An Official Publication of the Office of the Ombudsman with Funding Support from the European Commission EUROPEAN UNION email: [email protected] May 12, 2006 12 pages Vol. 2 No. 1 ISSN 1909-112X website: http//:www.ombudsman.gov.ph Anti-Corruption Songwriting Competition TOP WINNERS KNOWN IN TODAY’S INTEGRITY TV SHOW LAURRIE LAYNE P. CRISTOBAL Message THE SECOND INTEGRITY TV SHOW Pilipinas, Philippine Information Agency, (Himig Dangal) under the Office of the Om- KATHA-Organization of Filipino Composers s the newly-appointed Ombudsman, it is my distinct budsman-European Commission Corruption and the People’s Television Network/National A Prevention Project will showcase today the Broadcasting Network. pleasure to extend my warmest greetings to all the men and Grand Finals of the Anti-Corruption The ten song compositions were compiled women of the Office of the Ombudsman, the civil society Songwriting Competition at 7:30 p.m., AFP into album and aired over the different radio organizations, non-governmental organizations, the wider Theater, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City and stations nationwide through the support of public, the academe, business community, and the be telecast live nationwide by PTN-NBN 4. the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas The top ten songs and their respective (KBP). participating agencies through this newly launched Integrity songwriters and interpreters are: The top songwriter will receive a cash prize Watch News. 1. Mahiya Naman Kayo of P250,000 and a free trip to London cour- by Lemuel Samblero tesy of British Council Philippines. The sec- Corruption is one of the biggest causes of poverty. A corrupt bureaucracy has never Interpreter: “Peter Parker” Samblero ond and third prize winners will receive cash enough money, nor will, nor room, nor joy, to perform vital government services that 2. Tigilan Mo Na Yan by Edilberto prize of P150,000 and P75,000, respectively. G. Reyes III, Interpreter: 9th Avenue Inter-University Debate Competition most of all benefit the poor in the areas of jobs, physical security, education and health. 3. I Am A Shield by Ruben Lopez, Jr. The Integrity TV Show will also highlight .Inerpreter: Reuben Laurente the awarding of trophies to the national and Government alone cannot wage the battle. It needs therefore, the cooperation of 4. Ang Kailangang Gawin by Gary Granada regional winners of the inter-University De- the general population as whistleblowers, as witnesses or simply as a party to the game Interpreter: Dong Abay bate Competition. 5. Crossroads by Christine Bendebel The debate competition is also a priority of corruption who has decided to stop being such a party. Winning their active Interpreter: Isha Abubakar activity under the EC-OMB Corruption Pre- participation and commitment necessitate a channel to make them aware, understand 6. Sabay Tayong Magpalaki ng vention Project being implemented in partner- and appreciate the anti-corruption initiatives of this Office. Thus, I congratulate the Maganda Ngayon by Mike Villegas ship with the Ateneo de Manila University, men and women behind this undertaking and thank the European Commission for the Interpreter: Myra Ruaro a.k.a. Skarlet De La Salle University and hosts Universi- funding support of this Newsletter since it is one of the powerful tools and an effective 7. Walang Kurap by Gideon Marcelo ties/Colleges such as De La Salle University Interpreter: Jungee Marcelo and The Hood (NCR-leg), University of Baguio (Luzon-leg), medium of communicating anti-corruption strategies and programs. 8. Simulan Natin by Chona Borromeo Siliman University (Visayas-leg) and Ateneo Interpreter: Amadeus de Davao (Mindanao-leg). Lastly, I call on everyone, as this banner newsletter’s name implies, that we should 9. Kahit Na by Roberto M. David The winners of the regional inter-univer- act with Integrity at all times out of our own conviction and commitment which this Interpreter: Roberto M. David sity debate competition are: 10. Tayo Nang Maglingkod Sa Mindanao Champion: Office strongly advocates and promotes. Bayan by Roberto M. David ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY Interpreter: Kyla John Andrew Macuto, Christopher Dicdiquin, This high profile musical activity is among Benedic Apayart the key activities in the communication plan Runner-Up: for the EC-OMB Corruption Prevention MA. MERCEDITAS N. GUTIERREZ ATENEO DE ZAMBOANGA UNIVERSITY Project. The music competition has encour- Henry Segovia, Ellery Apolinario, Alain Jardin Tanodbayan (Ombudsman) aged 190 songwriters all over the country to NCR Champion: put into 259 songs their messages and aspi- ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY rations of having collective action between Danielle Corpuz, Kip Oebanda, Czarina and amongst the different sectors of the so- Medina ciety towards building a lasting culture of in- Runner-Up: Meet the Lady Graft Buster tegrity and excellence. UNIVERSITY OF STO. TOMAS According to Tanodbayan Ma. Merceditas John Baluyot, Eric Javeloza, Cyris Ng MONICAFERIA Navarro-Gutierrez, “music especially to the Visayas Champion: (Courtesy of Philippine Graphic, 09 January 2006) Filipinos is a universal language that knows SILIMAN UNIVERSITY, Charmaine Bucol, no boundaries; it cuts across as well as brings Noel Jan Valente, Robert Jed Malayang. SHE SEEMS TOO SWEET A LADY TO BE She went to Manila to pursue a course in El- together different generations and social Runner-Up: the top anti-graft bastonero in a country de- ementary Education at the College of the Holy classes.” UNIVERSITY OF SAN CARLOS, Karyna “Thus, we considered music as one of the Sencio, Joselito Baena, Fel Louise Alingasa. scribed as “one of the most corrupt in Asia.” Spirit. She could have been a sterling most potent media in reaching a wider audi- Luzon Champion: Maria Merceditas Navarro-Gutierrez, teacher, for she topped the professional ence to exemplify integrity (anti-corruption) UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES- 56, the Philippines' first female Ombudsman, teachers exam. messages,” she concluded. BAGUIO, Abel Quintos, Arlene Bonifacio, is such a soft spoken and demure woman. “My mother, a homemaker, wanted me to The songwriting competition is jointly Clifford Chan She smiles easily and goes out of her way to undertaken by the Office of the Ombuds- Runner-Up: be a teacher. The town's elementary school man, European Commission, British Council ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY, Marlon Bosantog, be gracious to her visitors. A government law- was just behind our house. She wanted me to Philippines, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Parable Dizon, Hanz Dimatulac yer for 21 years, she has apparently been too stay in Samal, close to home. So, out of obe- low-key for public comfort. dience, I took up Elementary Education. When Gutierrez, Chief Presidential Legal Coun- I graduated and passed the exam, the super- sel until her appointment as Ombudman last intendent of schools in Bataan already found December 1, knows the questions in people's a position and classroom for me.” But some- minds. More so since the most highlighted thing stopped her from reporting for class. part of her 10-page resume is the fact that she “You know, in my high school yearbook, was a law school classmate of the First the graduates write down their wishes. I Gentleman Mike Arroyo. Can she go after the had written down, ‘To be a lawyer.’ I had country's tough and persistent corrupt bu- reaucrats and political warlords? Can she almost forgotten my dream. So I told my take the heat? Can she eat death threats for father that I wanted to go to law school. breakfast? Can she stand up to Malacanang? He said, “of course!” Her mother even- The former justice undersecretary offers no tually gave in, sending her off with an admo- fiery defenses to her critics. She smiles and nition to be careful of the boys at the Ateneo says, “Well, First Gentleman has had many de Manila University. classmates in his life. I think I have a good The family crusade track record of fairness. I am honored by this “Idol ko father ko,” she muses. opportunity to serve my country... let them Her father is the late Rufino F. Navarro, a hu- (critics) just wait and see.” man rights lawyer, former vice governor and Born and raised in the Central Luzon town one of Bataan's most vocal anti-martial law of Samal, Bataan, Gutierrez, Mercy to friends, opposition leaders. first imagined herself as a teacher. She studied It is when she tells the story of her at the public primary school and the parochial father,and the life and times of dusty, con- Mr. Gil G. Subang, a Slogan Contest grand prize winner from National High School, Koronadal high school, St. Catherine of Sienna Academy, flict-ridden Bataan, that one gets a glimpse of City receives award from Ambassador Jan de Kok, Head of the EC Delegation to the Philip- where she graduated with honors. MEET/P2 pines during the first Integrity TV Show held at the Teatro Marikina. May 12, 2006 2 An Official Publication of the Office of the Ombudsman with Funding Support from the European Commission

