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Thursday, June 02, 2005
Most biz owners see graft in government
By Charmaine Y. Rodriguez
CEBU CITY -- Majority of business owners in the country believe there is a lot of corruption in government, but some 21 percent of them still give bribes to win government contracts.
The 2005 Social Weather Stations (SWS) Survey of Enterprises on Corruption said, "an outright majority of 54 percent say that most or almost all companies in their own line of business practice bribery to win public sector contracts."
There was "no let-up" in this type of bribery, considering what the previous survey figures were: 57 percent from 2002 to 2004; 56 percent in 2001; and 55 percent in 2000.
The good news is, business owners are also willing to contribute part of their earnings for an anti-corruption program.
The SWS report revealed the views of 701 business owners, including 100 from Cebu that took part in the nationwide study.
Respondents were interviewed between Jan. 21 and March 15 this year. SWS released the results Wednesday.
About 67 percent of respondents from Cebu said they want to monitor public infrastructure. At least 18 percent said they want to keep tabs on the bids and awards committees and procurement. Meanwhile, 16 percent said they want to check on projects in public education.
But aside from showing interest to monitor the use of public funds, the 701 business owners are also willing to give five percent of their company's income to fund a program that would halve public sector corruption in 10 years.
House cleaning
Survey results show that while 66 percent of the respondents said there is "a lot" of corruption in the public sector, 10 percent also said there is "a lot" of corruption in the private sector.
"Unsurprisingly, the surveys depict a very high and non-diminishing degree of corruption in the public sector (though not the same in all agencies) and a medium, but nonetheless serious, degree of corruption in the private sector, which obviously needs to clean its own house as well," the study said.
The businessmen said that of all the government transactions, the processing of local government permits and licenses is where most of them have been asked for a bribe by anyone in government during the past year.
Thirty percent said they were asked for bribes in processing the payment of income taxes.
That was an improvement, however, from 2000, when the number was at 52 percent.
The respondents also revealed that in their line of business, only 54 percent said most/all pay taxes honestly; 66 percent said most/all keep one set of accounts; and 78 percent said most/all consistently issue receipts.
"A significant 26 percent think that cheating the government is excusable, as long as it is not for their personal benefit but for the benefit of their company," the study read.
COA: 'Mediocre'
The survey also listed 26 government agencies, which respondents were asked to rate for sincerity in fighting corruption.
Businessmen rated the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Department of Public Works and Highways and the Bureau of Customs as "very bad" in terms of sincerity in fighting corruption.
The police, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Land Transportation Office were seen as "bad."
The Securities and Exchange Commission, Philippine Stock Exchange and the Supreme Court topped the list and were seen as "very good."
Meanwhile, the Department of Education and the Office of the Ombudsman were rated "moderate" in the category.
And what about the Office of the President and the Commission on Audit? Most respondents saw them as "mediocre."
A simultaneous presentation of the results of the survey, sponsored by the Coalition Against Corruption, Makati Business Club, The Asia Foundation and the United States Agency for International Development, was done in eight key areas nationwide Wednesday.
Apart from Cebu, the survey was also conducted in four other legs in Manila; Davao; Cavite, Laguna and Batangas; and Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.
Work together
In Cebu, Barug Pilipino organized a meeting at Casino Español to discuss what can be done to curb corruption.
It did so with help from the Cebu Business Club (CBC), Cebu Holdings, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) and the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas.
The Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals is organizing a corporate anti-corruption group in the next few months to address this problem, said Barug! Pilipino executive director Racquel Daria.
Barug, Daria added, also has existing partnerships with the CCCI, the academe and youth groups that have anti-corruption programs.
During the gathering, majority of the participants agreed on the need to fund projects that will curb corruption.
"This is the start. We can make the voice bigger and louder," CCCI president Robert Go said.
Don't bribe
For his part, Tony Pineda of CBC said government should not be blamed entirely for corruption, since the problem would not exist if "no one were willing to bribe."
According to the survey, 75 percent of the respondents showed "total interest" in donating funds to support groups fighting corruption. About 62 percent are willing to send their staff, on company time, to join a monitoring group.
A growing percentage of businessmen still believe the ombudsman is the agency to trust if corrupt government officials harass them.
Daria said the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas is one agency that is actively supporting them in the fight against corruption.
On June 20, the anti-graft office will support them in launching Procurement Watch, a network that will monitor government purchases.
(June 2, 2005 issue)
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