Tuesday, November 13, 2007 MinBC appointed as graft watchdog
THE Mindanao Business Council (MinBC) has been tapped by the Office of the Ombudsman to be one of the official anti-graft watchdogs for Mindanao.
Signed by Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas Gutierrez and MinBC chair Vicente Lao at the recent National Anti-Corruption Program of Action (Nacpa) roadshow at Holy Cross of Davao gymnasium, the agreement between the MinBC and the Office of the Ombudsman seeks to promote concerted efforts in combating graft and corruption in all levels of public and private enterprise.
As a sign of commitment to the anti-corruption initiative, the MinBC also pledged the creation of Corruption Prevention Units (CPU) in each affiliate chamber of commerce and industry association.
Aside from its reach and influence in the region's business sector, the MinBC was tapped in recognition of its existing Mindanao Coalition for Transparent and Accountable Governance (MCTAG) project carried out in partnership with The Asia Foundation under the auspices of the United States Agency for International Development (USAid).
Launched in 2002, the MCTAG project is implemented through a strong model of tripartism, composed of the local government, civil society and the business sector, and is geared at strengthening economic governance, policy advocacy and counter-corruption initiatives in the region. It has since been implemented in 16 cities in Mindanao.
The MCTAG's long-term development plan, PaglalaTAG 2015, hopes to promote and sustain economic governance initiatives which can complement the framework of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (Uncac), to which the Philippines is a state party.
Uncac guidelines stipulate that the country should commit to prevent corruption. The government needs the participation of civil society and non-governmental organizations to do this.
The appointment by the Ombudsman comes in anticipation of the Uncac ratification at the Second Uncac Conference of State Parties to be held in Indonesia this month.
As the representative of the private sector, the MinBC shall assist the Office of the Ombudsman in conducting lifestyle checks on government personnel, ensuring transparent and lawful government procurement and disbursement of goods, and ensuring the transparent collection of government revenues.
