By Joann Santiago
MANILA, Dec. 2 (PNA) — The Philippines has further strengthened its bid to fight graft and corruption through an Executive Order (EO) aimed at establishing an Integrity Management Program in all levels of government.
President Benigno Aquino III, who served as the keynote speaker during the 2nd State Conference on the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) held in Malacanang Tuesday, said Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa gave him a document to sign Monday night for this purpose.
”Rest assured: I will only be too happy to give you more to do, if it means we are able to achieve our goals sooner rather than later… So the request has already been done,” he said.
The President said the Integrity Management Program will be based on the ideals of UNCAC, which is an international treaty targeted to fight corruption.
Relatively, during his speech, he directed Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad to look into the budgetary requirements of the Judiciary.
“And since the approving authority is present also, perhaps we can lobby them for the speedy inclusion of what is necessary to help the Judiciary in our common fight against corruption amongst others, making sure we are compliant with all the directives,” he said.
The President said a stringent study on how government budget is being used is a must because “if funds are lost due to leaks or holes in our systems; if funds are wasted because of corruption, then the Filipino people will be deprived of the benefits they are entitled to in the present, and also deprived of a better future.”
He explained that the first EO that he signed when he took office in the second half of 2010 was for the establishment of a Truth Commission, which aims to investigate graft and corruption allegations.
The President said that after the first UNCAC review cycle for the Philippines, the country registered positive results after complying with 55 of the 66 provisions of the Criminalization and Law Enforcement, and 48 of the 54 provisions of International Cooperation.
He admitted that even as the government has registered achievements in these areas “we must always seek to build on the achievements of the past and the present.”
“We are working to rid the Philippines of the corruption that has tainted its reputation and plagued it for so long; we are working to institutionalize a legacy that finds its roots in the mindset of our countrymen, who will never again settle for anything less than true public service,” he added. (PNA)