MANY managers of business enterprises in Metro Cebu believe that corruption in government is rampant, but the number is lower compared with those in Metro Manila, a recent Social Weather Station (SWS) survey said.
The result of the survey was presented yesterday by SWS Chair Mahar Mangahas together with the Cebu Business Club (CBC) and The Asia Foundation (TAF), which commissioned SWS to do the study.
Mangahas said that, in general, perception of managers of small, medium and large enterprises in the country on the extent of corruption in government has not changed.
Sixty-four percent of the managers who responded to the survey done from September to October this year saw a lot of corruption in public office, up from 63 percent last year.
But 31 percent only saw “some” corruption and five percent saw “a little and “none.”
Increase
In Metro Cebu, 59 percent of the respondents believe corruption is rampant in government offices, up from the 57 percent last year.
However, a higher percentage of managers in Metro Manila, 71 percent, believed that corruption is prevalent in public office, up from 65 percent last year.
In Metro Davao, the number of respondents who believe that corruption is rampant in government continues to decline, from 71 percent in 2006, to 60 percent in 2007 and 55 percent this year.
Corruption, however, is not limited to government offices but includes the private sector, like businessmen bribing government officials to win contracts or refusing to pay taxes.
Mangahas said that the 2008 survey found 45 percent of the respondents saying that almost all companies resort to bribery to win government contracts.
He said that public perception of corruption as normal in government affairs has increased from 53 in 2007 to 56 percent in 2008.
The other 44 percent of the respondents believed the government can be run without corruption.
Also in the four rounds of surveys since 2004, the general perception was that corruption is part of how the government works.
Among those who attended the presentation were former finance secretary Jesus Estanislao, CBC President Dondi Joseph, Dr. Tony Pineda of the CBC and
Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), Bunny Pages of the Rotary Club, Fr. Carmelo Diola of Dilaab Foundation, and several businessmen and government officials.
Surveys
Citing the survey, Joseph said that due to corruption, half of the country’s population live in poverty and don’t enjoy three decent meals a day.
Mangahas said that since 2000, SWS has undertaken eight Surveys of Enterprises on Corruption with the Transparent Accountable Governance (TAG) project.
This is aimed at promoting transparency and accountability in government and helping build a counter-corruption culture.
The surveys, which are sponsored by TAF, cover statistically representative samples of Filipino enterprise managers from the National Capital Region (NCR) in the first three rounds.
Metro Cebu and Metro Davao were added in 2004, while Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan City were added in 2005.
For this year, the areas covered were NCR, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao.
In all the surveys in each area, two-thirds of the sample was allotted to small and medium enterprises, and one-third to large enterprises.
He said that in every area, the TAG survey team worked with local business associations in obtaining the sampling frames, setting the agenda by focus groups, and disseminating the survey findings.
In Metro Cebu, the Cebu Business Club (CBC) and the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) were SWS’ regional partners in the survey. (EOB)