ended Marcos rule; back to his law- MEET from P1 She is also considered an expert on I will maintain that stance, that atti- to expedite the resolution of yering and crusading politics, up to international extradition of criminals. tude in my present assignment. cases,especially yung masyado a steely and lesser known facet of the day he passed away in 1996. He From September 2004 till her ap- Are there cases in the past that nang matatanda. The inventory Gutierrez. was known as 'Mr. Graft-buster in pointment as Ombudsman in Decem- are memorable to you, that may have will reflect the time of filing, status Controversy, anti-graft crusad- our small town. Serve your town, ber 2005, she served as Chief Presi- paved the way for this job as Om- and reasons for the delay. ing, and even death threats were ap- serve your country, serve God, he dential Legal Counsel and was desig- budsman? What problems do you fore- parently things she grew up with. always told us.” nated head of the Anti-Corruption As far as cases are concerned, see? Public service was a cherished fam- Government service Swift Action Team. Some of the they are all the same to me. Whether We lack resources. We lack ily value. Gutierrez had just finished her lifestyle checks on officers of the Bu- they involve high profile personali- Her paternal grandfather was law degree at the Ateneo de Manila money. We are training prosecu- reau of Customs, Internal Revenue ties or not, I always decide cases the first elected mayor of the town. University when martial law was de- tors and investigators here. If we and Finance emanated from her office based on the evidence. So no mat- Her maternal great grandfather clared. A friend of hers had pulled lack resources, the case build-up is and proper cases have been filed with ter who the personalities involved was the cabeza. her into what would otherwise be a weak and the gathering of evidence the Office of the Ombudsman. are, I really don’t care. I study ev- “I grew up listening to great break as a legal officer in the ery case presented to me. We have takes time. But if the investigators Now that she’s the Ombuds- speeches about corruption, about Office of the President, Malacanang. a process. Ultimately, I’m the one know what to do, and the prosecu- the fight for good government. man, will more and better investi- When her father became very deciding but I always get the rec- tors have enough training... We are Even then the issues involved gam- gated cases be filed? vocal against martial law, she qui- ommendations from those under getting expert trainors from abroad bling and illegal activities,” she “All I can say at the moment is etly gave up her Malacanang job, me. and we have foreign funders with says. that I will try my best,” she smiles. transferring to the legal staff of the As head of Malacañang’s Anti- us... You know we also are hiring “Whenever (my father) would National Economic and Develop- Q&A Corruption Swift Action Team, we investigators. They are not lawyers run for office he would always em- ment Authority (NEDA). The job You have been getting a lot of conducted lifestyle checks. But we because we cannot get enough law- phasize stopping jueteng. Or he later offered her the opportunity to media flak over your perceived would say, kung hindi mapigil, did it quietly. The complaints were yers. The pay is too low. take up a course at the International closeness to First Gentleman, do filed with the Office of the Ombuds- So, for investigators, we train mabuti pa i-legalize na yan (if it and Development Institute of So- you think this will affect your can't be stopped, might as well le- man. Some were reported in news- non-lawyers. We are getting fresh cial Studies in The Hague, Nether- work? galize it to stop corruption). I would papers because when you file the grads - cum laudes, young and ideal- lands. By this time, too, Gutierrez You know, my relationship with hear him speaking about smuggling. case, media could get copies. istic. had met and married a dashing the First Gentleman and the Presi- Also, I found out that there are You know, blue seal cigarettes. He young Batangueno balikbayan, Are there still people ready to would even mention names of dent gave me this opportunity to already many anti-corruption initia- Jesus Gutierrez, who developed and sacrifice better jobs? people involved in smuggling.” serve. In fairness, the First Gentle- tives being undertaken by many manages condominium properties in Well, I’m here, despite security When Ferdinand Marcos declared man never intervened in cases be- sectors - NGOs, civil society, for- Manila. concerns. I can get better pay in martial law in 1972, he resigned his fore me, never tried to influence me. eign funders. One achievement I “Our properties were inherited private practice. The satisfaction is post as vice governor. All local gov- And I don’t think that I will be influ- am proud of is that, during my term, and expanded through hardwork in being able to serve, of being able ernment positions then were, ex- enced. The first couple knows how I was able to suggest to Senator and loans. My assets and liabilities to have the power and authority and tended indefinitely. If she recalls I work. Yes, the First Gentleman and Angara, then chair of the Southeast are open to scrutiny,” she is quick use it for the common good, not for right, only two officials resigned. I were classmates in law school. Of Asian Anti-Corruption Congres that to add. When she returned from personal or narrow interests, but for “That's how principled my father course, there’s familiarity. But not is participated in by parliamentar- was,” she says. The Hague in 1983, she applied for ians, that we come up with a national the people. I think that is a noble a job as a State Counsel at the De- so close. In law school, he was al- Death threats? “Yes, we were ready married so he would not be action plan against corruption. This cause. Last Christmas, I told the exposed to that now and then,” she partment of Justice. “My children will be the start of a multi-sectoral staff, our best gift is to be honest (three boys and a girl) were still with us when we went out on extra says rather stoically. At one time, approach. This would pave the way and dedicated. A gift to the coun- young and the DOJ was closer to curricular activities. We just saw the warnings became so intense and for a framework or national plan of try is a gift to God. our home in Manila.” each other in school. After school threatened harm to the whole fam- action against corruption partici- What is your assessment of the Quiet achievements matagal kaming hindi nagkikita. ily that her mother and siblings con- pated in by all stakeholders - execu- corruption situation? At DOJ, she says, she was ex- I was busy working, raising my chil- vinced their father to take a tive, judicial and legislative, includ- It is one of the biggest causes posed to many advocates among dren. Matagal na ako sa Depart ment vacation in the US. ing constitutional bodies and local them work on the rights of women, of Justice when the president en- of poverty. We need more infra- That was in 1984-85, when re- governments, as well as non-gov- children and indigenous people. tered politics. When Mrs. Arroyo structure and services. But govern- bellion and activism was rife in ernment groups. For the first time, She worked her way up to was elected President, just think, ment cannot provide the money Bataan as it was in Manila after the this will happen, a framework that undersecretary of justice in 2001, marami kaming classmates. Hindi because it ends up in pockets of assassination of Benigno Aquino. can serve as a road map to eradicate then acting secretary of justice from corrupt officals. How much do we Her father, who ran for congress as naman lahat nabigyan ng posisyon. corruption. Media, too, is very pow- December 2003 to August 2004. lose? P23 billion a year. It’s believ- an active member of the opposition Maybe they evaluated my creden- erful tool in fighting corruption. During her eight-month stint as able. Just look at their big houses party UNIDO, had taken up the cud- tials, my performance. So it was not What do you want to achieve gels for some of those arrested and acting secretary, she is proud of her abroad. But it’s not just govern- just my being a classmate that was during your term? record 1,107 resolutions on cases ment officials. Private persons are detained. There was a suspicion considered in my getting the posi- I just want to retire as a good that some unscrupulous military appealed to the department. She tion of undersecretary of Justice. public servant, for people to say I involved, too. Remember, it takes men were behind the threats. also lobbied relentlessly for in- I don’t think I have to clear up have done my job well, like Supreme two to tango. We will go after them, But he was back about a year creased salaries for government anything in this regard. I have a Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide. too. later, after the Edsa revolution prosecutors and state counsels. track record. They (my critics) just He has a good name, a good reputa- Are you a tough lady? have to wait and see. tion. What I appreciate about him, Looks can be deceiving. I’m I handled a lot of cases in DOJ. too, is that he is so humble despite sweet outside, but firm inside. In INTEGRITY DEVELOPMENT No issue was ever raised as to all the love and recognition he gets. this office I have to work harmoni- REVIEW UPDATE whether I was influenced or pres- And he is very loving to his family. ously. I am smiling. But when it sured. I maintain my independence. What will be your priorities? comes to work there should be RAFAEL “Ritchie” HIPOLITO I am always at arms length to people I have asked for an inventory toughness in me. I can blend with cases, relatives included. And of all cases filed here. My priority is toughness and sweetness. ROBERT KLITGAARD, a re- Audit (COA), Presidential Anti- nowned governance expert, once Graft Commission (PAGC), Depart- said that corruption is not prima- ment of Budget and Management rily a problem of bad people, but (DBM), Department of Education of bad systems. Five strategic (DepEd), Development Academy agencies, namely: the Bureau of of the Philippines (DAP), Office of Internal Revenue (BIR), Bureau of the Ombudsman and Transparency Customs (BOC), the Department and Accountability Network of Public Works and Highways (TAN), a consortium of civil soci- (DPWH), the Philippine National ety organizations. Police (PNP) and the Land Trans- The CRR involves three (3) portation Office (LTO) are under- methodologies, namely: a) focus going corruption resistance re- group discussions (FGDs)/group view (CRR), an assessment tool assessment of the above-men- that determines an agency's level tioned internal policies by the of corruption resistance by look- agency's top management and key ing at internal policies on custom- personnel; b) survey of employees ized code of conduct; gifts and benefits; recruitment, selection which validates management's as- and movement of personnel; pro- sessment; and c) indicators re- curement; whistleblowing; perfor- search which validates the first two mance management; budgeting, methodologies. The CRR together accounting and cash handling; with the CVA of the 5 agencies com- transactions with external stake- prise the first phase of the Integrity holders and leadership. The re- Development Review (IDR) Project view will cover the central and of the European Commission and three (3) regional offices of the 5 the Office of the Ombudsman. Sepa- agencies and is expected to be fol- rate executive briefings on the IDR lowed by the corruption vulner- were given to the top management ability assessment (CVA). This will of the 5 agencies. The IDR Project be carried out by a group of in the five (5) agencies is imple- trained internal assessors from mented with the technical assis- Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide inducts Hon. Ma. Merceditas N. Gutierrez the agencies concerned and exter- tance of DAP and is expected to as the first female and fourth Ombudsman of the Philippines on December 01, 2005. nal assessors from Commission on be completed by June 2006. May 12, 2006 An Official Publication of the Office of the Ombudsman with Funding Support from the European Commission 3 This experience led me to formulate that the family is the origin and the strongest foundation in building a culture. It is from the family that every citizen is born and it is within this unit that he is formed and honed. A ESSAY WRITING CONTEST WINNERS family that fails to establish these basic norms, has already failed in making their most effective contribution to the society. Other efforts will only Our Grand Prize Winner in the worked in the government for more come in secondary to this. Essay Writing Contest General Pub- than three decades. The role of the parents is essential and necessary. Their life is con- densed in the examples they lic Category seems to have When asked as to what should ...the family is the set before their children. It is beginner's luck as this was her first be done to eradicate graft and cor- through role modelling where time to join a competition. ruption, Ms. Samonteza believes origin and the stron- a person learns the most and An architect by profession, that whatever solution to this prob- it is the actions of the parents Ms. Mihlgrace M. Samonteza has lem requires time and effort and she gest foundation in that children first lay their been working at Marcos de Guzman firmly believes that it can be done. building a culture. eyes on. If there is one thing Architecture Network located at She remarked, "we are a nation that that parents should never de- Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City for is grounded on our value towards prive their children of: it is the necessity of a good example. The duty of the the past five years. She loves her the family. It is in this unit where parents remains irreplaceable and it cannot be expected that institutions will take over this role. Values are taught by example, instilled through profession even if she considers it every solution will spring forth. It practice and reinforced in time. as a male-dominated field. For her, Mihlgrace M. Samonteza begins with each person's unwa- Acquiring the criteria of discernment and the firmness of values are it is a joy to consider that she is vering convictions which he would what children ought to inherit from their parents. Riches or social status not only building houses but more transmit to his immediate family are devoid of sense and meaning and can even be the source of corrosion so building homes. Writing is her meets. She considers her parents as and then to the society.” Further, if the parents fail to instill the essential attitude towards these posses- hobby and every time she has a her role model. Her essay speaks she commented that it is hard to sions. It is very difficult to inculcate a sense of integrity among the chil- chance, she writes letters to the edi- about her parents' example. Inciden- project the condition of the coun- dren if malpractice is tolerated and worse, if it is fostered in the family. tors and gives her feedback to me- tally, her parents were to celebrate try ten years from now but she Living a double life cannot be hidden. Nor can this be isolated. Behavior is dia. If given the opportunity, she their 40th wedding anniversary and hopes that an exemplary leader will transmitted and absorbed by osmosis almost invisibly do they quietly infiltrate. Parents need to invest time in forming the children with a clear hopes to write for broadsheets opin- had been trying to find an oppor- emerge by then, he who will actual- sense of right and wrong. However, we cannot expect the children to have ion section. tunity to write about them and dedi- ize the potential of this nations great this if the nature of things is regarded by parents to be mere .subjective Ms. Samonteza values her fam- cate an essay in a more special way. wealth of values, skills and culture mindsets. Principles are affirmed through the decisions we make. An atti- ily and the people she lives and When she read the theme “Build- but she qualified that such leader can tude of a ‘case to case basis’ and an expression of ‘it depends’ will only works with. Her concept of true ing a Culture of Integrity and Ex- only be such a person if he is the make up a weakling. Unless we go beyond a gray level, we will never get to value lies in the friendship that has cellence”, she was reminded of her first one to say no to corruption. see the blackness and whiteness of things. This is the best candidate for developed with every person she dad's life-long principles having ROCHELLE S. MANUEL the trivialization of evil which negates rather than affirms the capacity of a person to adhere to an objective truth. All these years my father was able to serve both his family and his A Family Legacy country. He has been entrusted with a home to build up and provide for. Through the corner of public office he had taken oath to serve, he fulfilled Mihlgrace M. Samonteza his noble profession. He lived up to the title of a public servant by fulfilling his commitment to uphold the constitution and to practice professional My father worked in the government office for thirty-seven years. He had served Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas as ethics. He kept his oath and did not allow it to be tainted. The public trust a Supervising Bank Examiner. I was very young then at the height of his provincial assignments and I remember he lived up earned him the position of influence and command in the family myself looking forward to his every return. It was initially for petty reasons of his "pasalubong" of sweets and and in his office. This made me realize how rarely trust is vested nowadays. delicacies from those provinces. But more personally it was the longing of paternal care that has been so crucial It is because it has been becoming increasingly difficult to witness a life during those formative years. exemplified with integrity. His visits to rural banks from north to south of the country kept him away from us for days, sometimes for Now more than ever is the call for integrity taking a louder toll in our weeks and even for months. His job is to scrutinize the performances of these banks. The reports he submitted country. We are at the stage of questioning the very values of those in were either acquittal statements in accord to their compliance or death sentences due to the banks' public office. So much time, money and energy is being spent in conduct- malpractices and anomalies. ing tireless investigations in order to arrive at either the innocence or the Even while away from the support of his family and from the security of his familiar hometown, my father had guilt of those in the public office. The credibility of public officials is kept his principles intact. Neither separation nor pressure moved him to compromise these beliefs. To us his questioned. Their performances are frequent subjects of intense scrutiny. family, he made clear that he has kept his conscience clean. He would rather risk his safety in a far-away town than More widespread now is the attitude of regarding the public officials to be succumb to the pressures of powerful individuals who had offered to guilty unless proven innocent. No one seems to be perceived to be upright The healing of pay him off and merit his silence over their anomalies. He would anymore as not to have any skeletons in his closet. rather bring home a fewer cash than count on tainted money to in- This has wounded the public trust of our nation. It has been betrayed public trust has to flate the household funds. more than once by those who are supposed to serve the others over ones be painstakingly He could have juggled all the possible convincing reasons to yield self. The betrayals had inflicted a deep wound of distrust that is taking to the pressures of bribery. He could have easily earned grease money time to heal. The infection of division has already affected the very fibers by sheer blindness or mere indifference. This would have addressed of national unity. pursued for only a Gone are the times when our battles are directed against foreign con- nation who can my family's strains of making both ends meet for it has been far from querors. We had been united more than once in order to defend our inde- bliss to live by mere government income. This, coupled with the pain pendence and be recognized as a free nation. Now the battle of our nation trust their govern- of frequent absence, could have presented an internal pressure for is internal. We consider ourselves bounded by distrust towards people my father to attempt to make it up to us by providing us a comfortable who are vested with the power to serve the public. The healing of public ment is capable of life at the expense of his painstakingly lived principles. trust has to be painstakingly pursued for only a nation who can trust their uniting themselves It has been trying years for my family having my father as the only government is capable of uniting themselves towards a progressive soci- bread-winner. My mother chose to be a full-time housewife to be able ety. towards a progres- to take care of us single-handedly during my father's absence Looking around us we witness different forms of distrust. It has during his provincial assignments. My siblings and I had a share of overshadowed both public and private realms. Ask a tax-evader, he could sive society. tightening the belt. We precisely learned how to share. School text- convincingly justify his actions as a response to corrupt officials stealing books and uniforms were handed down from the older ones to the youngest. We take care of things knowing that his hard-earned money. This mindset is also true towards other govern- someone else will be using them. Being the youngest, I am either lucky to eventually inherit all their things or was ment collections that are supposed to be directed to a national good. The unfortunate because these were already worn out. public is hesitant to trust and this is sowing disunity. However, even if we did not possess the material things we would have wanted for ourselves, we in turn Ask those who had ran for public office and had lost, many claimed to acquired the intangible wealth that is worth much more than what money can buy: learning to value ones being be a victim of cheating. Ask a student who cheats in his examination, he more than giving in to the desire of having. We valued looking after our siblings more than pampering ourselves would take false confidence in it as a means to spare him of a failing mark. with our whims. These also inflict the nation by fragmenting the moral fibers of the people. There were lessons that I only got to value as a grown-up. I remember my father assigning me to check the It weakens the pursuit for integrity by contradicting the value of trust. grocery receipts. The purchased items remain in the grocery bags until I check them one by one against the Where do we begin? How can the healing process start? punched items. He would tell me we have to be sure that everything was encoded correctly. The lesson from this The legacy of my parents' example leads me to suggest that healing rightfully begins at home. It is in instilling values in the home where we will practice is beyond inventory routine. It was more so for me to realize the worth of things. This made me aware that make real progressive steps in healing our country's wounds and begin to things have their cost and thus have to be used wisely. This reinforced spending within the honest income of my build our country's culture. The values that I have learned in my family had father. We then have come to realize that being persons of integrity is more important than having the pleasures reinforced not only trust but of the wealthy. We then have also empowered us to excel- My mother has been supportive to all these. She did not nag for things we could possibly have if only my lence. My father's example is father earned more. Rather, she was always there for him, understanding him and bridging the whole family. She come to realize that a beacon of hope amidst pub- made our house a bright and cheerful home to welcome my father after a hard day's work or after a long absence. being persons of in- lic distrust and discord. If ev- Our home was a treasury box of our childhood memories. She and my father have fused their efforts to nourish ery family will be strengthened our home to be a seedbed of values. tegrity is more im- in this way, we will be trans- My father had chosen the better part of inculcating to us values rather than luxuries. He has shown us his forming the whole nation's way of securing his family: earning his living through upright hard work. Our security has not been through portant than having way of thinking and more im- monetary shield but rather the security of a life grounded in integrity. Amidst accusations of corruption and red the pleasures of the portantly its way of living. tape practices in the government, we can stand tall and be assured of the fact that my father is an honest government employee. wealthy. The solution is not in vesting This enlivened integrity perceived during our growing up years had provided us a firm foundation to stand an increase in degree and in up for what we believed is right. It eradicated any sense of insecurity and even the fear of failure. We gained the widening the scale of government power to police nor to scrutinize the confidence to practice this even outside the confines of our home. We were able to remain grounded despite the citizen's actions. Rather, investment should be done in attending to the whirlwind of our society. needs of the family. The government's primary concern should be directed It has been a goal of my father for us to learn from him and in turn for us to echo this in the fulfillment of our in making every home a suitable abode so that values can be learned and be lived. responsibilities. He has been successful in doing so as we have come to establish ourselves in our own respec- Laws and policies should be at the service of the family's basic needs tive professions. We kept in mind the principles we had learned from our home. I don't fear that I would be drifted for food, shelter, clothing and the essential need for education and em- by the winds of change. I have learned to guard the world inside me rather than go around carrying my world at ployment. If these are upheld, the family will be strengthened and be in my hand as if a formless mass at the mercy of life's hits and misses. I would not be able to go through my daily life the position to practice the values. It enables them to receive the charge of in this way hadn't I been firmed up and strengthened in the care and discipline of my family. being catalysts of a new culture. We were both a family and an army. We have each other to rely on but we remain aware of the battle that has On the contrary, if we neglect the family and negate their rights, we to be fought. The threats against the families are real and strong. Professionalism could have wafted away my shall be committing a national suicide. The health of the nation lies in the father from quality family life. On those moments he was home and I was still a kid, he would ask me to sit on his strength of the family being the most basic and vital unit of the society. lap to tell him how school went. When I already grew up, we instead have these exchanges over dinner time. He The government in the person of the public officials ought to re-evaluate makes it a point to bring some special viand like lechon manok that we can share with during this togetherness. their priorities and direct their efforts to the strengthening of the Filipino My parents have been stronger to shield threats that could befall us. families. The reason why we are dragging in the pursuit of real progress However, though they cushioned us from the blows of the society, they did not spare us from the training lies greatly on the immense attention that has been directed towards the that is necessary. We were formed in words and in works, lessons of which I am deeply indebted to them. LEGACY/P5C1 May 12, 2006 4 An Official Publication of the Office of the Ombudsman with Funding Support from the European Commission On-the-spot POSTER MAKING CONTEST WINNERS

