All for transparency: Champions of government transparency and anti-corruption joined PPTRP and USAID in the project's final roundtable event on August 23 in Quezon City. Holding copies of their PPTRP handbooks are (from left, lower row) whistleblower Jun Lozada, COA Chair Ma. Gracia Pulido-Tan, DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo, Senator TG Guingona, (from left, upper row) PPTRP Director Alan Davis, USAID Economic Development and Governance Chief Maria Rendon, Bohol TNT member Ric Obedencio, CCJD Executive Director Red Batario and journalist Ryan Rosauro. MANNY PALMERO

The country’s leading champions of greater transparency in government joined forces last week at the final event of the Philippine Public Transparency Reporting Project (PPTRP).

More than 140 people from the media, civil society, peoples’ organizations, faith groups and the diplomatic community joined PPTRP partners and key public figures in government, Congress and constitutional oversight agencies to improve public accountability, to celebrate the project’s achievements and to launch its practical handbook on how to promote greater public engagement.

Are the happy days gone? Former SSS president and CEO Romulo Neri was allegedly among several GOCC officials who enjoyed a salary and bonuses worth millions of pesos, while their agencies plunge into deeper debt and non-performance. The landmark GOCC Governance Act promises to change the wind. Sourced from http://www.flickr.com

During last September’s Senate hearings, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) officials revealed that they received 25-month bonuses apart from their salaries. One official earned PhP 4 million (USD 95,238) in 2009 alone.

The bonuses include an anniversary bonus, mid-year financial assistance, yearend financial assistance, productivity bonus, performance bonus, educational assistance, rate-rebasing bonus, privatization bonus, efficiency incentive, performance enhancement bonus, corporate Christmas package, traditional Christmas package, calamity financial assistance, scholarship allowance, and family week allowance, among others.

This is in clear violation of a memorandum order issued by the previous administration, which limits the salaries of government-owned and -controlled corporation (GOCC) executives to twice that of Cabinet secretaries.

For real or for politicking? "MagDegamo Ta," a program of the Negros Oriental provincial government, has ultimate semblance to the name of current Gov. Roel Degamo (in the middle, in yellow shirt) but his aides are denying it is just a means to promote his political career. EDMUND SESTOSO

Is it right or ethical for public funds to be channeled into a program that seems to be named after the new governor of Negros Oriental – or is this a very blatant example of political patronage designed to help him stay in power?

Degamo’s rise to Capitol

Roel Ragay Degamo, a native of Siaton town, became governor of Negros Oriental not by election but through legal succession following the deaths of the two top officials elected in the May 2010 national and local elections.

In that same election, Degamo was re-elected as one of the three members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Council) representing the 3rd District of the province.

'Extraordinary' perks: The Angeles City Water District's former manager topped last year with the biggest discretionary and extraordinary and miscellanous expenses, reaching to Ph 15 million. Courtesy of the Angeles City Water District website

Given the pursuit of exorbitant discretionary funds and perks granted by officials to themselves in the different government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) such as the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM), Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) – it is clear the Aquino government has been taking bold steps to track down and punish those who abused the system during the previous administration.

But what about the future? Will there be future exposes and Commission on Audit (COA) reports that will highlight abusive spending on perks by officials in 2011, or 2012? What exactly is the system that allows for discretionary funds and public perks?

 The Philippine Public Transparency Reporting Project (PPTRP) delves into some of the laws, rules and regulations in an effort to understand past and current practices. It is sometimes said that what is allowable is not always right – and what is right is not always allowed.

Being equipped: PPTRP has trained journalists, advocates and ordinary citizens to better understand, monitor and report on transparency issues.

In Zamboanga Del Norte, the provincial council approved a PhP 25 million (USD 595,238) supplemental budget for intelligence funds with barely a month left in the fiscal year. In Iligan City, a councilor barged into the announcer’s booth of a local radio station and attacked the news anchor who had questioned the PhP 14 million (USD 333,333) budget allegedly spent for snacks during committee hearings. The broadcaster had said he never saw any snacks served at the hearings.

In Bicol, a quarry that has been in operation for several years has failed to pay any fees over to the barangay in which it sits. In Misamis Occidental, a fourth class municipality has pegged its salary scale to that of a second class municipality and nobody has complained since employees are all reportedly benefiting. Western Samar meanwhile, has been subsisting on a reenacted budget since 2008 which begs the question what has happened to all the savings made from one-off projects which were continually refunded.

New leader, new hope: The public is watching and waiting on how newly appointed Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales would bring back the people's faith in the Constitutional body. Courtesy of the Supreme Court

During his second State of the Nation Address, President Benigno Aquino III announced that retired Supreme Court Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales was to be the new Ombudsman of the Philippines.

The President placed high expectations on her new leadership after former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez failed to tackle several high-profile cases. "Inaasahan ko nga po na sa taong ito masasampahan na ng kaso ang lahat ng nagkuntsabahan sa katiwalian at naging sanhi ng sitwasyong ating inabutan (I expect this year that cases would be filed against those who conspired to commit corruption and which caused the situation left to us),” President Aquino said in his speech.

The President added that under the new leadership, erring public officials would be prosecuted. "Kapag tayo ang nagsampa, matibay ang ebidensya, malinaw ang testimonya at siguradong walang lusot ang salarin (If we file cases, evidence is strong, testimonies are clear and culprits surely have no way out).”

