RP 4th most corrupt in Asia-Pacific -- PERC

Thursday, 11 March 2010 01:19 PM Fidelis Angela Tan

A recent study by the Hong Kong-based business consultation firm Political & Economic Risk Consultancy, Ltd. (PERC) pegged the Philippines as the 4^th most corrupt nation out of 16 investment destinations in the Asia-Pacific region, with the inclusion of the United States. This marks a regression in the country’s PERC corruption ranking, which was at 6^th most corrupt in 2009.

The survey took 2,174 middle and senior business executives from the 16 countries, both expatriates and local, and asked them to rate the behavior of their political, civil and economic agencies.

With a highest possible corruption rating of 10, the Philippines scored an 8.06, faring better than Vietnam (8.07), Cambodia (9.10), and Indonesia (9.27). On the other hand, the countries found to be the least corrupt were Hong Kong (2.67), Australia (2.28), and Singapore (1.42).

“Corruption is an old, old problem in our culture, and not just institutions. This culture extends to our political and civic lives,” said presidential spokesperson Gary Olivar.

He added that the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had taken steps to clamp down on corruption, including augmenting the budget of the Office of the Ombudsman.

“We do our share and we hope the next administration will continue the job. It is not a question of institutions and process,” he said. “We must change our way of thinking and our culture over time.”

Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) chairperson Constancia de Guzman blamed the country’s high corruption rating on the tradition of mudslinging, or accusing one another of illegal dealings, among candidates during election period.

“We are in the election season and mudslinging is the in thing. I do not know why allegations of corruption, though baseless, were taken as gospel truths,” she said. “Those who engage in mudslinging do not realize that while the act might help them gain more votes in May, it is giving the country a bad reputation internationally.”

Deputy presidential spokesman Ric Saludo added that the PERC findings were still promising as the Philippines was ranked most corrupt nation in the Asia-Pacific region in the same survey in 2008.

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