DR. EDUARDO DELA CIRNA is a Participant, Bataan Agro-In- dentist who has been in public ser- dustrial Trade Fair, Balanga City, vice at the Orani District Hospital in November 2004; Bataan for the past 14 years. Born Participant, Healers' Hand on January 27, 39 years ago in Group Show at the Ali Mall under Olongapo City, Doc Doy, as he is the auspices of the Saturday Group fondly called by friends and asso- Art Gallery, 2005; ciates, is a graduate from the Ma- He co-founded the Bataan Art- ist Society in October 2004 and was nila Central University. He started elected president. He is also co- his schooling at Balic-Balic Elemen- founder and vice president of tary School, not in Manila, but in Sining at Kultura ng Lahi ng Bataan Olongapo City, and finished his sec- Dr. Eduardo Dela Cirna whose aim is to promote the arts ondary school at the Holy Rosary and culture of the province of Parochial Institute in Orani. He is Bataan. Doc Doy is also an Art competitions. Below are some of happily married to Verlie "Len" Workshop Facilitator in various his many accomplishments: Fabian, an accounting graduate. workshops conducted at the Bataan 2nd place, On-the-Spot Paint- Their marriage is blessed with Learning Center, Academy of ing Contest in 1986 sponsored by two beautiful children, both Queen Mary, Holy Rosary Parochial the Templo ng Katotohanan; Institute and in some public girls, Cheene and Pacha. Honorable Mention in the Though a dentist by profes- schools. Dr. Dela Cirna is not a mere People's Power National Poster dilettante or one who dabbles in art. sion, Doc Doy is deeply involved Making Contest in 1986; He is a true artist who makes no in the world of art painting. His fa- Participant, Bagong Sibul Art apologies for saying: “Dentistry vorite medium is pastel on sandpa- Exhibit held at the Manila City Gal- is a profession which is finan- per. You may visit his clinic and lery; cially rewarding, my source of live- take a glimpse of some of his art- Participant, Mother and Child lihood . . . but ART is where my work, including his version of the Art Exhibit - Manila City Gallery; HEART is . . . my PASSION.” world-renowned "Mona Lisa." Doc Participant, Doctors Show in Doy has joined various art painting Manila, 1999; WILBERT L. CANDELARIA

shops conducted by well-known ticipated in the Group Exhibition of artists like Ne Miranda in order to Region 3 held at WOW Philippines hone his craft. in Intramuros, Manila, while from In 1977, he worked as an artist 2004 to 2005, his artwork was on dis- at Art Original, Inc. located at the play at the Group Art Exhibit of the Bataan Export Processing Zone. Bataan Artist Society, of which he is Later, he became a comics illustra- a member, held at the Trade Fair in tor at the Graphic Arts & Service, Balanga, Bataan. Inc. in Murphy, Quezon City. No Petronilo G. de Leon is an artist stranger to being at the top of the to watch out for. His star has shone heap, Nilo was First Prize Winner in and it is our hope that it will shine Petronilo G. De Leon the Balanga City Official Logo Con- for a long, long time. We at OMB- test in 2001, out of 161 participants Luzon are proud that we have some- PETRONILO G. DE LEON, who from all over the Province of Bataan. how been a part of his claim to fame won the First Prize in the National Nilo’s work has been widely appre- and glory. Level (General Public Category) of ciated by the public in art exhibi- the On-the-Spot Poster Making tions. In December 2003, he par- WILBERT L. CANDELARIA Contest sponsored last year by the Office of the Ombudsman in part- nership with the European Council, is 47 years old. He is married to Emily Tajonera with whom he has three daughters. A native of Orani, Bataan, he was born to Cecilio A. de Leon, a fisherman, and Marita Gonzales, a housewife, on May 31, 1958 in Barangay Kaparangan. Nilo is a high school graduate from the Bataan National School for Filipino Craftsmen, wherein 1976 he was conferred the honor of being the Best Artist of the Year. In addi- tion to the training he received in school, he was tutored by a well- known comics illustrator in 1981. He also attended seminars and work-

ALEX P. ORDOYO is a student of Western Visayas College of Science and Technology taking up Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology major in Architectural Drafting. He was born on August 1, 1984 from parents Eladio Ordoyo and Erlinda Ordoyo. As an artist, Alex loves paint- ing, sketching, poster making, singing and dancing. He believes in the motto: “Always put your whole heart in what you are doing”. No wonder, he won the first prize award for the Student Category of the On-the- Spot Poster Making National Competition sponsored by the European Commission and the Office of the Ombudsman held in Manila on December 9, 2005.

Alex P. Ordoyo PHILIP C. CAMIGUING May 12, 2006 An Official Publication of the Office of the Ombudsman with Funding Support from the European Commission 5

tion get the guts to enrich them- SLOGAN MAKING selves through graft and corrup- “EXCEL AND BE tion. Societal structure and estab- CONTEST WINNERS HONEST; LET’S lished bureaucratic system are oftentimes the culprit why we are BRING THE ranking high in graft and corrup- Clemen C. Natanauan considers She suggests that in curbing tion. We should get to the heart of herself as happily married with two corruption in the country, there is a NATION TO the octopus, the core of evil instead healthy and cute kids. She values need to get rid of expensive elec- PROGRESS” of trying to cut off its tentacles, most her relationship with her fam- tions and vote buying/selling and which after all grow again and CLEMEN C. NATANAUAN ily. She depicts the former Om- razing nepotism in the government. again.” budsman Simeon Marcelo as a role She elaborated that “elected offi- Her perception of the country model. The reasons according to cials resort to graft and corruption Congress should allocate budget legal immunity to complainants and ten years from now is quite opti- her are as follows: “ matapang, kita to recover their expenses during for subsidizing election expenses of prosecutors. Nepotism paralyzes mistic -“a nation well aware, ang integridad at magaling, hindi election and amass wealth for the candidates. Anti-nepotism law the ability of elected officials to deeply convinced of the evils of, nagpapaimpluwensya kahit pa next elections. Elections have be- should be strengthened as to in- prosecute erring relatives they put and fully committed to fight graft posisyon (o siguro pera) ang come expensive because of vote clude harsher punishment to vio- in office. These relatives be- and corruption.” nakataya.” buying and selling. Perhaps, the lators and, perhaps, incentives and cause of real or perceived protec- ROCHELLE S. MANUEL

A third year high school stu- mates, teachers and school officials After meeting this girl, one dent at Davao City Special National “NOURISH who regard her as their "lucky charm" would never again judge people by High School, fourteen year old for bringing great honor to the school their size. After all, good things come Charmaine May E. Egasan has INTEGRITY from the various accolades received in small packages. been a consistent honor student. from competitions entered into. Hers She was born in Koronadal City in WITH PASSION, is a unique combination of being a RODOLFO M. ELMAN South Cotabato and grew up in PROMOTE math-wizard and a multi-talented art- Davao City where her family pres- ist, i.e. painting, drawing, playing the ently resides. EXCELLENCE flute and guitar, dancing, acting in- Drawing inspiration from the A friend to many, Charmaine's cluding being a sports buff. Behind Book of Proverbs, Gil G. Subang cheerfulness extends not only to THROUGH her smiles and open friendliness, this does not only write slogans for a family members and close friends, SHARMAINE MAY C. EGASAN cute little girl can be a tough oppo- competition... he lives them. Raised but likewise to her school– ACTION” nent in table tennis and taekwondo. GIL/P10

