PHILIPPINE CONSTRUCTION HIGHLIGHTS TODAY Philippine Constructors Association, Inc. June 2011 Volume II, Issue 3 PCA joins campaign against corruption, Integrity Pledge-signing in full swing A total of eight chief executives from par- By having signed the pledge, all signatories action to foster ethical and transparent ticipating construction companies inked the committed to shun bribery in their business business transactions in the Philippines. integrity pledge at the Joy~Nostalg Center dealings, enforce adherence to the PCA Code Manila, Ortigas Center, Pasig City last May of Ethics, promote integrity, honesty and The Integrity Pledge-signing is one of the 31, 2011, after the General Membership accountability in the exercise of their em- critical elements of the Integrity Initiative Meeting of the Philippine Constructors campaign first fronted by the Makati Association, Inc. (PCA) came to a close. Business Club (MBC) and the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Among the signatories who subscribed to (ECCP) back in 2009. It is every com- ethical business practices and good corpo- pany’s concrete expression of commit- rate governance were PCA and Datem, Inc. ment to operate in keeping with the pre- president Engr. Levy Espiritu, Pacific Paint sent administration’s national campaign Phils. Inc. marketing manager Ruben D. against corruption. Cueto, Livan Trade Corp. vice-president Lito Garcia, Society of Philippine Electro- By and large, this private sector-led technical Constructors and Suppliers Inc. movement seeks to put in place a more president Arthur Escalante, Manitowoc competitive business environment for the Cranes sales manager Engr. Long Naaman, Philippines by reducing, if not totally Jr. and managing director Raul A. Fernan- Integrity Initiatives Chairman Ramon del stamping out, the unbridled crooked dez, Asian Technicon president Felicitas Rosario and PCA President Levy Espiritu system besetting different sectors of the Pio Roda, PhilPrime Global Corp. chief together ink the Integrity Pledge Philippine society today. executive officer Hedy Barretto, and Ge- magin Industries general manager Gines ployees’ duties and responsibilities, encour- To date, about 500 companies from dif- Inguengan. age the establishment of appropriate internal ferent sectors have already joined the systems and controls to preclude unethical Integrity Initiative campaign and are now The signing of the pledge was officially conducts, report suspicious circumstances in part of the widening coalition of the kicked off by PCA President Levy Espiritu confidence and without risk of reprisal, pro- “Integrity Consortium.” Meanwhile, and Makati Business Club (MBC) Chair- mote and encourage participation in integrity more companies are urged to take part in man Ramon Del Rosario, Jr., who served as pacts when dealing with bidding and pro- this endeavour towards a renewed Philip- the guest speaker that day. curement procedures, and ensure collective pines. PCA inks MOU with CHINCA during the 2nd IIICF A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) them was Department of Public Works and in the forum to invest in the Philippines, was inked by the China International Con- Highways (DPWH) Secretary Rogelio Sing- Sec. Singson crowed the $12 billion worth tractors Association (CHINCA) and the son. of transport infrastructure projects lined up Philippine Constructors Association, Inc. for implementation in the country, includ- (PCA) during the 2nd International Infra- Inked by PCA President Levy Espiritu and ing seaports, airports, railways and road structure Investment and Construction Fo- CHINCA Chairman Diao Chunhe, the MOU projects. rum (IIICF) Conference and Signing Cere- sealed a closer business partnership between mony held last May 27, 2011 in Beijing, China and the Philippines in facets relating to The MOU is expected to schematize and China. the public-private partnership (PPP) program, give a boost to the Association’s rapport financial security and sustainability, and pos- with CHINCA in realizing its goals for a The PCA delegation was composed of PCA sibilities of joint venture in the future. better Philippines. Executive Director Manolito Madrasto, PCA Director Rosario Evangelista, PCA The forum also served as a venue for Sec. As a consequence of the signing, Sec. Director Noel Policaprio, PCA Public Con- Singson to promote the convalescing and Singson will be tabling the details of the struction Committee Member Billy Beli- more transparent investment climate in the rules of engagement between PCA and sario, PCA Corporate Secretary and Legal Philippines. CHINCA in a month, which Pres. Benigno Counsel Atty. Ma. Elena Go Francisco and Aquino III will take up in his next visit in PCA President Levy Espiritu. Also with