Business community urged to report bribe solicitations

CEBU, Philippines - A business leader urged the Cebu business community to be proactive in reporting cases of bribe solicitations of government institutions from enterprises.

Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Ma. Teresa Chan said that businesses should try not to give in to bribe solicitations of government agencies they are transacting with.

"We should report, we should not give in to that temptation," Chan told The FREEMAN in a recent interview. Chan was sought for reaction on the recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) Annual Enterprise Survey on Corruption that noted a high prevalence of bribe solicitation in Cebu.

Among the key urban areas in the Philippines, the SWS survey identified Cebu to have a high incidence of bribery involving businesses in their dealings with the government.

SWS Vice President Linda Luz B. Guerrero said that bribes are usually solicited when getting local and national government permits and licenses; assessing and paying of income taxes; complying with import regulations including payment of import duties; supplying government with goods and services; collecting receivables from government; and availing of government incentives.

Chan said some enterprises give in to bribe to speed up their transactions with the government and do not report bribe cases because of "fear". Some also do not file cases in court because it may take time and is a hassle for them, Chan added.

According to the SWS survey, in Cebu's case, only 2% of those solicited for a bribe reported it. The survey, which polled executives of 100 companies in Metro Cebu, was conducted from January 24, 2015 to February 28, 2015.

For instance, the number of enterprises in Cebu solicited for a bribe in getting government licenses and permits stood at 39% during the November 2014-May 2015 period, the highest among the other six areas surveyed by SWS.

"We'll try to advocate not giving bribes," Chan said.

Chan further stressed that corruption has always been the "cancer in society".

"We can't cure that cancer overnight not even one term [of an administration], so we hope that we will continue to elect someone, to be led by someone who is honest and has a good vision for the Philippines," the CCCI official said.

The chamber president also urged businessmen to cooperate in the fight against corruption.

In an earlier interview, Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Donato Busa had said this problem must be addressed as it affects the entry of potential investments.

Business groups, Busa had said, should be more interactive in dealing with bribe solicitation and push for performance governance system. — Carlo S. Lorenciana (FREEMAN)