Governance in the Philippines is getting worse. This is the findings of the recently released “Corruption Perception Index” (CPI) study of the global NGO Transparency International (TI).
The CPI is a study conducted annually since 1995. It measures corruption by surveying businesspeople and experts, and evaluates the assessments made by twelve institutions that monitor global changes such as the African Development Bank (Ivory Coast), the Bertelsman Foundation (Germany), and the Economist Intelligence Unit (UK).
Is this mere perception?
For the World Bank and Transparency International, corruption is “the abuse of public power for private benefit” or “the misuse of entrusted power for private gain.”
Specialists on the study of corruption have long considered how it is linked to economic development globally. They suggest that where the decisions of those in power are unduly determined by vested interests, the efficiency of the economic system is weakened.
In the 2019 CPI, 180 countries were evaluated using a scale of 0 (very clean) to 100 (very corrupt). The Philippines scored 34. As a result, our country ranking went down by fourteen (14) notches from that of last year. From being 99th rank (among 180 countries) in 2018, the Philippines is now 113th!
The Philippines CPI score of 34 (out of a possible 100 points) is even below the global average of 43.
Noting that 2/3 of the 180 countries studied got a score below 50, Transparency International posits that the “current state of corruption speaks to a need for greater political integrity in many countries. To have any chance of curbing corruption, governments must strengthen checks and balances, limit the influence of big money in politics and ensure broad input in political decision-making. Public policies and resources should not be determined by economic power or political influence, but by fair consultation and impartial budget allocation.”
As advocates for better governance and inclusiveness, we share a deep sense betrayal, frustration. humiliation and indignation that these findings have exposed. We call on all citizens to show your protestation and intolerance against corruption.
We reiterate our call to eliminate systemic corruption in our country. We must defend for our right to engage intensive, fact based and developmental policy discourse in seeking bold and systemic solutions to corruption in all of government. We must all act to stop the abuse of public power that has been entrusted by the people only to be wielded for personal gain.
We are being betrayed.
Read more about Transparency International‘s Corruption Perception Index 2019 here: https://