Saturday, May 17, 2008 RP's anti-corruption drive passes US MCC indicators
AMID allegations that the Arroyo administration is corrupt, a US government corporation said otherwise.
Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact Development vice president John Hewko said the Philippines is passing in its indicators for a country to qualify in its grant to fight poverty.
Hewko said their agency looks at how a certain government fights corruption for it to qualify for an MCC Compact grant.
"The Philippines is passing as far as the indicator on the control (of corruption our concern is that as long as they are vigilant against corruption and continue to undertake strong steps -- that is what matters," he said.
The MCC Compact is a large-scale grant that ranges from US$60 million to US$700 million, and is based on 17 independent indicators that measure good governance, the country's investments in its people and policies that encourage economic freedom.
Its mission is to reduce global poverty through the promotion of sustainable economic growth.
The other MCC Compact indicators included civil liberties, economic policies (trade and, fiscal policies) and natural resources management.
When asked on the Philippines bid to be granted the MCC Compact grant amid allegations of extrajudicial killings, Hewko said: "We depoliticize the process of validating whether or not a country is eligible for the MCC Compact grant."
Hewko led the MCC Compact Team that paid a courtesy call to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Malacañang Friday morning.
The team is now in the country to check on the progress of the efforts in preparing to meet the requirements of the MCC Compact grant.
The President personally thanked the MCC Compact Team for their remarkable validation last March of the Philippine government's efforts to invest in the people, corruption and encourage economic freedom that led to its eligibility to apply for an MCC Compact.
The President extended her personal gratitude during the courtesy call of the MCC team at the Music Room of Malacañang.
The MCC team, which was accompanied by US Ambassador Kristie Kenney, includes Hewko, US Agency for International Development Mission director Jon Lindborg, Larry Memmott, MCC deputy vice president Darius Teter, MCC operations department country director Darius Nassiry, and MCC country relations director Jerry Dutkewych.
Finance Secretary Margarito Teves, who was one of the Philippine officials in attendance during the courtesy call, said the MCC team's visit to Malacañang was to "find out the progress of our efforts in preparing ourselves to meet the requirements of the MCC Compact."
"Hopefully, we would be eligible to reach the MCC Compact status and that we would eventually be granted full support," Teves added.
He also said the granting of the MCC Compact status to the Philippines would depend on how good the proposals are for which the MCC would take good diligence in evaluating.
He added that the Philippines' proposal would greatly focus on food, infrastructure, education and health but these would be determined after a series of consultations with various sectors.
Teves expressed optimism the Philippines could break the 12-month record of El Salvador in completing its MCC proposal.
He said normally it takes 12 to 18 months to complete the process.
Hewko said the grant, not loan, which if the Philippines would be granted, "don't have to pay for."
"There is no minimum or maximum (grant amount) for each country," Hewko said adding that the amount would depend on the project proposals of the eligible country. (JMR/Sunnex)
