ANGARA: RP MUST FULFILL ITS PROMISE TO STAMP OUT CORRUPTION

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - Sen. Edgardo J. Angara today said that the Philippines is mandated to fulfill its promise to stamp out corruption, to show the world that the recent grant of $400-million by the Millennium Challenge Fund is timely and well-deserved.

Angara, host of the recently concluded Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC) and South East Asian Parliamentarians Against Corruption (SEAPAC) conference, which was held at the Sofitel Hotel, Philippine Plaza, also said that the country, being a member of GOPAC and SEAPAC, will have to "step-up to the task" that the conference has set forth on its members.

The GOPAC-SEAPAC conference now mandates all member-country to assist any victimized country, especially in the area of asset-recovery, where money-laundering activities are concerned.

Among the policies agreed upon by participants to the two-day conference was to allow citizens full information about government operations. The Philippines is currently awaiting the approval of a similar measure, called the Freedom of Information act, which will grant access to files and other documents pertaining to government transactions and policies that will directly affect society.

"Although we have made inroads in our fight against corruption, this monster is still holding back our efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals set forth 10 years ago," Angara said.

"Strict adherence to the policies discussed in the recent GOPAC SEAPAC meeting will allow us to meet the MDGs, and also enable us to utilize much needed funds in projects geared towards the alleviation of poverty," Angara added.

According to a Transparency International report, new analysis "demonstrates a strong and positive correlation between increased transparency, accountability and integrity and better MDG outcomes on education, health and water in more than 48 countries."

The same report also said that for the MDGs to be achieved by 2015, world leaders and national policy-makers must finally link development and governance policies as part of the same plan.

The report goes on to say that "marrying the two supports not only the success of the MDGs, but also the fulfillment of past global commitments. These include government pledges made to fight corruption, achieve aid effectiveness and improve development financing, as part of the UN Convention against Corruption (2003).

"For us to meet the global obligations of the MDGs, we must be serious in supporting our government's action plans and policies that incorporate transparency, accountability and integrity measures, especially those set forth in the recent GOPAC-SEAPAC conference," Angara said.