from P3 When I was a little girl, back to a time when a one-peso coin had LEGACY enough value to buy something other than a stick of cigarette that will fill families. It is about time that our nation takes a meaningful pause to see where we are now and where we are your stomach up, I knew where my mother kept her stash of shiny one- headed to in the effort to heal public trust and in building our culture. peso and five-peso coins. Still lacking the moral values that were sup- We can draft extensive studies and arrive at eloquent proposals. We can go on with endless debates. It is about time that we personally take a reflective pause and look at the very home we live in and the family we belong posed to keep me from doing the dishonest deed, I would creep up to her to. We will find that the solution resides right in our very home. room and gingerly seize a couple of glistening coins from her collection. I The incomparable saga of The Lord of the Rings was concluded with a sentence that is so simple and seems would then go to the nearby store and buy a piece of candy with the to be an apparent contradiction after the war and chivalry that transpired allthroughout the epic. Samwise fortune I just acquired. Of course I knew that what I did was wrong, hence, Gamgee uttered a simple call ‘I am home.’ He was strengthened by a good home and longed for his return there. I would go to confession and tell the priest my grave offense. As embar- This sustained him amidst all the hardships and remained the only one not ruled over by the evil power of the rassing as it is to admit, the priest heard of my confession more than a ring. It is the very same story that my father lived and told. couple of times. Now, when I look back to my seemingly innocent crime, I Very true now can we say that nowhere else can a seedbed of culture be found but that of the abode of the shake my head in shame and embarrassment. I simply comfort myself in family. The family was, and remains to be the protagonist in building a culture of integrity and excellence. the thought that perhaps all little children went through the same phase and I would have to learn my lesson from the misdemeanor I committed. Perhaps I had this guilt in mind when I was having a chat with my Early Sol Gadong is a Mathemat- As a young instructor, she teacher back in college. We basically shared the same views on the situa- ics Instructor at the University of dreams of growing old as a teacher, tion of our society and the world at large. She was more of a confidant than the Philippines, Miag-ao, llo-ilo molding young minds and making a mentor. Campus. She was born on June 17, future leaders of our country. She is “Ma'am, I don't understand,” I started. “If I am greatly bothered by 1963 from parents who are both also a grand prize winner for the the handful of coins that I dishonestly took from my mother's purse, how members of the police force. She Government Category in the Essay is it possible for our public officials to steal millions of the people's hard- considers her mother as one of her Writing National Competition earned tax money and still be able to sleep on their ergonomically de- major influences when it comes to signed, sweet-smelling, surot-free beds at night?” principles and philosophies in life. PHILIP C. CAMIGUING Her short answer to my supposedly rhetorical question amazingly Through her example, she contained a world of reason that I have yet to fully comprehend. learned that money is not the most “Well, it gets easier.” important thing in life, but protect- Indeed, have we evolved to become a breed of people who woke up to ing and maintaining a good name. a culture of graft and corruption that it's suddenly become the norm? Have Early Sol A. Gadong we developed that sense of crooked philosophy to believe that since everybody's doing it, then there must be nothing wrong if we did it too? Have we diluted ourselves into becoming a society where everybody steals Fighting the Battle of Corruption From Within from everybody else that nobody is actually going to believe you if you By Early Sol A. Gadong said you weren't? Early one morning, I was doing some of my usual tasks in the office “Desiring your health which is also ours, and seeking the best means of restoring it, I shall do while discussing certain things with a young colleague when our division's with you what the ancients did with their sick; they brought them to the steps of the temple that messenger came and handed us our pay slips. This piece of paper con- all who came to invoke the god might stop to suggest a remedy... I shall lift a portion of the tained the salary we were supposed to receive every week, our incentives, bandage which hides the disease, sacrificing all to the truth, even my personal pride, for as and, of course, the part which took up most of the space in that little slip of a son of yours I am not exempt from your defects and weaknesses.” paper --- salary deductions. From GSIS payments to PhilHealth contribu- -Jose Rizal, Filipino National Hero tions to amount withheld for taxes. In dedicating his novel, Noli Me Tangere, Being a neophyte to the world of employment and pay slips and to his beloved country salary deductions, my officemate couldn't help but blurt out, “Ano ba 'yan. Ang laki naman ng binabayaran nating tax. Parang tayo na yata ang Everywhere we look and almost all the time, we are bombarded with scary facts and figures telling us how nagpapaaral sa Pilipinas!” (This is unfair. We're paying too large a sum for someday, most of the plant and animal species we now know will become extinct and will be seen only in the our taxes. It seems like we're sending the entire Philippines to school!) browned leaves of forgotten textbooks or on the glossy pages of the National Geographic. Today, in our very I simply chuckled at her reaction. own society, a certain breed of humans is also facing the daunting threat of extinction --- the honest Filipino. I personally do not feel bad about paying my taxes. I mean, it was Apparently, this breed is becoming much harder to find and more elusive to contain. Sadly, the spirit of other people's taxes that subsidized a vital chunk of my education, it was common decency is now but a mere flicker dimming in the hearts of the blessed few. other people's taxes that paid for my mother's monthly salary, and it was Graft and corruption is indeed the cancer that mercilessly devours the very core of our society. With the other people's taxes that funded the monthly pension that my family re- advancements in science and technology, cures for some of the cancers of the human body have been discov- ceives on account of my deceased father. I basically lived off other people's ered and are now used to save the lives of many ailing victims. Unfortunately, we are yet to find a cure for the taxes. So it only made sense, in the century-old Filipino tradition of utang disease that further cripples our already weak nation. na loob, that I should be able to give a little something back too. I felt like “The quest for riches darkens the sense of right and wrong.” I definitely owe it to the Filipino taxpayers. -Antiphanes, ancient Greek dramatist Besides, employees like us can never get away from punctually pay- When we come to think of it, corruption dates back to the biblical story of creation. We all know how the ing our taxes. Though I'd like to think it's because we are honest citizens, serpent corrupted Adam and Eve into taking the forbidden fruit even with God's strict orders against it. Adam it's actually because we are not left with much of a choice. Tax payments and Eve's desire for things beyond their need proved to be their demise. And so the pattern continues with our are calculated for us and are deducted from our salary every month, with- country's government. out missing a beat. Running away from it is obviously not an option Our Constitution is the “God” that tells us what we may and may not partake in. Power, wealth and fame whether we liked it or not. Just a few weeks ago, however, something that corrupt us into devouring the forbidden. FIGHTING/P9 6 Profiles May 12, 2006 Profiles 7 The Songwriting Finalists

MIKE VILLEGAS Title : Sabay Tayong Magpalaki ng Maganda Ngayon

One of the most respected musicians and compos- ers in the Philippine music industry, Mike Villegas has been on a tear since helping form Color It Red in 1992 at the ripe old age of 19. He started playing professionally at 17 while CHRISTINE D. BENDEBEL studying at the University of the Philippines, doing session (a.k.a Warren D. Christie ) work for artists such as Susan Fernandez-Magno, Lolita ROBERTO “ROBERT” M. DAVID Carbon, and Noel Cabangon’s Buklod. After scoring a hit Title : Crossroads with the song “Paglisan” with his then band Color It Red, Mike went on to write and produce for other artists such as Title : Kahit Na HER CLAIM TO FAME ARE THE SONGS “Urong- Cacai Velasquez, Jet Pangan and Sugar Hiccup. At 23, he Sulong” and “Kung Maibabalik Ko Lang.” She has written helped form the rock outfit Rizal Underground as lead gui- Title : Tayo Nang Maglingkod sa Bayan CHONA “MAYUMI” BORROMEO more than a hundred songs that reveal a range of musical tarist and composer, with whom he released the hits Sabado genre and a diverse style. At least 90 of her creations have Nights, “Yan Naman” and “Bilanggo”. He’s currently a One of the most sought-after Gospel music composer- Title : Simulan Natin been published and sung by the country’s premier artists. resident composer at advertising music supplier Hit Pro- artist- producers in the industry, Robert David has found Two of her songs were translated to Mandarin and one of ductions, and plays guitar with singer Aiza Seguerra, as his niche as a dependable provider of singable, simple yet An aficionado of jazz music, Mayumi is not only a ver- them landed on the MTV Taiwan Top 10 Chart. She had well. enjoyable songs. He has an interesting testimony about satile and unique singer but she is a very prolific songwriter five honorable mentions in the U.S. Billboard Songwriting About the Song his life-changing encounter with the Almighty, as well as a and composer. Her song “Narito Lang Ako” won the “highly Contest. She was a finalist in the Sing Young Songwriting I wrote the song “Sabay Tayong Magpalaki Ng Maganda Ngayon” the day before the deadline, having been stumped distinctive preaching style as a renowned evangelist and commended song award” in the 2004ABS-CBN Himig Competition held in 2004. She emerged as the Grand Prize Handog Song Writing Competition. She is currently a mem- winner in the 1996 Philippine International Songwriting for ideas for the theme. I then looked at the problem of cor- church worker. Robert already has a faithful following ruption as the end result of many small “conveniences” which among the listening Christian Community in the Philip- ber of FILSCAP. Competition, besting 14 other songwriters from U.S., Europe and Asia. we partake in to help our days run smoother. This concept of pines— the result years of hard work and perseverance. Mayumi was also a “10-week Champion and Grand Cham- “adding-up” is shown in another light in the second stanza, With these accomplishments to her credit, Christine Robert’s “Puhunan” was a Grand Prize Winner of the pion” at the Tanghalan ng Kampeon back in 1993. And she’s showcasing a hardworking student looking to improve her has proven that she truly loves her craft. After almost two 1993 LIKHAWIT MUSIC FESTIVAL. currently singing with the group Acoustic Anthology and standard of living, one homework assignment at a time. I decades in the music business, her desire to hone her artistry Amadeus. hope the message comes through, and I thank the British and contribute to the improvement of the music industry She has done numerous shows and gigs in most of the Council and the Office of the Ombudsman for helping tackle has not waned a bit. As a testament to this, she is currently high star hotels and bars in Manila. With more than 100+ the problem of corruption with the healing power of music! involved in the music licensing business administering the songs in her files, she’s currently recording and still writing catalogue of fellow composers. She has always been an more of her own songs. advocate of songwriters’ intellectual property rights. “CROSSROADS” was born out of her yearning to be a part of an album that would showcase integrity, selflessness and honesty. The idea that a song can be a catalyst towards building an honorable culture has stimulated her to create such a passionate and heartfelt composition.

GIDEON “JUNGEE” MARCELO

Title : Walang Kurap

A Grand Prize winner of the Metropop Songfest, Gideon “Jungee” Marcelo received numerous local and international awards as composers. Jungee has been involved in the following organi- zations: *Papuri Music Ministry (FEBC Phils.) - artistic director *Greenhills Christian Fellowship – worship & mu sic team member *Philippine Team (World Hiphop Dance Competition) GARY GRANADA – Head Coach *Hiphop Organization of the Philippines – chairman Title : Ang Kailangang Gawin *FILSCAP – member LEMUEL “PETER PARKER” SAMBLERO Gary Granada is a name synonymous to musical excel- *Katha (Composers’ Guild of the Phils.) – member lence in Filipino music. Critics recognize him as a poet- RUBEN P. LOPEZ, JR. *Association of Fitness Professionals of the Phils. – EDU REYES Title : Mahiya Naman Kayo songwriter and an excellent musical performer. His two de- presentor / lecturer cades of songwriting would mark him as probably the most He has a dual personality: Beracah the gospel rapper *U.P. College of Human Kinetics, Streetdance Club– Title : Tigilan Mo Na Yan prolific Filipino songwriter in this century. His achievements Title : I am a Shield honorary chairman & Peter Parker the Kwela rapper. as performing artist and pioneering producer attest to his *Gold’s Gym Philippines – fitness instructor musical expertise. A native of Maco, Davao, he has success- He is probably one of the youngest Filipino composers By day, Lemuel is a volunteer church worker in a Chris- Ruben P. Lopez Jr. began writing songs when he was *Pinnacle Health Pointe – fitness instructor fully captured national acclaim and attention, and he contin- who has successfully entered the professional league – At tian ministry. As Beracah the gospel rapper, he has released 14 years old. It all started when Arnel De Pano encouraged *702 DZAS Radio – broadcaster ues to venture into varied musical genre from ‘Pinoy folk’ to youth members of the Kamuning First United Methodist 20, Edu Reyes already has one album to his credit. Of the 13 a gospel rap album entitled “Gospel Rap, Hindi Pa Huli Ang rock ‘n roll. *CBN Asia / 700 Club – talkshow host Church to write songs for the church. Under Arnel’s guid- songs in the album of 9th Avenue, he composed twelve – a Lahat” under Praise Inc. His second album also under Praise Gary’s music awards are numerous. The most recent *Jam for the Bread – jinglewriter ance, a pool of young songwriters emerged, penning lyrics significant feat considering he has had no professional train- Inc. is soon to be released. Lemuel feels that he has a divine major award was for the song “Mabuti Pa Sila”, grand prize About the Song: to original Filipino praise and worship songs. calling to spread the word of God through rap music. He awardee in the 1998 Metropop Song Festival. He also won Dual meaning – “kurap” as in literal tagalog trans- ing in music and songwriting. 2001 was the year when Sonnyman won a finalists’ spot has been to many mall shows, club and street parties, school the 1988 KBP Musicfest with the social-conscience-stirring lation of blink or wink of an eye “kurap” as in tagalized Choosing to defer his education at the University of Bahay, and again the 1984 Metropop for the song “Salamat, in the Metropop Song Festival, sponsored by GMA 7. His the Philippines College of Music, Edu has decided to use events and church gatherings all in the name of God. Salamat Musika”. In 1989, the United Nations Environmen- entry is the song entitled “I Am Light”, interpreted by Dianne pronunciation of corrupt Suhestiyon ng awitin ay his creative energies in the mainstream music industry and Peter Parker theKwela Rapper was formerly known as tal Program (UNEP) Songwriting Contest awarded the top Dela Fuente. It is a song about staying steadfast in the huwag nang hayaan pang masimulan ang isang akto earn some so can help send his younger sister to school. “Madryme” the kwela rapper,but because of his childhood- prize to his Earthkeeper. midst of hardship. Now, he joins the songwriting competi- ng kompromiso na magbibigay daan lamang sa malaking like for Spiderman he is now known as “Peter Parker”. Gary is maintaining his Manila office, Infomatrix Media tion with a song entitled “I Am A Shield”, to be interpreted pinsala sa kaduluduluhan. Isang kindat ng Edu is the son of music lover Edilberto Reyes Jr. and Planners, through which concert bookings and media as- by Reuben Laurente and arranged by Sonny’s childhood pananamantala, isang halik ng pagtataksil, isang tapik former Vicor music executive Rosalina Reyes. Peter Parker is waiting for his big break. He is at a point signments for him are coursed. The same office manages na simula ng away… isang kurap ng pangyayaring hindi He dreams of one day conducting his own musical in his career where the possibilities are endless and he hopes Backdoor Records, where he continues to produce his own best friend, Kahlil Refuerzo and his brother Erle Refuerzo. “I na natin maibabalik at tuluyang pagsisisihan. that things can only get better. He aspires to become a works and the works of musicians involved in social and Am A Shield” is a song about choosing to stay incorrupt- composition while a full orchestra is playing it. His strong developmental work. ible even if the entire world is corrupt. Walang Kurap, Walang Kurapsyon. faith in God will surely lead him to achieve his dreams. comedian actor and a famous rap artist in the future. May 12, 2006 8 An Official Publication of the Office of the Ombudsman with Funding Support from the European Commission

