Ombudsman claims credit for anti-corruption ranking

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman said it is gaining ground in its multi-sectoral convergence efforts to counter corruption.

Assistant Ombudsman Evelyn Baliton said the latest result of the survey by Transparency International (TI) is proof that the Office of the Ombudsman and all its strategic partners are doing well in their fight against corruption.

Based on TI’s 2010 Corruption Perception Index, the Philippines ranked 134 among 178 countries. The Philippines’ CPI score remained at 2.4.

The Philippines’ ranking improved five notches from last year, when it was ranked 139 among 180 countries. It ranked 141 in 2008.

Baliton said the country’s improved ranking mirrors the Office of the Ombudsman’s success in its anti-corruption efforts.

“This inspires the country’s anti-corruption lead agency to relentlessly pursue its road map called the National Anti-Corruption Program of Action to do more, to exert more effort in fighting corruption,” she said.

Baliton said that aside from the improved ranking in the TI report, the recent $434-million five-year economic development compact grant to the Philippines by the Millennium Challenge Corp. (MCC) also indicates that the Ombudsman is serious in its battle against corruption in the country.

She explained that the continuing improvement in the country’s ranking on the Control of Corruption (COC) category is one of the considerations for the grant.

The MCC noted that the Philippines’ ranking on the COC indicator has improved by six notches, from 39th to 33rd, above the 37th rank of the median country among 73 countries in the Low Income Country list of the MCC.

Baliton explained that one of the factors for the enhanced ranking in the Philippines’ COC category is the marked increase in its conviction rate. From its 33.3 percent conviction rate in 2005, the office reached its highest conviction rate ever of 73.42 percent in 2008.

She said their office is continuing efforts to step up its campaign against corruption by hiring qualified investigators and conducting enhancement capacity-building trainings to equip them with better knowledge and skills in investigation and trial.

Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez also reportedly plans to open new regional offices across the country to move the office closer to the people.

At present, there are three regional offices complementing its five sectoral offices: OMB-Luzon, OMB-Visayas, OMB-Mindanao, OMB-Moleo (Military and other Law Enforcement Offices) and the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

The OMB-Luzon regional office is located in Calamba, Laguna; the OMB-Visayas regional office is located in Iloilo while OMB-Mindanao is located in Cagayan de Oro. Another OMB-Luzon regional office is set to open in Pangasinan next year.

The OMB Social Service Caravan, where the Ombudsman brings representatives of different front line agencies to certain areas in the country to directly assist the public, is also ongoing.

Baliton said that its multi-sectoral partnership with the business, academe, professional groups, and faith-based organizations through the Multi-Sectoral Anti-Corruption Council also tremendously helped the OMB in converging anti-corruption efforts in the country.