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PRESIDENTIAL ANTI-GRAFT COMMISSION (PAGC)

PRESS RELEASE

December 12, 2006

TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL ACKNOWLEDGES ANTI-CORRUPTION INTERVENTIONS AND REFORMS OF THE PHILIPPINES

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Transparency International (TI) -Berlin Ms. Huguette Labelle in a meeting yesterday with Presidential Anti-Graft Commission Chairman, Dr. Constancia De Guzman, have acknowledged that there are indeed significant reforms and anti-corruption initiatives being implemented by the Philippine government. 

De Guzman met Labelle after sessions of the conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) being held at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre, Dead Sea, in Jordan from December 10-14, 2006. 

Prior to the meeting, de Guzman, as a member of the Philippine delegation to the conference, delivered the Philippine statement on the Interventions on Anti-Corruption to more than 700 delegates from over 80 countries. The presentation proved to be a crucial pre-meeting input as Ms. Labelle was more open in discussing alternative manner of presenting the TI report; hence, after the meeting she committed that for this year they shall present the TI survey result together with the specific reforms and interventions being done by the covered country in the area of graft and corruption.

It can be recalled that the Corruption Perceptions Index released by TI last 06 November 2006 has been deemed unfair to Filipinos and reaped protest from different sectors of the Philippine community. The business industry leaders, in particular have expressed their disappointment over the survey and its disregard for the anti-corruption measures being instituted by the government. De Guzman even wrote TI-Berlin expressing her disagreement with the results of the 2006 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) wherein the Philippines ranked 121^st among 163 countries rated for their degree of corruption.  In her letter, De Guzman requested for an explanation from TI-Berlin regarding parameters and methodology used on the said survey. #

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