BONG GO STRESSES NEED FOR COLLECTIVE EFFORT AND VIGILANCE IN ADDRESSING CORRUPTION DESPITE MARGINAL IMPROVEMENT IN CPI SCORE

SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go acknowledged the slight advancement in the Philippines’ Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) score, which rose to 34 out of 100 in the 2023 report by Transparency International, marking a one-point increase from the previous year.

Despite this modest improvement, with the Philippines now ranking 115th out of 180 countries, the nation’s score remains below the global average and is seen as indicative of ongoing corruption challenges.

Go emphasized the need for a continuing and collective effort to combat corruption, stating that the battle against corruption, akin to the fights against crime and illegal drugs, requires a whole-of-country approach.

“Katulad ng kriminalidad at illegal drugs, ang corruption sa bansa ay isang malaking problema na kailangan ng commitment ng bawat mamamayan. Hindi lang ito trabaho ng gobyerno na labanan ang mga corrupt, imbestigahan at parusahan ang mapapatunayan sa korte,” said Go.

“Dapat ang mga ordinaryong mamamayan ay makilahok din sa kampanya upang masugpo ang corruption. Kung may nakikitang kayong pangungurakot sa kaban ng bayan, isumbong ninyo at sama-sama nating linisin ang ating sistema,” he urged.

In his previous role as Special Assistant to the President during the Duterte administration, Go facilitated the establishment of the Truth and Justice Coalition, empowering private sector stakeholders to join the fight against corruption.

Go also highlighted recent Senate investigations into corruption, such as the “ayuda scam,” where intended financial assistance was allegedly reduced, as well as reported corruption cases related to agricultural smuggling and airport operations.

“Kamakailan, meron tayong imbestigasyon sa Senado hinggil sa ‘ayuda scam.’ Ang ayuda mula sa programa ng gobyerno para sa mahihirap ay binabawasan pa o ginagamit bilang kapalit. Wala dapat kapalit ang tulong mula sa gobyerno. Para sa mahihirap ito, sila dapat ang makinabang sa kaban ng bayan,” he said.

“Mabuti na lang merong mga nagsumbong sa atin, kaya nga merong ongoing investigation. Panagutin dapat ang mga nasa likod nito,” Go added.

Go also underscored the importance of his ongoing initiatives, like Senate Bill No. 1185 for Bureau of Immigration Modernization, aiming to enhance personnel, compensation, and overall modernization to reduce corruption opportunities.

“Importante po ito, karagdagang personnel at ngayon ay dapat ma-modernize na, kasama diyan ang karagdagang kompensasyon para maiwasan ang korapsyon,” said Go.

“Kaya importante dito ma-modernize po ang Bureau of Immigration para wala na po silang dahilan na pumasok sa korapsyon at mai-improve pa natin ang sistema ng ating Bureau of Immigration,” he added.

Furthermore, the push for the Salary Standardization Law 6 is aimed at increasing government employees’ wages to deter involvement in corrupt practices. Go earlier authored and co-sponsored the law providing the last salary increase for government personnel under the SSL 5.

Meanwhile, Go also filed SBN 194 or the proposed E-Governance Act. If passed into law, the bill shall establish an integrated, interconnected, and interoperable information and resource-sharing and communications network spanning the entirety of the national and local government, an internal records management information system, an information database, and digital portals for the delivery of public services.

“Kung may e-governance, mas magiging mabilis ang daloy ng proseso dahil sa paggamit natin ng makabagong teknolohiya. Maiiwasan din ang red tape at korapsyon dahil mas magiging transparent ang proseso at mababawasan ang face-to-face transactions,” Go mentioned.

With e-governance, Go also said that Filipinos can more effectively demand accountability from negligent or erring public officials, especially those who deliver frontline public services.

Finally, the senator urged the public to continue supporting the government’s campaign against corruption and to report any anomalies or irregularities to the proper authorities.

“Huwag po tayong matakot na magsumbong kung may nakikita tayong mali o katiwalian sa gobyerno. Makakaasa kayo na hindi kami titigil hanggang hindi nabibigyan ng hustisya ang bawat piso na sinasabing ninanakaw sa bayan,” Go concluded.