DSWD chief signs anti-corruption manifesto

MANILA, Philippines — Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rolando Bautista led the rest of the department’s leaders in signing the Anti-Corruption Manifesto of the Philippine Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) under Project Kasangga: Tokhang Laban sa Korapsiyon.?The signing of the manifesto was held last May 27.

Launched by the PACC, Project Kasangga is in line with President Duterte’s goal of weeding out corruption in government.

Bautista said the DSWD, which handles hundreds of billions of funds for the government’s flagship poverty alleviation programs, primarily the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and the National Community Driven Development Program-Kapitbisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (NCDDP-Kalahi CIDSS) program, was in full support of the President’s anti-corruption goal and the anti-corruption initiatives of PACC.

The DSWD, during the pandemic, had also been tasked to handle and distribute billions for the emergency cash subsidy given to vulnerable families severely affected by the economic disruption wrought by the pandemic lockdowns.?He affirmed that “DSWD is one with the President and PACC in realizing the common objective of achieving a corrupt-free government.”

Bautista lauded the PACC for initiating Project Kasangga which allows various government agencies and offices to unite all good governance and anti-corruption measures through the signing of the Anti-Corruption Manifesto.

He added that the entire leadership of the DSWD, as well as all employees, vows to exert all efforts to uphold the highest work ethic and good governance in all aspects of the department’s work.

“We will achieve this by instituting more stringent anti-corruption measures within the DSWD and by providing the public accessible platform to report their grievances,” Bautista said.

For his part, PACC chair Greco Belgica thanked the DSWD for partnering with them in the fight against corruption.

He reminded everyone that public office is a public trust, thus every public servant must work together in eliminating all forms of graft and corruption and abuse of power in all government agencies, especially as the society is vulnerable due to the ongoing health crisis.

The PACC chair said that in signing the manifesto and in taking the oath of honesty, officials and employees of government agencies affirm their commitment to take an active role in the prevention, detection and resolution of graft and corruption cases within their respective work stations.