World Bank lists ‘debarred’ firms

Over 80 individuals and companies were included in the World Bank’s latest list of “debarred” entities, or those who face sanctions/have been sanctioned under the global financial institution’s anti-fraud and corruption policy. The latest list brings the total number of disqualified entities to 541 for violations that include corruption, bribery or collusion since 1999. It was only middle of last year when the World Bank decided to publish debarment listings and procedures made by the institution regarding corruption in projects funded by the WB.  The decision to publish was hailed by anti-corruption groups worldwide who said the decision was a definite move towards more transparency, not to mention that it boosts the credibility of the World Bank – whose overarching mission is to help eradicate poverty the world over.

The WB has a sanctions board composed of several members who review reported cases of graft and fraud, and whose decisions are deemed final in all cases contested by involved parties. These parties are allowed to respond to accusations or allegations under a specified process. Just very recently, the WB “blacklisted” big firms from the US and other countries, and those in the black list will be ineligible for WB-financed projects or contracts three years or even longer. Worse, these firms are also made to pay millions of dollars in settlements.

Aside from WB sanctions, US companies also face liabilities under the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, a federal law aimed at making US companies compliant with accounting transparency laws and make them accountable for questionable practices that involve bribery of foreign officials. The WB list would make for very interesting reading if only for the identity of the individuals and firms included in the list.

‘Strengthening Lakas’

The Lakas Party is now gearing itself for the coming local and congressional elections, with Senator Bong Revilla to be named party chairman while Leyte Congressman Martin Romualdez will be named Lakas president. The party official name Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats) stalwarts have been quietly working to revive the once-formidable political group, starting from the time Lakas dropped the name of “Kampi” – the political party of former president Gloria Arroyo, to recent organizational changes.

The changing of the guards has been noticeable, with the younger ones taking leadership positions in a bid that is definitely targeted for the 2016 presidential elections which will most likely be a multiparty contest. Lakas has maintained its grassroots ties, with Revilla having declared that the party will take care of its loyal retainers by supporting them in the 2013 midterm elections. 

The United Nationalist Opposition or UNA is also priming itself for 2016. UNA seems to have a head start (no pun intended) and barring any unforeseen circumstances, Vice President Jojo Binay will be the UNA party standard bearer with Senator Jinggoy Estrada as his running mate.

The only question is: Will Binay go head to head against Bong Revilla, who topped the 2010 senatorial elections with a vote of 20 million? In any case, both parties are trying to fill their ranks with “fresh” faces to appeal to the 18 to 25 age group of voters, whose number is estimated at over 12 million – more than 25 percent of the 48 million voters who registered for the 2013 elections. And that doesn’t even include the OFW voters and their families who reportedly appreciate the efforts of Vice President Jojo Binay to reach out to them.

As for the dominant Liberal Party, DILG Secretary Mar Roxas is obviously being groomed as standard bearer, with his current position seen to give him more leverage with the grassroots level where election results are presumably decided. However, rumors and whispers are getting stronger about a “white knight” allegedly being pushed by some people within President Noy’s camp whom insiders cryptically describe as “young and charismatic.” 

Club shares also up in Baguio

Baguio Country Club president and lawyer Federico “Rico” Agcaoili reacted to our column item last Tuesday (“Makati club shares hitting the roof”), saying Baguio Country Club shares have also appreciated tremendously, up 60 percent to P700,000 from P500,000 in just a few weeks owing to the ongoing construction of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway or TPLEX project, a massive, 89-kilometer expressway that stretches from Lapaz in Tarlac all the way to Rosario in La  Union.

The P12.5-billion project, which is targeted for completion by May, will cut down travel time to Baguio and the north by more than an hour since the TPLEX will be linked with the NLEX (North Luzon Expressway) and SCTEX (Subic –Clark-Tarlac Expressway). Hopefully, this will also make trips to Ilocos, the Cordillera region and Central Luzon provinces more smooth. 

Just recently, the administration also gave the go signal for the P380-million Baguio Circumferential Road project to help solve traffic within the city proper. The DPWH has actually lined up a number of extensive road projects that include putting flood control structures in flood-prone areas, rehabilitation and repair of old and badly damaged concrete pavements plus other road improvements that would most certainly make Baguio even more attractive to visitors.

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