Phrixel Gerald S. Pimentel, from being a born leader. Phrixel is public officials and government employees. Their credibility as an effec- first prize winner for Student Cat- also an eloquent speaker. In fact, he tive graft-buster is manifested in the 2005 Survey of Enterprises on egory of the Essay Writing National was adjudged as the Best Rebut- Corruption by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).5 They have received Competition, is a graduate of Politi- tal Speaker during the recently the most number of citations as a government agency which can be trusted cal Science from the University of concluded Cebu Inter-School Col- to address complaints of corruption. There are also anti-corruption orga- the Philippines, Cebu College. He lege Debate 2005. nizations accredited by the Ombudsman known as the Corruption Preven- was born on August 22, 1995 from tion Units (CPUs) and the Junior Graftwatch Units (JGUs) that help them parents Alfredo P. Pimentel and PHILIP C. CAMIGUING fast track their investigations. Elizabeth S. Pimentel, who are both Our fight against corruption cannot succeed if the effort is just based employed as State Auditors of the on government institutions alone. It is a formidable task that the Commission on Audit (COA). As a responsibility of eradicating it must come from the body politic most im- student-leader, he holds various portantly the involvement of the civil society groups. An example is the positions in different student or- Transparent and Accountable Governance (TAG), a civil society dedi- ganizations in the campus. Aside Phrixel Gerald S. Pimentel cated to build a counter-corruption culture with many linkages having the same line of work. Building a Culture of Integrity and Excellence: Building the Culture of Integrity and Excellence Time is of the essence. Filipinos must start buildiing a culture of integ- Our Challenge for 2005 and Beyond rity and excellence with a firm conviction to eliminate or perhaps prevent graft and corruption. This would involve all stakeholders of the society- By Phrixel Gerald S. Pimentel the youth, the church, the academe, non-government organizations and interest groups, the media, government institutions and every Filipino. What is this culture of integrity and excellence? "Public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees shall serve with the highest degree of Integrity is the foundation of character. It starts with our understand- responsibility, integrity, loyalty and efficiency and shall remain accountable to the people." ing that national integrity is the sum of the integrity of each individual in The above quote strikes at the very heart of the current crisis of integrity and excellence in the public service the nation. National integrity improves only as each individual improves in the Philippines today. Corruption has in fact become endemic in Philippine government and politics. The his or her integrity. How then do individuals build a culture of integrity recent rating that the Philippines got in the 2004 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) is a testimony to this fact.1 2 among themselves? To behave with integrity, is to listen to one's con- Worse, most Filipinos think that the worst is still to come. The Philippines scored higher in incidences of bribery science. Our decisions and actions must be reflective of what our con- 3 which is relatively high among other countries. The same survey reveals that corruption affected all spheres of science dictates us coupled with the soundness of our morals, ethics and Philippine society, but most especially the government and politics of this country. All these surveys prove goodness. Our judgments and intentions must always be based on factual only one thing: our country is now faced with these two challenges: first, to clean corrupt practices in the claims and should thus be firmly grounded on the truth. Actions like de- government bureaucracy and second, to build a culture of integrity and excellence. claring our true assets and liabilities, paying the right amount of our in- The Philippine Experience on Corruption come tax, are examples of the lasting values of honesty. The pervasiveness of corrupt practices in the Philippines is persistent in the different government agencies. Building a culture of national excellence entails hard work. It must be To cite a few, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) investigated the widespread corruption in in the context of an integrative national economic, political, social and the health care sector wherein a culture of waste, corruption and patronage pervades the provision of health cultural strategy. Competence, effectiveness, efficiency and discipline are care in many local governments. Doctors, suppliers and local officials and employees interviewed by the PCIJ the foundations of excellence. To put it in the national context, workers estimate that kickbacks from the purchase of drugs given to local officials range from 10 to 70 percent of the must personify these traits. The responsiveness and efficacy of national contract price. Another PCIJ report in 2002 revealed some of the corrupt practices in the education sector policies must embody the ideals of collective excellence. especially in the procurement of new textbooks wherein illicit commissions account for as much as 55 percent of Personally, I see an overarching need to start building a culture of a contract for books or supplementary learning materials. Corrupt practices are also found at every phase in integrity and excellence within myself. As a student, I have to put premium construction projects of the public works sector, during planning and design, in the award of contracts, and on intellectual honesty and academic excellence. I must continue to abide during the construction process. An example of this would be the controversial construction of the Diosdado the rules of no cheating during examinations. I must always observe Macapagal Boulevard. There have been a series of lifestyle checks that were conducted by PCIJ exposing the intellectual property rights in citing references. These are small things but crooked activities of some of the high echelons of the Internal Revenue sector. The research yielded a wealth of they can be building blocks for a more authentic personal integrity and information on the grand houses and expensive vehicles of BIR officials and employees who earn only a modest excellence. I believe in the shaping and nurturing of positive values like income. Twenty-five officials at various levels cannot explain how they acquired their assets, including shares in discipline and a strong faith in God, in collective leadership and action by businesses and companies. showing through personal example the new culture of integrity and excel- In the area of public service the following kinds of activities take place: a corrupt public servant accepts gifts lence that we want to build for our country. bestowed by a private person with the object of inducing him to give special consideration to the interests of the Looking way forward, as citizens of this country, we must follow the donor; "officials receive excessive "hospitality" from government contractors and benefits in kind, such as rules of meritocracy and not the utang na loob system. We must not bend our laws just to accommodate the whims of someone powerful. We must scholarships for the education of children at foreign universities; officials contract government business to not tolerate these so-called fixers to process our documents. The abuse of themselves, either through front companies and "partners" or even openly to themselves as "consultants"; public office, political kickbacks, omissions, illegal gifts, tax evasion and officials deliberately travel abroad so that they can claim per diem allowances which they set themselves at fraud should be put to an end. All these should not be limited to the extravagant levels; political parties use the prospect of power, or of its continuation, to levy large rents on personal level. This should flourish in the national level for only change National integrity is the sum of the integrity of each can come through collective action addressing fundamental roots of cor- ruption and the lack of integrity and excellence. individual in the nation. The question is whether political will, if any will exist in our country to fight corruption. Anti-corruption initiatives should be timeless. It requires international businesses in particular, in return for government contracts which may be dressed up as a "dona- a long and arduous job to achieve a sustainable anti-corruption measures. tion" to a designated "charity" or a "hospital"; providers of public services (e.g., drivers' licenses, market stall Moreover, it should be more than just submitting a case to the courts and permits, passport control) insist on payments for the services in order to speed up the process or to prevent let justice takes its course. New set of norms must be practiced and delays".4 Millions of pesos can be amassed in the government coffers without being scrutinized, launder money upheld in achieving a corruption-free society. For these changes to take and escape the country with clean hands, smuggle goods without being jailed, realign budget allotments into place, it requires reforming the public sector, improving administrative shadow and malicious deals without being unnoticed. procedures by minimizing the bureaucratic red tape and opening up of Essentially, there is a common thread running through these activities and that is the subordination of public government information sources along with political will and courageous interests to promote personal aims involving a violation of the norms of duty and welfare, accompanied by leadership. We must bring back the culture of due process, accountability secrecy, betrayal, deception and a callous disregard for any consequence suffered by the public. The extent of and transparency in the public realm. corruption in the Philippines undermines the economic and political development of the country. The values The next question would then be, can the culture of corruption be of integrity and excellence have become so scarce to most Filipinos. There is now the urgent need to build a changed? Yes indeed. It requires a combination of personal integrity with culture of integrity and excellence in the Philippine society as a whole and in our government and politics in the ideals of excellence and the collective effort of the citizens. We must particular. sensitize ourselves on the issue by becoming fully aware of the conse- Initiatives in Fighting Corruption quences extracted in corrupt activities. We must always strive hard to No country is exempted from corruption and its development varies from one country to the next. It is most attain an integrated life. We must strengthen our institutions: citizenship prevalent in the less developed countries. Fighting corruption has now become a global trend. It is already and public ethics. Ethics that do not view our struggle against corruption included in the agenda among actors in the International Community. There is now the emergence of collective as a matter of technical monitoring but rather as the construction of posi- action and heightened consciousness among Intergovernmental Organizations and International NGOs, com- tive values. We need to be enamored on the feeling of enthusiasm, of mitted to take concrete steps and work on lessening graft and corruption. The United Nations has ratified the believing, of passion for this extraordinary work that we are tasked with to Convention Against Corruption recognizing the need to have an effective international legal instrument. triumph the crusade against this cancer of corruption. It is an extraordi- Transparency International (Tl) is devoted to combating corruption and brings civil society, business and nary work because we can't just say and utter "stop corruption". We should all be willing to undergo systemic change in the judicial, adminis- governments together in a powerful global coalition. Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against trative, and political systems. The Philippines is a great nation. We do not Corruption is considered to be among the most successful anti-corruption organizations of the world. Another want the next generation of Filipinos to be obliterated from this social institution venturing in this transnational advocacy is the European Union through the European Commission. malaise. Our generation must build a continuing culture of integrity- an It is the Commission's firm intention to reduce corruption at all levels, no matter whether these criminal acts take entire correspondence of honesty, truthfulness, reliability and moral up- place in the European Union, outside its borders or within the EU institutions themselves. Eradicating corruption rightness; and of excellence-aiming for our best in every field of national is a worldwide concern and the Philippines should be at the forefront of engaging into such activities. endeavor. We must build a conception of a just and decent life for the At the national level, there are constitutionally mandated institutions established to be the prime mover in Filipino people giving them better access to social services- health care, preventing and combating corruption. There is the Office of the Ombudsman who, as protectors of the people, clean water, electricity, adequate housing, abundant food and free educa- cooperate with all sectors of society promoting the values of integrity and efficiency and high ethical standards tion by making sure that all of our country's wealth and resources shall not in the public service. Their main function is to receive and investigate complaints and prosecutes cases against be wasted and just be pocketed for someone else's personal gain. Most importantly, we must paint a picture of a nation poised to do battle against

1 2004 Transparency International Corruption Perception Index, Philippines Falling to 102nd place from 92nd place. the evils of corruption. These I believe should be our challenge for 2005 2 2004 Transparency International Global Corruption Barometer, the Philippines as one of the biggest pessimist countries who thinks that corruption will get a lot worse in the years and beyond. to come with a rating of 54%. 32004 Transparency International Bribery Index, Philippines scored between 21%-30% along with Bolivia, Albania and Russia 5 4 Transparency International (IT) Source Book 2000. Chapter 2: the Anatomy of Corruption in http / /www.transparency.org/sourcebook/02/html. The Office of the Ombudsman got a 24% rating in the 2005 SWS enterprise Survey on Corruption. May 12, 2006 An Official Publication of the Office of the Ombudsman with Funding Support from the European Commission 9

OMB as the official watchdog of the delivery of basic services espe- integrity, in general, and of the cially among the poor, reinforces the Masthead Winner: INTEGRITY WATCH NEWS sustainability of this newsletter- stability of the Republic, boosts in- INTEGRITY WATCH NEWS - and vestors' confidence, and hastens its objectives, in particular, depends economic recovery. As point of The masthead-Integrity Watch the prime mover is the Office of the on the ability of the OMB to prove comparison and departure, today, as News and its design reflects the Ombudsman that must shine un- its own integrity and credibility and a nation, we are suffering from the raison d'etre of this newsletter. equivocally as a watchdog. To be to forge alliances. ill effects of the very anti-thesis of Through this newsletter, in the efficient in its function, the OMB The text “INTEGRITY” in its integrity; that is, dishonesty or, shall words of former Tanodbayan must reach out to and effectively light blue monochromatically based we say, questionable integrity. Simeon V. Marcelo, “this Office utilize the support of non-govern- upon the color of the background The text “WATCH” in its “red seeks to reach all sectors of soci- mental organizations (NGOs), the signifies that the virtue of integrity hot iron color” signifies that the task youth sector and other major sec- ety, inspire positive action and in- to prosper in the Philippines, the of being the watchdog of integrity volvement from stakeholders, and tors of society-religious, business, efforts must be rooted and built embolden those in the fight against educational, etc. As a mobilizer and and excellence in public service de- upon the strength of the Filipino mands the passionate determina- corruption.” network builder, it must be able to nation, particularly in its culture tion and sacrificial courage of a mar- The background's varying subtly break through the oftentimes beginning with its spiritual realm tonal quality of the color blue signi- impregnable barriers of public mis- expressed in the values of religion tyr. In other words, the OMB and fies the intimidating, murky, and yet trust, indifference, lethargy, and me- be they Christian or Muslim to ar- its allies must be ready to be Rommel A. Natanauan diocrity of its even stakeholders. discernible dynamic and fluid na- tistic, educational, socio-political martyred in the performance of that ture of Philippine environment--- Tourism Operations Officer II This network building is sym- and economic realms. In other noble and holy cause of fighting social, political, economic, and cul- Local Community Coordination Division bolized by the appendages dynami- words, the efforts to be effective graft and corruption. If this hap- tural--- that makes it very challeng- Department of Tourism cally growing from the logo and pen- pens, it is the kind of news, as in the etrating a wall that divides the logo must be grounded, culled from, and ing, if not almost impossible, to build words of former Tanodbayan a culture of integrity and excellence. and the main texts of the masthead. expressed through Filipino prag- The background in blue signifies life that the spirit of integrity and The appendages being shown matic experiences. Eventually, integ- Marcelo, that “inspire(s) positive the perceptive color of the sea and excellence have to penetrate in or- in the design as being able to break rity will become the very nature of action and involvement from stake- the sky symbolizing the depth, der to effectively-build a culture of through the wall signifies that the Philippine environment that pro- holders, and embolden(s) those in height, and breadth of Filipino integrity and excellence. For this, realization of the mandate of the vides equal access to and facilitates the fight against corruption.”

