Palace on corruption survey: Don’t look at us

Don’t look at us.

Malacañang said yesterday that a recent survey that showed the Philippines as the fifth most corrupt among 12 Asian nations must have been referring to the previous administration.

Presidential Spokesman Renato Corona said the results of the survey by the Singapore-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) likely pertained to the deposed Estrada administration since the Arroyo administration is only two months old.

"Perhaps they (PERC) have been referring to the previous administration and not to us. We’ve only been sitting (in power) here for the past two months and we’ve been undertaking measures to remove graft and corruption," Corona said.

President Arroyo herself vowed yesterday to institute a "transformative leadership" in the government that she hopes to reduce, if not totally eradicate, the problem of corruption in the bureaucracy.

But she said the principle of "good governance" is a two-way street that can work effectively if both government and the private sector help combat the scourge.

"The wisest solution to economic problems will be in vain if we do not have in government the right men and women, who by reason of established integrity can be depended upon to implement ... such a solution," she said.

The President spoke before the 2nd Asia Pacific Business Convention held yesterday at the Hotel Intercontinental Manila in Makati City, just as the latest PERC results came out.

The survey, conducted among 700 expatriate businessmen in 12 Asian countries, found that "the perception is clearly that corruption remains a serious problem in most countries."

The PERC grouped the Philippines and Thailand as "countries where corruption is a serious problem but no one seems to be in a big hurry to change the system."

In these countries, the report said, the people and their political leaders "seem to shrug off the problem as just the way things are," and it takes a big scandal to get authorities into action.

Mrs. Arroyo however said that corruption cannot be expunged overnight.

"Corruption in government, like sin in man, perhaps may not be completely eradicated but it can be minimized to a degree as to be tolerable to the civic conscience of the community and to constitute no hindrance to... economic growth and... social progress," she said.

Before the businesswomen leaders of the Asia-Pacific, she noted with satisfaction the convention’s theme, "Globalization and Transformative Leadership," which she said applies to her two-month-old administration.

"In a wholesome society, there should be integrity... not only in government but also among the people. And transformative leadership means that you, the women business leaders, must promote integrity in the business sector," Mrs. Arroyo said.

She explained that practicing democracy and transformative leadership to balance globalization requires strong and competent internal institutions and structures.

"Globalization is dangerous if it is not accompanied by the appropriate reforms and strengthening of institutions," she said, hinting that weak revenue-collecting agencies would only bring about shortfalls that further impede delivery of services.

She also said accountability and transparency were essential in an era of globalization, and asked the businesswomen to do their share in the anti-graft campaign.

Corona, in a radio interview, said the President has been "judicious" in the handling of public funds, and that she has barred relatives from dealing with government and called for the sale and disposition of luxury vehicles.

"So that (PERC survey) does not refer to the present administration but to the past," he said.