Wooing the international contractors present China. PHILIPPINE CONSTRUCTION HIGHLIGHTS TODAY May GMM: MBC Chairman Ramon Del Rosario talks about the Integrity Initiative Pasig City — The General Member- how the previous administrations vi- document. ship Meeting (GMM) of the Philippine ciously cleaved to a culture of corruption. Constructors Association (PCA), Inc. Touching on the culture of accountability He divulged that in line with the integrity held last May 31, 2011 at the that the present administration brings into certification and accreditation system that Joy~Nostalg Business Center in Orti- play today, he prided on the strategic re- they plan to establish in the Philippines, gas, Pasig City was concluded with a forms and good governance policies that the project has won the funding support of drive to push for a more ethical busi- the Aquino team performs in accord, to Siemens AG, a German firm concurrently ness practice in the field of construc- halt the Philippines in its downhill tracks. pushing its own Integrity Initiative project tion, as Makati Business Club (MBC) in an international scope. Chairman Ramon Del Rosario, Jr. suc- As he spoke of the leadership’s commit- cinctly but grippingly discussed the ment to pursue the anti-corruption cam- He guaranteed that all individuals and Integrity Initiative campaign before all paign with full intensity, the chairman companies that will religiously keep the PCA members and urged them to take sidetracked on the role of the business certification standards set will enjoy in- strides in achieving transparency in the community in building the nation. centives and privileges that are due them, private sector through pushing this anti- among those mentioned were (1) being corruption campaign forward. “But I think we also need to step beyond accorded preferred supplier/ service pro- our comfort zones and...channel some of vider status and (2)grants from different our energy and resources toward address- government agencies. ing...corruption. We need to undertake organized and sustained intervention Chairman Del Rosario said he is confident against public and private sector corrup- that the fruit of the Integrity Initiative will tion,” said Chairman Del Rosario as he transform the culture of doing business at urged the members of the Association length and will call the shots for a more with a fire in his belly. competitive global standing. He said that the Makati Business Club has “The integrity initiative is a bold and already forged ahead through the Coali- unprecedented undertaking, but we be- tion Against Corruption, an alliance that is lieve it is doable,” said the chairman. primarily concerned with procurement monitoring for anti-corruption in the pub- After some time, he dwelled on the note- MBC Chairman Ramon Del Rosario talks lic sector. worthy advances of the project, from the about the Integrity Initiative during signing of integrity pacts even of suppli- PCA’s May GMM According to him, the project aims to ers, the creation of policies on bribery and prevent the misappropriation of public “facilitation payments”, setting up of hot- In the outset, Chairman Del Rosario funds and the abuse of authority of offi- lines for ethics issues, and the linking of alluded to the poor stature of the Philip- cials in procurement transactions, and to the Integrity Initiative with the Govern- pines in international corruption sur- promote competitive bidding and institu- ment e-Procurement System. veys and indices, where it ranked 134 tional accountability, among others. out of 178 in the Transparency Interna- Determined to push the Integrity Initiative tional’s 2010 Corruption Perceptions Meteoric in nature, the procurement forward, Chairman Del Rosario finally Index. monitoring project does not promise a urged all PCA members to join the cam- deep-rooted solution to national corrup- paign and be among the associations to He also cited the World Economic Fo- tion. On this account, he propounded that lead the way in this groundbreaking ef- rum’s Global Competitiveness Report the Integrity Initiative sprang out of the fort. for 2010-2011 where the Philippines MBC and the European Chamber of Com- ranked 135th out of the 139 economies merce in the Philippines’ urge to sweep- “I was informed PCA members are in- in the category of ethics and corruption ingly address corruption in the private volved in over 85% of government and in public institutions. sector. private construction projects in the Phil- ippines. Imagine the impact that you Having made mention of these igno- Initially launched in December 2010, the would have on the conduct and outcome minious figures, it was an opportune chairman resolved that the initiative will of government infrastructure projects if time for Chairman