CHN?ALCNS FIGHTING from P5 smoke in a non-smoking place? Of and other forms of bribery. Imagine and gone. They start out to be the I saw on the news almost convinced course, we do not embezzle millions if our teachers continuously en- hope of our nation and end up to be Q;N=B H?QM me to join my officemate in complain- of taxpayers' money, nor do we steal riched themselves with the knowl- the old, disgruntled, and immoral ing about our taxation system. our countrymen's votes, nor do we edge and skills that will enable them government officials that we curse Editor-In-Chief Apparently, some well-known instruct hit men to assassinate jour- to more efficiently and more effec- for everything that goes wrong in Atty. Rhodora N. Fenix-Galicia nalists who are only doing their job tively impart learning to their stu- multimillionaires were accused of tax this country. Let us rely on our- to protect the public's interest. dents and not just breeze through selves, young or once young, and evasion. These charges were made Surely, these are mere droplets of their classes without even caring Managing Editor be the present hope of our nation. against them because according to water compared to the ocean of whether or not their students Angel De Lara-Cusi the government offices concerned, crimes officials in higher positions learned anything at all. Imagine if Let us stop selling our votes so that these multimillionaires are paying a make. our doctors persistently bound politicians would no longer feel like News/Features Editors very minimally unjust amount on But are they really? themselves to their Hippocratic Oath they have bought our souls and our Atty. Cezar M. Tirol II their tax returns. One of them, I The Philippines is not experi- and "first do no harm" instead of dignity. Let us stop stealing office Laurrie Layne P. Cristobal noted, was even paying a lesser encing the fiery pitfalls of hell be- observed the appalling procedure supplies, official time, and the cause of one corrupt public official. of "first ask for a deposit." Imagine people's trust so that the public will amount than what was being de- Circulation Manager We cannot even put the entire if our lawyers used their conscience stop being doubtful of our integ- ducted from my salary for withhold- Peregrino LB. Galario blame on the supposedly honorable and protected justice for the inno- rity. In our own little way, let us do ing taxes. Just imagine the smoke members of the upper echelon of the cent instead of abused their gift of the right thing. Maybe this will of rage-filled fury coming out of my political ladder. gab to manipulate the system just Layout Artists teach our leaders a lesson and like- ears and nose. Here was a person More than seventy million Fili- to win a case. Imagine if our nurses Petronilo V. Pauya who was earning enough money to wise direct them towards the hon- pinos walk actually took Myrna L. Manuel enjoy the luxury of traveling around the face of Let us stop point- care of the est path. Let us stop preaching how the world ten times over. And yet I this earth. ing out the problem thousands of things should be done and focus Photographer was paying more in taxes than he Unfortu- ailing citizens on the things that we should do. in everyone else and Jessie A. Suguitan was. Could it mean that I was richer nately, in- of their home- Let us stop pointing out the prob- stead of land instead than him, then? Never in my wildest start looking at our- lem in everyone else and start look- seventy mil- of heeding the ing at ourselves for the solutions Area/Sectoral Editors dreams. I couldn't even afford to buy lion Filipinos selves for the solu- call of greener the pair of shoes that my younger that we need. Acting DSP Wendell B. Sulit working tions that we need. pastures and Director Rudiger G. Falcis II sister has wanted for so long now! hand in hand watch over Perhaps all that our country re- We are losing hundreds of mil- to nurse our suffering nation back the unwell natives of foreign soil. ally needs is a little help from every Director Wilbert L. Candelaria lions of pesos yearly over these un- to the pink of health, we have sev- Imagine if our security guards, citizen of this nation. If we just work Director Virginia P. Santiago scrupulous individuals who do not enty million Filipinos picking on the garbage collectors, salesladies, together, this crippled homeland of Director Rodolfo M. Elman have enough civility to pay their scab of our country's gaping bank tellers, and government em- ours just might rise up again, stand dues honestly. This is the excuse wound. Instead of being seventy ployees all performed their tasks tall, and prevail proudly on this Editorial Advisers million solutions to an unrelenting with firm principles and not grumble our government gives us in order to earth. Tanodbayan Ma. Merceditas N. Gutierrez problem, we have seventy million about the long, exhausting hours Pardon me for being too melo- OIC-ODO Orlando C. Casimiro create tax laws that hurt the already contributors to making the problem and the low, insufficient pay. Imag- dramatic. Though I admit to being starving masses of our country be- worse. Yes, as hard as it is to ac- ine if our youth aspired to become DO for Luzon Victor C. Fernandez cause they cannot --- or opt not to - cept, each one of us does play a truthful, hardworking citizens help- inconsiderably idealistic, I do not DO for Visayas Primo C. Miro -- chase after those who lavishly eat part, in one way or another, in the ing their country before dreaming think I am naive. Let’s just say I am DO for Mindanao Antonio E. Valenzuela with silver spoons on their hard- inevitable demise of this nation. of becoming rich, famous, or pow- young. And I believe that this is the SP Dennis Villa-Ignacio wood dining table while abandon- We as a people should be fight- erful, or a politician and be all three. best time to hold on to my ideals, AO Cyril E. Ramos ing their civic duty. ing corruption within ourselves. Just imagine how wonderful it while I still have the nerve and the Acting AO Evelyn A. Baliton The only reason why we have an would be to live in a country with “Every man is guilty of all the youth to cling to them. I have seen Director Romeo I. Tan incessant list of dishonest adminis- those kinds of people. good he didn't do.” what age does to ideals and dreams. OIC - Director Ador G. Paulino trators that keep on bleeding our “The strength of a nation de- I have seen how they are replaced -Voltaire, French philosopher country dry is because we are en- rives from the integrity of the by poor vision, wrinkles, and white If only every Filipino does what couraging their shady acts through home.” Community Coordination Bureau is expected of him or her as a re- our own “little” crimes. -Confucius, Chinese hairs. Office of the Ombudsman sponsible citizen of this country, Can we really put a scale on philosopher I am afraid that if I am not able Ground Floor, Agham Road then maybe the Philippines would corruption and say what we are do- Living in a Philippines that is to hold on to my dreams and ideals Diliman, Quezon City 1101 not be holding the embarrassing ing is less corrupt than the deeds of free from the iron claws of the evils now, age might take over and replace Telephone Numbers: (02) 9268781 dishonor of being the second most our "honorables?” We are in as of corruption might mean living in a the faith I have in my unwavering 9269032 - 40 loc. 112, 113, 122 corrupt country in Asia. When we much position to be blamed as all Philippines that exists only in the belief. The belief that someday, this Telefax: 9268780 our senators, congressmen, and de- colorful and creative environs of our engage ourselves in a battle of foolish yet steadfast idealism that partment secretaries put together. I minds. But then again, if only we still flickers in the hearts of a few words, each one trying to outdo find this to be a bitter pill to swal- start within ourselves, if only we hopeful and faithful stalwarts will another in lambasting our govern- low myself but sadly, nothing could stop blaming one another and start The views and ment officials, do we take time to be truer. working together, if only we try lift- rid our country of hunger, poverty, opinions look at ourselves and think about “To educate a person in mind ing each other onto our shoulders and corruption. our own "little" corruptions? Do we and not in morals is to educate a instead of dragging down those Let us not stop believing that appearing on the think of that ream of bond paper menace to society.” above us, we might just be able to someday, before our time in this which we took home from the office -Theodore Roosevelt, former someday, somehow, pick that lovely world is done, we will be residing in Newsletter without anyone's knowledge? Do American president and almost surreal picture from our a nation that can claim freedom from We do not all need to be model imagination and actually have it re- do not we reprimand ourselves for taking the bondage of corruption. Let us citizens of this country, that would alized rather than just forever fanta- not stop hoping that someday, we that overtime pay when all we actu- be too much to ask. Each of us just size about a Utopia that can never necessarily will be dwelling in a country whose ally do during overtime is chat about needs to do our duties in the best be. reflect those the latest showbiz intrigues with our way we can, in the most honest way Let us stop relying too much citizens exist in peace and content- colleagues or play solitaire on our possible. on the youth to be the future of our ment, we will be living in a Philip- of the European personal computers? Do we feel the Imagine if our policemen were fatherland. Since the time of our pines that we can all be proud of --- slightest guilt when we jaywalk, consistent in apprehending law vio- prophesizing national hero, many a Philippines that is without a doubt, Commission/Union mindlessly throw litter anywhere, or lators and ceased to accept kotong generations of youths have come a home to us Filipinos. May 12, 2006 10 An Official Publication of the Office of the Ombudsman with Funding Support from the European Commission Reforming AFP’s Purchasing System to Eliminate Corruption

