-
CORRUPTION
MAY BE DEFINED AS THE USE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES AND PUBLIC POWER
FOR PERSONAL ENDS, WITH BRIBERY – WHETHER OF A POLICEMAN
OR OF A HIGH GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL-- AS ITS MOST COMMON FORM.
-
WHILE
THE TENDENCY IN THE PHILIPPINES IS TO LIMIT ITS MEANING TO WRONG
DOING BY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, OR OFFICIAL CORRUPTION, PRIVATE
INDIVIDUALS MAY BE, AND ARE OFTEN INVOLVED AS PARTNERS, CO-CONSPIRATORS,
AND BENEFICIARIES IN THE USE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES AND ABUSE OF
POWER OR GOVERNMENT POSITION FOR PERSONAL ENDS. MANY BUREAUCRATS
IN GOVERNMENT ARE THEMSELVES INVOLVED IN LARGE-SCALE CORRUPTION
IN CONNIVANCE WITH BUSINESS PATRONS AND/OR PARTNERS.
-
THE
PHILIPPINES RANKS 4TH MOST CORRUPT COUNTRY IN ASIA ACCORDING
TO HONGKONG’S POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC RISK CONSULTANCY
(PERC) AND 36TH AMONG 102 COUNTRIES IN TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL’S
2005 CORRUPTION INDEX, VALIDATING PERCEPTIONS THAT GOVERNMENT
CORRUPTION IS WIDESPREAD. THE INDEX FURTHER REVEAL THAT CORRUPTION
OCCURS MASSIVELY AMONG THE POOREST COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD LIKE
THE PHILIPPINES, BUT IS CONSIDERABLY LESS IN THE INDUSTRIALIZED
WORLD.
-
POOR COUNTRIES SHARE CHARACTERISTICS OTHER THAN POVERTY:
- MANY
ARE FORMER COLONIES WHOSE DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN ARRESTED AS
A RESULT, AND WHOSE SOCIETIES HAVE REMAINED ESSENTIALLY BACKWARD,
FEUDAL AND AGRARIAN BOTH ECONOMICALLY AND POLITICALLY
-
ASIDE FROM THE LONG EXPERIENCE IN COLONIAL AND SEMI-COLONIAL
RULE, THERE IS THE DOMINANCE OF ELITE POLITICS
-
THE APPARENT FAILURE OF GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS TO RESPOND
FAIRLY AND JUSTLY TO THE PEOPLE’S PROBLEMS
-
LIMITED DEMOCRATIC PRACTICES PROVIDE FERTILE GROUND FOR CORRUPTION
TO FLOURISH AND
-
THE INABILITY AND UNWILLINGNESS ON THE PART OF THE POLITICAL
ELITE TO ADDRESS THE UNDERLYING ROOTS OF CORRUPTION AND TO
BRING ACCOUNTABLE BUREAUCRACY TO THE PEOPLE HELP CORRUPTION
TO TAKE FIRM ROOT.
-
CORRUPTION IS ENDEMIC, CHRONIC AND PERVASIVE IN THESE COUNTRIES.
INTERNAL --POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND BEHAVIORAL--FACTORS
COMBINE IN CONTRIBUTING TO CORRUPTION AND ETHICAL BANKRUPTCY IN
GOVERNMENT.
- INDUSTRIALIZED
COUNTRIES THAT STILL HAVE CORRUPTION AS A MAJOR PROBLEM HAVE GOVERNMENTS
THAT ARE GENERALLY CHARACTERIZED BY BACKWARD, FEUDAL AND PERSONALISTIC
RELATIONS, AND MOST AF ALL INVARIABLY CONTROLLED OR INFLUENCED
BY VESTED INTEREST GROUPS RATHER THAN BY PUBLIC SERVICE.
- IN POOR AND
BACKWARD COUNTRIES LIKE THE PHILIPPINES, CORRUPTION IS A CONSEQUENCE
OF THE FEUDAL RELATIONS THAT HAVE PERSISTED FOR CENTURIES, IN
WHICH KINSHIP AND OTHER TIES PLAY A LEADING ROLE IN OFFICIALS’
BENDING OR BREAKING THE RULES, AND IN COLLUDING WITH PRIVATE PROFIT-
HUNGRY INDIVIDUALS.
- FAMILIAL
AND OTHER RELATIONS ARE AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN FOSTERING CORRUPTION
WHERE FAMILY MEMBERS AND “COMPADRES” ARE OFTEN OFFICIALS’
PARTNERS AND BENEFICIARIES. WHEN PATRONAGE AND NEPOTISM EXIST,
CORRUPTION THRIVES EASILY.
- THE DOMINANTLY
FEUDAL, FAMILIAL AND PERSONALISTIC RELATIONS UNDERMINE STATE INSTITUTIONS,
AND CONSTITUTE THE BASIC WEAKNESS OF PHILIPPINE GOVERNANCE.
