By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter
THE PHILIPPINES enhanced its positioning in a worldwide index evaluating business bribery across more than 190 economies.
This occurred as the National Government highlighted significant advancements in its battle against corrupt activities, including the digitization of governmental transactions, and pledged to gain insights from the anti-corruption strategies of other nations.
Manila climbed eight ranks to 111th out of 194 nations in the 2024 edition of the Bribery Risk Matrix published by TRACE, a nonprofit organization.
The Philippines obtained a score of 52 out of 100, signifying a “moderate risk” status.
Despite the improvement in the country’s ranking in the latest index, its overall score decreased by two points from 54 in the 2023 edition, where it held the 119th position.
The index evaluated nations across four dimensions, including opportunity risk, which relates to business dealings with the government, and deterrence risk, which gauges a country’s capacity to prevent and prosecute bribery offenses.
The other two dimensions are transparency risk, which assesses the government’s openness regarding public budgets and potential financial conflicts, and oversight risk, which involves the role of nonstate actors in monitoring and addressing corruption.
Among selected East and Southeast Asian nations, the Philippines ranked lower than Mongolia (99th), Thailand (89th), Malaysia (81st), Timor-Leste (75th), Indonesia (66th), Hong Kong (37th), Singapore (25th), Taiwan (22nd), South Korea (21st), and Japan (10th).
The Philippines was positioned just above Brunei Darussalam (115th), Vietnam (123rd), China (142nd), Myanmar (163rd), Laos (165th), Cambodia (170th), and North Korea (194th).
Among the four dimensions, the Philippines achieved its highest score in deterrence risk at 75. It received scores of 50 in opportunity risk, 49 in transparency risk, and 44 in oversight risk.
The most recent bribery risk index was unveiled just as the Philippines hosted the 5th Conference on Reviewing and Implementing its involvement in the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), coinciding with the fact that the country’s second-highest official is facing an impeachment complaint with bribery mentioned as one of the reasons.
This treaty, signed by Manila in 2003 and ratified by the Senate in 2006, seeks to develop and implement efficient and coordinated anti-corruption policies that “encourage societal participation” and embody the principles of the rule of law, responsible management of public affairs, transparency, and accountability.
In his address, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. stated, “by learning from and collaborating with other nations, we fortify our anti-corruption mechanisms while reaffirming our position as a proactive member of the global community.”
“These interconnected initiatives create a unified approach to nurturing an efficient and accountable government,” he continued. “We keep on cooperating on the international level, underscoring the significance of global alliances in the fight against corruption.”
Mr. Marcos highlighted significant achievements in his administration’s battle against bribery and other corrupt practices, including the enactment of the Government Procurement Act earlier this year.
This law establishes standardized electronic bidding and payment systems via an electronic procurement platform.
The legislation mitigates the risk of corruption and establishes “a more comprehensive audit trail,” he remarked. “This will subsequently foster transparency and proactive governmental oversight, thus ensuring prudent public expenditure.”
Mr. Marcos pointed out that the Philippine government also operates an electronic freedom of information platform, enabling citizens to “exercise their right to crucial governmental information.”
He mentioned that the 2024 procurement law contains provisions designed to encourage involvement from “observers and civil society organizations in procurement” and “make all procurement-related meetings accessible for public observation.”
The Philippines still grapples with corrupt practices in the public sector even after the cessation of dictatorship in the 1980s, with the Asian Development Bank estimating that corruption costs the nation 1-2% of its gross domestic product each year.
“The current Congressional and Senate inquiries into the Office of the Vice-President’s (OVP) budget serve as a clear indication that bribery, along with other forms of corruption, is indeed escalating within the administration,” stated Leonardo A. Lanzona, an economics instructor at the Ateneo de Manila University.
“Certain individuals in the government presume that they are sufficiently entitled to act without accountability.”
He was referring to Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio, who is currently facing significant legal challenges following the 316-member House of Representatives initiating an investigation into her dubious confidential funds at the OVP and the Department of Education.
Ms. Duterte-Carpio, who ran alongside Mr. Marcos in the 2022 elections, now confronts an impeachment complaint that cites 24 allegations, including betrayal of public trust, bribery, and serious crimes.
“Crony capitalism has returned as the institutions established after the EDSA Revolution have weakened,” Mr. Lanzona commented. “Individuals who were previously litigated are now free due to the patronage and influence acquired in this administration.”
In his speech at the UNCAC, conveyed by Manila Rep. Joel R. Chua, who has been leading inquiries into Ms. Duterte-Carpio’s questionable fund usage, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez expressed that the “ongoing hearings in the House reflect our steadfast resolve to maintain accountability and transparency.”
“The battle against corruption is not solely the duty of any single branch of government; it is a unified endeavor,” he emphasized.
He indicated that the House will collaborate with the Judiciary, Executive agencies, civil society, and international allies to enhance its capacity to “investigate and prosecute, and enforce anti-corruption measures.”
In his remarks, Senate President Francis G. Escudero emphasized that in combatting corrupt practices, “equally crucial is the appropriate exercise of our oversight power not to intimidate or attack for political benefit but to identify and rectify corruption for national advancement.”
“A well-known formula encapsulated the root of corruption as follows: Corruption equals monopoly plus discretion, minus transparency,” Mr. Escudero stated. “But for me, I simply define it as corruption equals discretion and vice versa.”
“Reduce discretion, reduce corruption,” he added. “Eliminate discretion, eliminate corruption.”
Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort urged the government to advocate for policies that will inspire the private sector to adhere to environmental, social, and governance standards, which he asserted are vital for reducing bribery risks in both sectors.