CIVIL RELATION SERVICE - AFP LIKE ANY ORGANIZATION with to defend the territorial integrity of tices. It continue to pursue the mod- armed forces, AFPPS continu- a nationwide scope of operations, the nation. Signing Purchasing Or- Abu saw the need to centralize all ernization programs and projects of ously reengineer its policies, guide- the Armed Forces of the Philippines ders are additional burdens to com- procurement operation to support the former Logistics Command from lines and systems. is confronted with a gargantuan bat-trained commanders who would the logistical requirements of the where it was culled. A major To ensure freedom from graft task of mobilizing a nationwide lo- rather deal with the nitty gritties of entire AFP. Operational units were component of its existence is a con- and corruption, however, the AFP gistics force that include purchas- containing enemy activities instead freed from the task of procuring their tinuing values orientation where leadership under Chief of Staff Gen- ing offices. This bloated system, of pesky suppliers. needs thus empowering them to strict policy implementation are be- eral Generoso Senga enjoins the before the advent of reform in the However, things are not mean concentrate on their core compe- ing observed. AFPPS personnel are business community, the NGOs and AFP, was not governed by a sup- to stay forever. Specifically, if it tency which is to fight the enemies now toeing the policies relating to other stakeholders to actively par- ply-chain management system. has become a powerful tool in trans- of the state. Centralized procure- ethics, gifts, gratuities and supplier ticipate in the campaign. One of the Most often, the decision to address forming warriors into destabilizers. ment is one of the many reforms relations. One false move means au- very concrete contribution would be the needs of soldiers in the field are The AFP leadership, guided by the initiated within the 160,000 strong tomatic discharge from service, a for suppliers to stop tempting AFP done in any of the existing 93 units Philippine Defense Reform program, AFP. All procurement functions of stiff price to pay for an office-bound personnel with rewards in their quest tasked to do the purchasing job. instituted financial and procurement the entire AFP is now the responsi- personnel that is often likened to to do shady business with the AFP. This offers an opportunity for cor- initiatives aimed to eliminate corrup- bility of a single unit, the AFPPS. It sure death whenever a foot soldier The public can also do their share rupt practices to flourish. Com- tion. One of these is the institution effectively trimmed down the num- miscalculates an enemy during the by shunning these kind of suppliers pounding the issue is the reality that of AFP Procurement Service ber of personnel doing procurement combat. with the end in view of making them soldiers are not trained to be effi- (AFPPS) on April 16, 2005. Then related tasks, thus minimizing prob- To maximize its contribution realize the negative effects of what cient businessmen but fighters out AFP Chief of Staff General Efren able practitioners of corrupt prac- to the dream of a corruption-free they are doing. A Retirement System That Has Not Attained Its Purpose NIDA AVENO-GRUTA THE CHOSEN high-profile person- and refund of contributions to those who managed and those who are in lot. A modus operandi for reducing ality for this issue is a juridical per- who don't qualify for retirement ben- were also intensified with MB Villar control of it? Equally important is the amount of capital gains tax char- son -- the Armed Forces of the Phil- efits. The RSBS actually started its Group, Sta. Lucia Realty Develop- the question: Why does RSBS still acterized these transactions. ippines Retirement and Separation operations in 1976, two years after ment Corporation, Fil-Estate Corpo- fail to attain self-sufficiency? The 7,556 square meter lot was Benefits System (AFP-RSBS). It is the Decree was enacted and five ration and others. In 1996, at its 20th Consider the following facts as registered as sold for P2,729,920.00 featured in connection with numer- years after the first actuarial valua- year, RSBS had assets worth you try to ponder on the questions. although another deed of sale re- ous criminal cases filed against its tion was made. In the same year, its Php13.64 Billion with fund equity of 1. In 1997, known as the time of flected the amount paid for it as crisis, the RSBS purchased several P10,919,680.00. The biggest parcel officers before the Sandiganbayan governing board was established Php9.43 Billion. parcels of land in Batangas. The consisting of 28,443 square meters after the Philippine Senate Blue Rib- and the initial management guide- By the year 1996, the AFP- purchase price paid by RSBS for was registered as sold for P8Million bon Committee investigation into lines were drafted and approved. RSBS, to put it in its proper perspec- these transactions were consider- although in another deed of sale the alleged mismanagement of funds From 1977 to 1981, the RSBS poli- tive, a billionaire. Very wealthy, in- ably higher that its actual consider- amount paid for the land was and investment portfolio of RSBS, cies and procedures were set in deed! But wait, how is wealth to be ation. For instance, one of which P32Million. resulted in its recommendation to place, trainings were conducted, handled? “Wealth is not something has an area of 24,021 sqm. bought 4. In 1996, RSBS acquired four (4) cause the prosecution of RSBS of- and funds invested thru an invest- for you to dump somewhere and to at a price of P4,852,242.00 when the parcels of land in Makiling, Laguna ficers. The cases involve allega- ment advisory agreement with Ayala crave for. It is for you to make use actual consideration asked for by and made it appear that the total tions of mismanagement of funds, Corporation and Bancom. After- of for your welfare as well as oth- the vendors was P720,630.00. An- amount paid for the land purchased estafa, falsification of numerous of- wards, Presidential Decree No. 1656 ers. If you spend your time by only other parcel of land with an area of was P341,343,000.00 although the ficial documents, and violation of was issued providing for simpli- clinging to your property without 23,925 sqm. was purchased at a price real consideration was only of P4,832,850 when the actual con- P91,024,800.00. The same modus op- the Anti-Graft Law which may have fied computation of member's even fulfilling your obligations to- sideration was only P598,125.00. erandi was utilized by RSBS officers contributed to its near-bankruptcy. monthly contribution at 5% of basic wards your country, your people However, in all these real estate in thirty-two (32) real estate transac- At this point, let me present a pay, allowing RSBS fund to grow and your religion, you may find that transactions the basis for the pay- tions over parcels of land in Tanauan, profile of the AFP-RSBS and its until self-sufficiency is reached, re- when the time comes for you to ment of capital gains tax was the Batangas in the same year. wealth as an extreme attraction to moving funding capital of Php100 leave this world, you will still be lower price. The same type of At the present time, RSBS ad- those whose vibration manifests million, and enjoining the refund of plagued with worries. You will not anomaly was repeated in 116 real mits it has not attained self-suffi- greed and evil consciousness. The contributions to both separated have benefited from that wealth estate transactions entered into by ciency, it is not the one who pays AFP-RSBS was set-up as a funding and retired members. which you have so painstakingly RSBS officers with farmers/lot own- for the old-age pension of military mechanism to guarantee continu- In 1984, the total assets of the collected." (Taken from the essay ers in Tanauan, Batangas in that retirees but the national government ous financial support to the military RSBS exceeded Php 1 Billion mark entitled "How To Overcome Your year. through the AFP Annual Budget retirement system. It was expected as it focused on member benefit pro- Difficulties"of Dr. K. Sri 2. In the same year, 1997, the RSBS Appropriations. management entered into several It is interesting to note that the to take over from the government grams such as one-stop shop for Dhammananda). contracts of sale over twelve (12) RSBS Rules and Regulations No. A- the payment of retirement and sepa- refund and pension and providing Let's move fast forward to De- parcels of land located in General 97 dated September 3, 1997, pro- ration benefits at a time when it be- 300 housing units to its members. In cember 2004 when the Supreme Santos City but made it appear as vides that the fund of RSBS or any comes self-sufficient. 1989, its management intensified in- Court declared the AFP-RSBS as a though each sale was based on the part thereof shall be invested by its Preceding the creation of RSBS vestments in real estate which in- government owned or controlled price of P3,000.00 per square meter Board of Trustees as recommended in the early 1970s, insufficient fund- cluded North Matrix Ville, Palmera corporation. With this in mind, let when in truth and in fact the lands by the Management Group, subject ing was perceived as a problem so Homes, Chinatown Steel Towers, us find out if the wealth of AFP- were sold at P10,500.00 per square to the approval by Secretary of Na- the first actuarial valuation was and in a long-term equity with Pepsi- RSBS was dumped somewhere and meter. The actual sale for each lot tional Defense. The same Rules made conducted to support the enact- Cola. It also had investment portfo- craved for. It also time for asking involved payment of P10,489,500.00 the president of the RSBS as the Vice ment of a Decree to provide for the lio in San Miguel Corporation, PLDT, the questions: Is it used properly but RSBS officers made it appear Chairman of the Board of Trustees. retirement and separation benefits Jollibee Food Corporation, Pilipinas for the welfare of its members and that the lots were sold for only The president of the RSBS is of P2,997,000.00 which became the ba- course appointed by the Chief of of the armed forces. Hino, PCI Leasing, and Union Car- beneficiaries? The people who have sis for payment of lower capital Staff to head the Management Group In the creation of RSBS, Presi- bide, Philippines. managed the AFP-RSBS Funds, did gains tax. per Circular No. 5, dated May 5, 1986. dential Decree No. 361 provided for In 1991, with the creation of they sincerely and honestly fulfill 3. Still in 1997, the RSBS officers If you are wondering who was the building up of a fund from Php 200 M Member Investment Assistance De- their obligations towards the coun- entered into contracts of sale over RSBS president in 1996 and 1997, it seed money contribution from the partment, the RSBS started issu- try and the people? Who have ac- eleven(11) parcels of land in lloilo was Brigadier General Jose Servando national government, contribu- ing 4% interest on refund of con- tually benefited more from the Fund, with areas ranging from 7,556 square Ramiscal, Jr. who was previously

tions from military personnel, tributions. Real estate investments the intended beneficiaries or those meters to 28,443 square meters per AFP Comptroller in the mid 1980s.

¢ ¡ ¡ ¢ ¡ ¢ ¡ £ £ ¡ £ £ £ £ ¡ ¢ £ £ £ £ ¡ £ £ £ £ ¡ £ £ £ £ ¡ £ The Integrity Banner GIL from P5 “SA SIMPLENG OUT OF THE 107 entries re- The judges were composed of ceived nationwide by the Edito- the Honorable Tanodbayan Ma. PAMUMUHAY, rial Board, the Integrity Watch Merceditas N. Gutierrez as Chair- in a family of twelve having experi- News by Mr. Rommel Natanauan man of the Executive Committee enced poverty early in life, Gil be- CORRUPTION of the Department of Tourism and its members : Overall Deputy lieves that poverty is not a reason to commit corruption nor is it a hin- won the first prize in the Masthead Ombudsman Margarito P. drance to success. Instead, it has AY KUSANG Contest which was announced in Gervacio, Jr., Special Prosecutor taught him to dream bigger and work the maiden issue of this Newslet- Dennis Villa-Ignacio, Deputy Om- harder. NAMAMATAY” ter. Ranked second are the two budsman for Luzon Victor C. Presently the Officer-in-Charge

entries “The Integrity Newsletter” Fernandez, Deputy Ombudsman for of the Values Education Department GIL G. SUBANG ¡ ¢ ¡ ¡ ¢ ¡ ¢ ¡ ¡ ¢ ¡ ¢ ¡ ¡ ¡ by Mr. Jeric Limqueco from the Mindanao Antonio E. Valenzuela, of Koronadal National Comprehen- City College of Manila and the Deputy Ombdusman for the Mili- sive High School, Gil G. Subang has “OMB Integrity Newsletter” by tary Affairs and Other Law Enforce- been in government service for the Ms. Joan D. Encarnacion of ment Offices Orlando C. Casimiro past 17 years. the public schools himself, the 51- believes in but continually practices Namapa Compound, Brgy. North and Officer-in-Charge for OMB- A part-time artist and painter, year old Subang is a role-model for and believing that such a legacy is he heads the Artists' Society of Fairview, Quezon City. Visayas Virginia P. Santiago. his students and children, i.e. of priceless value. Koronadal City. Educated from passing on the values he not only RODOLFO M. ELMAN May 12, 2006 An Official Publication of the Office of the Ombudsman with Funding Support from the European Commission 11

OMB-LUZON tegrity by way of incentive. (c) set of ‘bad apples' will soon lead to ruption and Government, Cam- Investigate complaints against cor- the creation of a new group of cor- (2nd of Two Parts) bridge Press 1999, p. 223). PEOPLE’S ruption and misconduct of per- rupt officials and private bribe pay- 6. As borne out by the experi- sonnel promptly, aggressively and ers.” (p. 6). ence of many countries, including GRAFTWATCH II WILBERT L. CANDELARIA thoroughly, but fairly and objectively 4. Credible reform of the civil ours, fundamental change in the LAUNCHES 1. A potent corruption-re- as well. service, of procurement practices, system requires commitment from ANTI-GRAFT ducing strategy is the reforma- 3. The non-organic Resident and of licensing and regulatory pro- the top of government and a will- tion or elimination of corruption- Ombudsmen of OMB-Luzon should grams cannot occur without more ingness on its part to follow through PROJECT laden structures, programs and pro- be tapped, trained and empowered fundamental reforms in the way pub- the anti-corruption efforts exerted WITH EU cedures. Thus, there is a need to as our partners in studying the struc- lic policies are made at the highest by some of its officials. And finally, tures, programs and procedures of level of government. since anti-corruption campaign can look at government structures, pro- MSGR. MELITON OSO grams and procedures with ana- the government agencies or offices 5. According to Susan Rose- be, and have been, used to under- they belong to. They should also Ackerman, the order in which re- mine political opposition, reformers lytical and critical eyes. Those which PEOPLE’S GRAFTWATCH of Iloilo be utilized in the implementation of forms are introduced is very impor- should be very careful not to be allow public servants unfettered (Ombudsman Corruption Prevention discretion are likely sources of the Integrity Development Review tant. At times, logic may have to give used to stifle the same. Nominal in such agencies or offices. In this way to political reality. In this re- or superficial reforms that are in- Unit), Inc. launched last February 1, payoff and, therefore, fertile 2006 the People’s Participation in grounds for corruption that should regard, however, author Susan Rose- gard, she states - Under some con- stituted as a vendetta against po- Ackerman warns us in Corruption and ditions short-term gains can gen- litical opponents will not be cred- Graft and Corruption Prevention be reformed. And if they cannot be Project in partnership with the Eu- reformed, they should be eliminated. Government, Cambridge University erate broad public support for more ible. Press 1999, that reform should not difficult further steps. Under other In conclusion, I would like to ropean Union. There are, however, many regula- The project which is only for tory and spending programs which be limited to the creation and imple- conditions, short-term benefits for express, on behalf of 0MB-Luzon, one (1) year, aims to minimize graft have strong justifications. They mentation of “integrity systems.” some can produce a backlash from our appreciation and gratitude for and corruption in the Province of need to be fixed rather than elimi- She points out that “{instead, fun- those seeking to maintain their ini- the opportunity to be a part of the nated. damental changes in the way gov- tial gains. These concerns suggest Integrity Newsletter. We welcome Iloilo City by building and/or improv- 2. The Federal Bureau of In- ernment does business ought to be two paths to durable reform. The the institution of this forum for com- ing the capability of church-based vestigation of the United States has at the heart of the reform agenda. The first, which will be possible only in paring notes with, and sharing best and other civil society organizations a three-step approach which we can primary goal should be to reduce the times of great crisis and dissatisfac- practices among, OMB's area/ in corruption prevention, investiga- adopt as a device to limit corrup- underlying incentives to pay and re- tion with the status quo, is a “big sectoral offices, as well as other par- tion, filing and litigation of cases as tion, to wit: (a) Recruit high caliber ceive bribes, not to tighten systems bang” approach in which massive ticipating government agencies, civil well as monitoring relating to the personnel. Hire only individuals of ex post control.” (p. 5). She has- changes are introduced all at once. society organizations and non-gov- Lifestyle Check, IRA Watch and Pro- who are not prone to corruption and tens to add that "(e]nforcement and The second involves an incremen- ernmental organizations. We believe curement Watch. It will be imple- misconduct. (b) Train recruits to monitoring are needed, but they will tal strategy in which the steps are the Integrity Newsletter can provide mented in five pilot municipalities, understand the importance of per- have little long-term impact if the ba- carefully designed to build support a haven for mutual encouragement, namely: IGBARAS, STA. BAR- sonal ethics and responsibility. The sic conditions that encourage pay- over time. Some short-term gains strengthening and support for all of BARA, CABATUAN, organization should stress integrity offs are not reduced. If these incen- may need to be sacrificed in order us united in the fight against cor- DUMANGAS and BAROTAC in all things and should reward in- tives remain, the elimination of one to get the sequencing right. (Cor- ruption. VIEJO, all in the Province of Iloilo. Public fora will also be con- ducted in the pilot municipalities as regards to corruption prevention. Strengthening OMB’s Resident Ombudsman At the same time, a special forum (2nd of two Parts) will be organized wherein a Euro- RAFAEL G. HIPOLITO pean resource person will be invited Training of BAC Observers partner,Barug! Pilipino. G- to discuss success stories and/or Procurement Watch, Inc. Training of BAC Members of Gov- ternational development partner Watch's Textbook Count Project good practices in Europe on good (PWI), a CSO partner of the Om- ernment Agencies of GPPB and has provided grants involves monitoring of text book governance especially on how to budsman leads the BAC observer On the other hand, training of under the Asia Europe Meeting 2 deliveries in public schools na- prevent graft and corruption. All of tionwide, as well as detection and training advocacy. Since the effec- members of BAC of government (ASEM 2) and the Institutional De- these aim to provide knowledge velopment Fund (IDF). Notable rectification of physical defects of tivity of the Government Procure- agencies is within the mandate of about good practices, which could projects under the ASEM 2 and IDF textbooks due to use of substan- ment Reform Act (GPRA) in 2003, the Government Procurement Policy be replicated, and at the same time Board (GPPB). It is the highest gov- include: dard materials and equipments. In they have trained 404 potential increase the motivation and dedica- erning body in government procure- (a) Institutionalization of a Sup- fact, in two instances, 100,000 text- books were rejected because of poor tion levels of PGU volunteers as well BAC observers from various NGO/ ment and is mandated by law to, port Mechanism for Bids and binding. Several defects, such as as the public. CSO groups, members of the aca- among others, ensure that Procur- Awards Committee (BAC) Observer reversed page, uneven color/den- The launching was held at the deme, professional associations ing entities regularly conduct pro- in Government Procurement; (b) sity and wrinkles, were found and Pope John Paul I Hall, Archbishop and local chambers of commerce. curement training programs and pre- Setting up a Government Price rectified. Residence in Jaro, Iloilo City and PWI conducted twelve (12) pare a procurement operations Monitor; (c) Training on “Detect- The Project was implemented were graced by OIC, Deputy Om- trainings nationwide: 150 partici- manual for all offices and agencies ing Fraud and Corruption in budsman Virginia Palanca-Santiago, Procurement Contracts; (d) Pilot in cooperation with the Department pants from Luzon, 84 from the of government. It is mandated to es- of Education (DepED) and the stra- Virginnie Lafleur-Tigue of the Euro- Testing of Generic Procurement Visayas and 170 from Mindanao. tablish a sustainable training pro- tegic assistance of the Boy Scouts pean Union and Jaro Archbishop Manuals; (e) Improvement of Skills The training module is delivered by gram to develop the capacity of and Girl Scouts of the Philippines Angel N. Lagdameo who is also in Estimating Prices and Analyzing Government procurement officers Network. The Project started in 2002 head of the Catholic Bishops Con- known experts in the field of public Bid Variances for DPWH Projects; and employees, and to ensure the during the leadership of DepEd Sec- ference of the Philippines (CBCP). procurement. The module includes: (f) Professionalization of Public Pro- conduct of regular procurement retary de Jesus. Now on its third All present were the Parish (a) General Provisions of R.A. No. curement Officials; (g) Down training programs by the procuring cycle, the Project would extend its Priests and presidents of the Parish 9184 (b) Provisions on Procure- entities. GPPB was created for the streaming of the Professionalization scope to ensure monitoring of text Pastoral Council of the respective ment of Goods (c) Mock-bidding purpose of protecting national in- of Public Procurement Officials. book deliveries to student-benefi- municipalities covered by the Project (d) Provisions on Procurement of terest in all matters affecting public Training of Procurement Monitors ciaries. officials from the Province and City Civil Works (infrastructure projects) procurement, having due regard to Government Watch (G-Watch), The accomplishments of the Text- of Iloilo, the officers and members (e) Provisions on Procurement of the country's regional and interna- another CSO partner of the Om- book Count Project are as follows: tional obligations. GPPB also posts budsman is the lead organization of the Association of Resident Om- Consultancy Services (f) Case * Prices of textbooks were re- budsmen of government agencies, studies (g) Diagnostic Report Writ- listings of blacklisted suppliers and that trains procurement monitors duced by 40%. contractors and regularly updates through its Text Book Count the members of the media, PGU vol- ing/E-reporting (h) Help desk (i) *DepEd completed procure- them in its website. GPPB is currently Project. On October 9-10, 2004, the unteers, PGU Project Staff and PGU Code of Ethics of BAC Observers. ment process from bidding to deliv- conducting a series of Barangay Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) ery in 12 months (previous perfor- Board of Trustees. The Asia Foundation and the training seminars in the different conducted a Trainer's Training in mance was 20 months or longer) (Msgr. Meliton Oso is the Direc- World Bank are PWTs major inter- barangays of Quezon and Davao. Cebu for procurement monitors *Delivery errors were reduced tor of Social Action Center, national development partners. The World Bank is a major in- of OMB's Church-based CSO to as low as 5% on the average. Archdiocesan, Jaro, Iloilo).

