of the Civil Service Code. Address deeply rooted problems besetting the public service (such as graft and corruption, red tape, etc.) (PDP 2012-2022:75).

3.    Enhanced Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Servants of 2016. Amend RA6713 “Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employee’s” to promote shared public values in civil servants (PDP 2012-2022:75)

4.    Passage of a law that will protect whistleblowers.

5.    Passage of Freedom of Information Bill. Require government agencies to allow public review and copy of all official information to promote meaningful and increased participation of the people in government decision-making and public accountability (PDP 2012-2022:75)

6.    Enactment of the law regulating campaign contributions. Implement finance reforms in campaign expenditures, sources of funds and management of such to minimize corruption and promote transparency for informed decision-making (PDP 2012-2022:75).

7.    Amendment of the Commission on Audit charter. Repeal the Government Auditing Code of the Philippines to review and update COA provisions (PDP 2012-2022:75).

8.    Enactment of a law for an extensive voter education at the grassroots level (Aaranas).

9.    Reforming government budget processes. The goal is to achieve discipline, allocative efficiency, and operational efficiency in the preparation and implementation of the government budget. Among the areas that can be looked into are (Espiritu);

 

o   Enhancing the integrity and effectiveness of government-wide and agency level financial management systems

 

o   Further improving program performance monitoring and evaluation

 

o   Further simplifying and making more transparent public procurement, eliminating noncompetitive aspects and rooting out supplier cartels

 

o   Limiting congressional discretion over detailed line-items (in simpler terms, abolishing “pork barrel.” Although a positive development in this regard was the Supreme Court’s declaring the PDAF illegal, but legislators are still finding ways to go around this ruling).

 

 

PROPOSED INSTITUTIONAL REFORM

1.    Reforming the Civil Service. One reason often cited why civil servants turn bad is their low and uncompetitive pay. Other reasons are because they know that they have patrons in high places who will protect them and to whom they are beholden. Some ways by which these can be addressed are (Espiritu):

 

o   Limiting the scope for patronage in public employment, depoliticizing the civil service, and regulating the use of casual and contractual employees

 

o   Providing more competitive salaries (to the extent affordable) and decompressing pay scales to reflect merit, performance and responsibilities.

 

2.    Targeting selected department and agencies. Some agencies are more prone to corruption by virtue of their functions, e.g., those involved in revenue collections; in spending large chucks of the government budget through implementation of many and/or large public service programs and projects; those in charge of regulating large industries, particularly those requiring government franchises and authorities to operate (Espiritu).

 

3.    Maximizing the use of current technological revolution to reduce the need for human contact in certain transactions with government agencies, for instance, in obtaining clearances (Espiritu).

4.    Each agency must provide clear information on the processes and procedures involved in obtaining a particular service, including time limits for such processes, as well as mechanisms for filling complaints (Espiritu).

 

CITIZENS PARTICIPATION

1.    Support active and vigilant civil society groups, (iii) protecting a free media, (iv) promoting ongoing initiatives to involve people in the fight against corruption, and (vii) accepting support from international development agencies (ADB:17).

2.    Promote public awareness of anti-corruption drives. The media will be used to publicize enforcement cases and encourage the public to report corruption. Schools and organizations will also be tapped to educate students and communities on anti-corruption. Corruption prevention talks and ethics development seminars will be done for public servants and the business sector (PDP 2017-2022: 67)

3.    Integrity Caravans, initiated by the Ombudsman (OMB), during youth and multi-sectoral forum, and barangay good governance seminars will be continued. This will promote and communicate the work and various anti-corruption programs of the OMB, and ways by which the public can be involved (PDP 2017-2022:67)

4.    Increasing public oversight of government, transparency and public access to information. The key principle is that the public has the basic right to know what the government, its agencies and officials who are all accountable to them, are doing and should have a means for assessing their performance (Espiritu).

5.    Institutionalization of citizen’s participation in the budget process. Allow the public to participate in decisions regarding the local budget which promotes shared responsibility (PDP 2012-2022:75)

 

References

Alfiler, Maria Concepcion P. Philippine Administrative System. University of the Philippine Open University 1999

Aranas, Juan Paolo S. Graft and Corruption in the Government accessed at https://www.slideshare.net/JUANPAOLOARANAS/graft-corruption-in-the-government

Cahiles, Gerg, PMGov't May Have Lost ₱1.4 Trillion in the Past Two Years Due to Corruption – Deputy Ombudsman published Aug 16, 2019 8:38:29)accessed at https://cnnphilippines.com /news/2019/8/16/Government-corruption-loss-deputy-ombudsman-Cyril-Ramos.html?fbclid=IwAR2OQ90yWJXFHgAr4lD1I7irm9FsuzE6--DIrV0A1PmTn9fM3YHtxripGx8.

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Espiritu, Edgardo B., Combatting Corruption (Speech Delivered at the University of the Philippines Alumni Council Meeting on Aug. 23, 2019) https://www.manilatimes.net/2019/09/04/opinion/columnists/topanalysis/combatting-corruption/610946/

How Do You Define Corruption? Transparency International. Accessed at https://www.transparency.org/what-is-corruption#define

Jennings, Ralph. Why Corruption Persists In The Philippines Despite Duterte's Tough Anti-Graft Talk. posted on Aug. 22, 2017 accessed at  https://www.forbes.com/sites/ralphjennings/2017/08/22/why-corruption-festers-in-the-philippines-despite-a-tough-anti-graft-campaign/#349f4f135616 on May 8, 2020.

Quimbo, Rodrigo *, Galvez, Miguel * and Santos, Camille Bianca Gatmaitan * (Baker McKenzie Philippines). Anti-Corruption in the Philippines.  Global Compliance News accessed at https://globalcompliancenews.com/anti-corruption/anti-corruption-in-the-philippines/.

Republic Act No. 3019 The Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act

Republic Act 6713 The Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees

Reyes, Danilo, R. History and Context of the Development of Public Administration in the Philippines, Public Administration in Southeast Asia (Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Hongkong, and Macao) edited by Evan MM. Berman (CRC Press 2011) pp. 333-352 accessed at http://blancopeck.net/Public-Administration-in-Southeast-Asia.pdf on 02-07-2020

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Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022