Who's got the power? The Congress, says the Constitution, is supposed to have it when it comes to the budget, but Presidential Decree 1177 continues to give the President excessive discretion over lump sum funds and savings and the authority when to suspend its release, as reportedly shown in the previous administration. JES AZNAR (www.jesaznar.com)

While the 1987 Philippine Constitution gives Congress the power of appropriations, provisions in Presidential Decree No. 1177 give the President discretion over certain appropriations such as  lump sum appropriations, the authority to suspend the release of funds, and use of savings in appropriations to cover deficits. These are powers sourced from this decree issued during the dictatorial rule of President Marcos and not sanctioned by the 1987 Philippine Constitution.

It is a decree that should ideally be rescinded and struck down by this administration in the interests of public transparency and accountability since it gives any president massive powers to switch around and manipulate funds regardless of any decisions or restrictions initially put on approved monies by the legislature.

Time for change: The Commission on Audit would undergo the much needed reforms to live up to its role in anti-corruption and public accountability, says its current chair Gracia Pulido-Tan. JES AZNAR (www.jesaznar.com)

By any measure or program that aims to prevent or eliminate corruption, the role of audit is crucial.

The role of the Commission on Audit (COA) is thus very important if President Benigno Aquino III is to deliver on his program of good governance.

Aquino has appointed Ma. Gracia Pulido Tan as COA chairperson, a no non-sense accountant who previously had stints in government as Finance Undersecretary.

In an interview with the Philippine Public Transparency Reporting Project (PPTRP), Tan said she accepted the position with the aim of ensuring that COA would be what it is meant to be– to ensure that public funds would have full and proper accounting.

Philippine soldiers take part in a training under the country's visiting forces agreement with the US in this file photo taken in Tarlac. The Commission of Audit pointed out in its annual audit report that the Presidential Commission on the Visiting Forces Agreement prevented it to conduct audit for fiscal year 2010. Photo courtesy of PCVFA

August heralds the systematic releases of the Commission on Audit (COA) annual audit reports (AAR) of all government agencies and entities and its report on salaries and allowances (ROSA) of all government officials in national government agencies, water districts, and government-owned and/or -controlled corporations (GOCCs).

Among findings from early 2010 audit reports just released is the revelation that a presidential commission prevented the audit agency from conducting an audit for fiscal year 2010.

It appears the Presidential Commission on the Visiting Forces Agreement (PCVFA) – an agency sitting within the Office of the President -- prevented the COA from doing an audit.

For the sake of truth: With no law protecting them, whistleblowers like NBN ZTE scam witness Jun Lozada are forced to hold on to their own faith and courage. JES AZNAR (www.jesaznar.com)

ZTE-NBN deal whistleblower Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada spoke out and told all he knew. As a result, while corruption persists, his life has changed forever.

“I still live in fear because those I uncovered are still in power and they are still billionaires –whereas I cannot live a normal live anymore,” Lozada tells the Philippine Public Transparency Reporting Project (PPTRP).

Lozada, former Chief Executive Officer of the government-run Philippine Forest Corporation and then consultant of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) alleged back in 2008 that then Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Chairman Benjamin Abalos and former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo pocketed kickbacks in the USD 329 million construction contract awarded to Chinese telecommunications firm ZTE for the proposed National Broadband Network.

Lozada did not receive any protection from the government. Instead the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines gave him the sanctuary he sought.

By the millions: COA in its latest report said former PAGCOR chair Efraim Genuino raked in PhP 287 million in the first half of 2010 alone for salaries, bonuses and intelligence funds. Courtesy of Philippine Star

The most famous auditor of the country has a new bombshell with the just released “2010 Report on Salaries and Allowances (ROSA) Received by Principal Officers and Members of Governing Boards of Government-Owned and -Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) and their Subsidiaries and Secretaries, Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries and Other Officials of Equivalent Rank of National Government Agencies (NGAs).”

Commission on Audit (COA) Commissioner Heidi Mendoza said in the introduction to the 900-page report that the objective is “to promote transparency in government by monitoring the annual salaries and allowances received by government officials holding high and/or multiple positions as well as determine the total amount of emoluments and benefits received by them from different state agencies/instrumentalities with which they are affiliated.”

Breeds corruption? Some lawmakers want the Sangguniang Kabataan abolished because it reportedly became a mere training ground for future corrupt officials and traditional politics, but some say the council still somehow gives voice to the youth and must only be reformed. Courtesy of SK Facebook page

The Sangguniang Kabataan (SK, Youth Council) was created almost 20 years ago to replace the defunct Kabataang Barangay during the Marcos era.  The Local Government Code of 1991 or Republic Act 7160 gave way to the formation of Katipunan ng Kabataan (KK) chapter – the general assembly of youth in each barangay nationwide.  The law states that any youth aged between 15 and 17 can vote or be voted on to govern the SK. The SK is the legislative body of youths, and its chair sits as a regular member in the Barangay Council as representative of local youth.

Under its constitution and by-laws, the main function of the SK is to “promulgate resolutions necessary to carry out the objectives of the youth in the barangay, initiate programs designed to enhance the social, political, economic, cultural, spiritual a physical development of the members, conduct fund-raising activities, consult and coordinate with all youth organizations in the barangay for policy formulation and program implementation, and coordinate with the appropriate agency for the implementation of youth development projects and programs at the national level.”