- IN PARTICULAR,
PHILIPPINE BUREAUCRACY IS RIDDEN WITH CORRUPTION WHERE EVERY TRANSACTION
TO CLINCH A
- FRANCHISE
- CONTRACT
- LICENSE
- PERMIT
- CONCESSION
IS
MOST OFTEN SEEN AS A SOURCE OF PERSONAL PROFIT.
- SOURCES OF
CORRUPTION ARE EVERYWHERE IN PHILIPPINE BUREAUCRACY:
- COURT
DECISIONS
- TRAFFIC
VIOLATIONS
- PROCUREMENT
OF SUPPLIES
- GOVERNMENT
SUBSIDIES
- MEDICAL
AND HEALTH CARE
- TRUST
FUNDS
- SUBSCRIPTIONS
TO PRIVATE COMPANIES
- GOVERNMENT
LOANS
- DEPARTMENTAL,
EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE BUDGET
- LOGGING
AND MINING CONCESSIONS
- CALAMITY
FUNDS, AMONG OTHERS.
- OFFICIALS
FROM TOP DOWN TO THE LOWER LEVELS WHO AMASS WEALTH FROM OR USE
THEIR POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY TO INFLUENCE LAWS, DECISIONS OR PROJECTS,
RESORT TO ALL KINDS OF TRICKS TO MANIPULATE FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS;
MANY EVEN INVOLVE THEMSELVES IN CRIMINAL SYNDICATES WITH THE HELP
OF CROOKED COPS OR MILITARY AND ENGAGE IN OTHER ANTI-SOCIAL ACTIVITIES.
THESE ARE THE BUREAUCRAT CAPITALISTS – THE BUREAUCRATS IN
GOVERNMENT WHO ENGAGE IN BUSINESS FOR THEMSELVES AT THE EXPENSE
OF DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVICE.
- THE EFFECTS
OF CORRUPTION ARE:
- AGGRAVATES
THE PROBLEM OF POVERTY WHICH RESULTS FROM POLICIES THAT FAVOR
THE LOCAL ELITE AND THEIR PATRONS WHO CONTROL AND HOLD ACCESS
TO GOVERNMENT RESOURCES AND USE THESE FOR THEIR PERSONAL BENEFIT.
THIS SITUATION EXACERBATES THE ALREADY VAST DISPARITIES BETWEEN
RICH AND POOR, AND CONSEQUENTLY, IN MORE CONCENTRATION OF
POWER AMONG THE FORMER.
- ABUSE
OF POWER LEAD TO SERIOUS WASTAGE OF 20-40% OF TOTAL RESOURCES
SET APART FOR DEVELOPMENT
- DATA
COVERING ASIA, AFRICA, LATIN AMERICA SHOW THAT CORRUPTION
HAS A DELETERIOUS, OFTEN DEVASTATING EFFECT ON ADMINISTRATIVE
PERFORMANCE AND ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT –
CORRODING PEOPLE’S TRUST, FAVORING THE PRIVILEGED AND
POWERFUL ELITE.
THIS
ABUSE AND CONCENTRATION OF POWER HAS LED TO WIDER CORRUPTION
AS THE GREEDY POWERHOLDERS APPROPRIATE AN EVEN GREATER SHARE
OF BOTH THE LIMITED WEALTH OF THE COUNTRY AND GOVERNMENT RESOURCES
TO THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES/FRIENDS
- THERE ARE
MANY VARIED WAYS TO MEASURE CORRUPT PRACTICES, AMONG THESE ARE:
- LIFESTYLE
CHECK AGAINST ACTUAL INCOME
- LIFESTYLE
CHECK ON IMMEDIATE RELATIVES, FRIENDS AND PERSONAL “FOUNDATIONS”
OR “CHARITY CAUSES” WHO/ WHICH MAY BE CHANNELS
OF PERSONAL BUSINESSES USING PUBLIC RESOURCES
- STATEMENTS
OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
BUT
THESE ARE NOT PURSUED RELENTLESSLY AND IN MOST CASES,
ONLY SELECTIVELY.
- AS LONG AS
THIS STATE OF AFFAIRS REMAINS – WHERE GOVERNANCE IS CONTROLLED
ONLY BY A FEW WEALTHY POLITICAL ELITE IN GOVERNMENT WHO TREAT
GOVERNMENT AS ONE BIG BUSINESS FROM WHERE TO DRAW PERSONAL PROFITS,
AND AS PUBLIC SERVICE ONLY FOR POLITICAL EXPEDIENCY, CORRUPTION
WILL ALWAYS BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM OF GOVERNMENT, WHATEVER IS ITS
FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
Prepared
by:
Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG)
Policy Study, Publication & Advocacy (PSPA) Desk |
