“IT is difficult to overstate the profoundly negative impact that corruption has on society. The abuse of entrusted power for private gain does violence to our values, our prosperity, and even our security, “ said US Secretary of State John Kerry on this year’s International Anti-Corruption Day.
In his address, Kerry also urged his fellow world leaders to to afford civil society a meaningful role in anti-corruption and transparency efforts and renew their commitments under the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).
The UNCAC represents the first binding global agreement on corruption. It has elevated anti-corruption action to the international stage.
As a signatory to the UNCAC, President Benigno S. Aquino III has also declared December 9 as National Anti-Corruption Day in the Philippines, to raise public awareness on issues of corruption.
“It is recognized that corruption poses serious problems and threats to the stability and security of societies, undermining the institutions and values of democracy, ethical values and justice, and jeopardizing sustainable development and the rule of law,” Aquino said.
This year, the country made an improvement in the 2013 corruption index with a score of 36 out of 100 and ranked 94th out the 177 countries and territories, according to the latest Corruption Perception Index (CPI) of Transparency International released last week.
In CPI 2013, countries and territories were ranked based on their perceived level of public sector corruption. While the Philippines’ ranking has improved from being 105th in 2012, the score showed that the level of perceived corruption is still significant.
“From children denied an education, to elections decided by money not votes, public sector corruption comes in many forms. Bribes and backroom deals don’t just steal resources from the most vulnerable – they undermine justice and economic development, and destroy public trust in leaders,” the report noted.
CPI 2013 also showed that two-thirds out of 177 nations, including the Philippines scored below 50 on a scale from zero (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 100 (perceived to be very clean).
“The Corruption Perception Index 2013 demonstrates that all countries still face the threat of corruption at all levels of government, from the issuing of local permits to the enforcement of laws and regulations,” said Huguette Labelle, Chair of Transparency International.
Labelle also said that the latest report indicated that corruption within the public sector remains as one of the world’s biggest challenges, particularly in areas such as political parties, police, and justice systems.
According to the Canadian civil servant, corruption remains notoriously difficult to investigate and prosecute. She urged public institutions to be more open about their work and officials to be more transparent in their decision-making.
“It is time to stop those who get away with acts of corruption. The legal loopholes and lack of political will in government facilitate both domestic and cross-border corruption, and call for our intensified efforts to combat the impunity of the corrupt,” Labelle added.
For his part, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon urged everyone to take a collective stand against this complex social, political and economic disease that affects all countries.
“It breaches fundamental human rights, exacerbates poverty and increases inequality by diverting funds from health care, education and other essential services. It is driven by and results in criminal activity, malfunctioning state institutions and weak governance,” Ki-Moon said in his Anti-Corruption Day address.
While continuous efforts have been made against corruption, this plague still lingers, affecting billions of people around the world. Recognizing corruption as a global problem is only the first step. It is now time to turn pledges into actions. This calls for greater accountability from the citizenry.
A corruption-free society can be made into reality, if we vigilantly fight against corruption on a day-to-day.
(AJPress)
