By Cris G. Odronia, Reporter
Malacañang on Wednesday greeted Transparency International’s (TI) survey on global corruption by vowing to improve
the Philippines’ ranking and continue to promote good governance.
In a Palace briefing, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said that the government was pleased that TI’s 2010 Corruption Perception Index (CPI), which was released on Tuesday, found the country’s ranking improving.
“We’re just four months old and the fact that we improved [our] ranking says something about our determination to promote good governance. We’ll continue to do our part” in this regard, Lacierda said.
He added, though, that good governance does not only mean the prosecution of erring government officials and the creation of the Truth Commission, which is tasked to probe corruption scandals during the Arroyo administration.
“It [good governance] also involves proactive measures. Prosecution . . . [is] the only means by which we will eradicate corruption,” he said, emphasizing that President Benigno Aquino 3rd’s reputation for not being tainted with corruption “speaks for itself” in this matter.
Lacierda added that the Aquino administration is determined to improve the Philippines‘ ranking.
According to the survey, the Philippines remains “highly corrupt” among 178 countries, ranking 134th with a score of 2.4—an improvement from its 139th ranking in 2009 and 141st ranking in 2008.
Other countries considered “highly corrupt” include Kenya, Laos, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Republic of Congo, Uganda, Timor Leste, Lebanon, Solomon
Islands, Mali, Mongolia, Niger, Libya, Iran, Nepal, Yemen, Cambodia, Venezuela, Honduras, Syria, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Benin, Gabon, Indonesia, Kosovo, Kazakhstan and Modova.
The Philippines also lagged behind most of its Southeast Asian neighbors, like Malaysia (56th), Thailand (78th), Indonesia (110th) and Vietnam (116th).
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