Transparency International (TI) Survey: Corruption in RP at its worst

CPI rating of 2.3 lowest since start of transparency poll
Corruption in RP at its worst, TI survey shows

09/24/2008
The Arroyo administration reached another milestone yesterday after the Philippines' ranking in the yearly Corruption Perception Index (CPI) of watchdog Transparency International (TI) fell to 2.3 points out of a possible 10, the lowest ever for the country and one of the worst in the world since the survey was started in 1996.
The Philippines landed 141st out of 180 countries ranked in this year's survey and it was bracketed with Yemen, Cameroon and Iran.
In the Asian region, the country's corruption rating was 25th of 32 countries, ahead only of Timor-Leste, Bangladesh, Laos, Papua New Guinea, Cambodia, Afghanistan and Myanmar.
Among major Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), the country got the lowest score with even Indonesia ranking ahead with 2.6 points and Vietnam, 2.7 points rating.
Transparency International Philippines chairman Dolores Espanol said the progressive slide in the country's CPI ranking reflects the perception on the current government and failure of its programs to fight corruption.
Most of the programs undertaken against corruption under the current dispensation are superficial.
If the government is serious in addressing corruption, it should have been pursuing the many reports coming out concerning irregularities in government and pursue this until perpetrators are penalized, Espanol told the Tribune yesterday.
The corruption situation in the country is worsening and the government should delve into the root of each case after filing it in court. These cases should then be followed through until terminated, she said.