EDITORIAL - Sustain it

As the Aquino administration entered its second year, business executives maintained their positive assessment. In the Makati Business Club’s Executive Outlook Survey for the second semester of the year, 64 percent of the respondents said the business environment had improved over the past 12 months and 76 percent expected the economy to get better in the next 12. With 10 percent of MBC members participating, the survey showed 53 percent believing that corruption had gone down, while 80 percent said corruption charges should be pursued against former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The MBC is seen to be an Aquino supporter, and its former executive director is the secretary of tourism. A member participation of 10 percent in a survey may also be considered insignificant by certain quarters. And while 53 percent of that 10 percent believed the administration is making good on its principal campaign promise of reducing corruption, a significant 38 percent disagreed.

Still, Malacañang was pleased with the results of the survey taken from July 19 to Aug. 2. Asked to rate the performance of 45 government agencies from July 2010 to June 2011, the respondents registered the highest dissatisfaction with agencies where corruption is perceived to be rampant, among them the Philippine National Police and the Bureau of Customs. Also getting low ratings were the Office of the Ombudsman, the Sandiganbayan as well as the appellate and lower courts.

Investors have long lamented the lack of a level playing field and the weakness of the rule of law in the Philippines. They see these problems being addressed in the anti-corruption efforts of the Aquino administration. The challenge to the government is to sustain the positive outlook of business executives and make it more widespread. This challenge has become more daunting as the world braces for the possibility of a double dip recession in the world’s largest economy. Even as the global economy is rocked by the credit woes of the United States, the Aquino administration should continue laying the groundwork for sustainable and inclusive growth.