Nory D. Campo (Tala High School) Kudos

to our new Lawyers !

ATTY. ROCHELLE S. MANUEL CCB-OMB Central Office

ATTY. ALLAN G. PANOLONG GIB-A-OMB Central Office

ATTY. PHILIP C. CAMIGUING OMB-Visayas 12 An Official Publication of the Office of the Ombudsman with Funding Support from the European Commission May 12, 2006

Five Thousand Four Hundred ously displayed at the corridors of Forty-Five (5,445). This is a record OMB-MOLEO. achievement, the highest number For the first quarter of 2006, the of lectures conducted for a single Bureau continued its vigorous and year, since the creation of Ombuds- aggressive corruption prevention man-Military in 1990. With respect program set in place. On February to the monitoring of implementa- 6-10, 2006, OMB-MOLEO con- tion of penalties in administrative ducted a training for the second cases decided by OMB-MOLEO, batch of “Professional Responsibil- ity and Effective Governance,” in it garnered 90% compliance in coordination with the JUSMAG, at- sanctions imposed for the year tended by senior military officers 2005. This covers all branches of belonging to the different branches the AFP, PNP, BFP, BJMP and all of the AFP. The Honorable other offices under our jurisdiction. Tanodbayan Ma. Merceditas In April 2005, the former Navarro-Gutierrez was the Keynote Tanodbayan, Simeon V. Marcelo Speaker on said occasion, which was a Guest Speaker in the Break- also served as a forum to interact fast Forum of the Couples for Christ with the U.S. military officers and (CFC) coordinated by PACCB. Sub- the AFP members in attendance. sequently, it was agreed upon dur- Focusing our efforts on nurturing ing that occasion to forge a MOA the idealism of the military, OMB- between the Office of the Ombuds- MOLEO conducted a two-day semi- man and CFC as partners in the nar for the graduating class of the battle against graft and corruption. Philippine Military Academy In May, 2005, OMB-MOLEO con- (Mandala-Class 2006) last March 14- ducted a training entitled “Profes- 15, 2006. The Honorable Tanodbayan sional Responsibility in Effective gave the keynote address to the big- Governance,” in coordination with gest graduating class in the history the Joint United States Military As- of the PMA, with 324 cadets who sistance Group (JUSMAG). This was listened intently to the message de- participated in by High-Ranking Of- livered, emphasizing on the core val- ues needed for a truly ficers of the AFP, COA, DOJ and professionalized military. As Tanodbayan Gutierrez signs on the Philippine Military Academy guestbook, Maj. Gen. Leopoldo Ombudsman. Reaching out to the Lastly, with respect to the issu- L. Maligalig, PMA Superintendent, looks on. citizenry, PACCB gave a lecture on ance of clearances for all men in “Public Accountability and Good uniform, for the year 2005, we have The Public Assistance and Governance” upon invitation by issued Twenty Two Thousand IN FOCUS: noted evangelist Bro. Bo Sanchez on Ninety Six (22,096) clearances. Community Coordination Bureau (PACCB) October 21, 2005 at Our Lady of Grace Indeed, there is still a lot of work Parish Church, Sucat, Parañaque City. to be done, but with determination RUDIGER G. FALCIS II ON JANUARY 4, 2005, the Hon. creation, with meager resources and On the other hand, in line with and perseverance under the able and Orlando C. Casimiro, Deputy Om- headed by Director Rudiger G. Falcis a staff composed of only eight the transparency policy of the gov- dynamic leadership of Deputy Om- budsman for MOLEO issued Office II. For its first year of operations, people, the Bureau had conducted ernment and as recommended by budsman Orlando C. Casimiro, the Order No. 05-001, which created the the PACCB showed its mettle, given about seventy lectures with differ- the Integrity Development Review PACCB will surely reap a bountiful Public Assistance and Community the following achievements: ent offices under our jurisdiction, (IDR) of this Office, flowcharts of harvest from the humble seeds it had Coordination Bureau (PACCB), After less than a year since its with participants totalling about existing procedures were conspicu- planted.

Task Force-PMO were joined by ganizations were more enlightened representatives from other govern- and informed about their participa- ment agencies, particularly the De- tion in the Project during the open partment of Health (DOH), Armed forum that set the tone for their en- Forces of the Philippines (AFP), thusiastic involvement and active Philippine Information Agency participation during the subsequent (PIA), Light Rail Transit Authority workshop sessions. Mr. Marcy (LRTA); media partners from the Ballesteros of Izip Business Solu- Kapisanan ng mga Broadkaster ng tions talked about Communication Pilipinas (KBP), Philippine News Strategies to Address Corruption and Agency (PNA), Philippine Broad- shared his experiences how he casting. System (PBS), NBN-4 and helped craft some campaign against civil society organizations like the corruption during his stint with the Concerned Women of the Philip- Department of Finance. Mr. Wowie pines (CWP), Fellowship of Chris- de Leon, a corporate advertising prac- tians in the Government (FOCIG), titioner gave important pointers on G-Watch Ateneo and Lingkod. effective use of slogans and other Mr. Tony Kwok, the Chief Adviser campaign materials with his lecture of the EC-OMB Corruption Preven- tion Project made a case presenta- on Crafting Effective Messages. He poses with the speakers, facilitators and Overall Deputy Ombudsman Margarito P. Gervacio, Jr. tion in Formulating Media Com- also helped in analyzing and critiqu- participants of the Communications Planning Workshop on Corruption Prevention after the closing cer- munication Plan: The Hongkong ing the sample slogans during the emony on January 25, 2006 held at the Fontana Leisure Parks, Clarkfield, Pampanga. Experience. The afternoon session group presentations. The group dy- started with a powerpoint presenta- namics of the different modules of tion and lecture on the topic The the workshop helped a lot in foster- Development Framework of EC- ing closer camaraderie among the Communications Planning Workshop Held OMB Anti-Corruption project by participants that resulted on a pledge Assistant Ombudsman Cyril E. of their individual commitment in ANTONIO J. LUGO Ramos, PTF Project Director. The fighting corruption. The Honorable THE OFFICE OF THE OMBUDS- institutional groupings for effec- presentation dwelt on the evils of Overall Deputy Ombudsman man in coordination with the Philip- tive dissemination of the EC-OMB corruption and the continuing Margarito P. Gervacio, Jr. who graced pine Information Agency and with tivity was to develop a comprehen- Corruption Prevention Project. To fight against it in terms of punitive the closing ceremony gave an in- funding support from the European sive communication strategy frame- develop communications partner- and preventive measures, poverty spiring message to the loud applause Commission conducted a three-day work that will be translated into a ship with concerned institutions alleviation in accordance with the of the audience. Communications Planning Work- Communications Plan (COMPLAN) and stakeholders, the Office’ partici- Medium-Term Philippine Develop- Kudos to the PIA facilitators shop from January 23-25, 2006 at the for the Office, which will include the pants from the different bureaus of ment Plan, the objectives and com- and staff, the OMB Secretariat and Fontana Leisure Parks, Clarkfield, identified appropriate dissemination PACPO, OMB-Proper, OMB-Luzon, ponents of the EC-OMB Corruption support services for helping make Pampanga. channels and specific communica- OMB-Visayas, OMB-Mindanao, Prevention Project. The participants the workshop successful and a The main objective of the ac- tion strategies for each sectoral OMB-MOLEO, FIO and Project from the media and civil society or- good learning activity. BIR pursues reforms thru integrity development The Bureau of Internal Revenue PRIDE is a government initia- LEONOR S. VILLALON-ROGERS to assess the agency's level of cor- V. Sales of the Bureau's Inspec- (BIR), through Commissioner tive that aims to establish a culture ruption resistance, identify corrup- tion Service, has already for- Jose Mario C. Buñag, entered into of professionalism and integrity in erty”, where Corruption Prevention tion vulnerable areas and progres- mulated and been implementing the entire government; raise con- is a major component. anti-corruption programs/ a Memorandum of Understand- sively develop and implement cor- projects in the Bureau. ing (MOU) last October 7, 2005 sciousness on corruption preven- Based on the MOU, the BIR, ruption prevention measures to meet tion and provide tools to improve along with the other four (4) partici- The implementation of said with other government agencies certain standards to improve orga- programs, including activities organizational and systems integ- pating agencies, namely: the De- covered under the Bureau's In- spearheaded by the Office of the rity in the public sector. The Euro- partment of Public Works and High- nizational integrity. In the BIR, an Ombudsman to participate in the Anti-Corruption Steering Group has tegrity Development Action Plan pean Commission (EC) will finance Ways, Philippine National Police, (IDAP), are expected to have fur- Program on Pursuing Reforms the implementation of the said ini- Bureau of Customs and Land Trans- already been created as early as ther intensified with Commis- through Integrity Development tiative under its program “Improv- portation Office, will conduct an In- June 7 last year. The Group, headed sioner Buñag's signing of the or PRIDE. ing Governance to Reduce Pov- tegrity Development Review (IDR) by Assistant Commissioner Estela MOU on PRIDE.