PGMA's Speech during the oathtaking ceremonies with Presidential Anti-Graft Corruption Chairman Dario Rama and Bureau of Customs Commissioner Antonio Bernardo

PGMA's Speech during the oathtaking ceremonies with Presidential Anti-Graft Corruption Chairman Dario Rama and Bureau of Customs Commissioner Antonio Bernardo

Reception Hall, Malacanang (18 Mar 2002)

GOOD MORNING.

I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE OUR NEW PRESIDENTIAL ANTI-GRAFT CHAIRMAN,
DARIO RAMA, AND OUR NEW BUREAU OF CUSTOMS HEAD, ANTONIO BERNARDO, FOR
ACCEPTING THE CHALLENGE I HAVE GIVEN THEM: BE AT THE VANGUARD, TOGETHER
WITH COMMISSIONER RENE BAÑEZ, OF OUR GOVERNMENT'S WAR AGAINST GRAFT AND
CORRUPTION.

THIS FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION IS ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL THRUSTS OF THE
GOVERNMENT. INDEED, ONE MIGHT SAY, FATE HAS THRUST SUCH A GOAL UPON ME.

MY LATE FATHER PRESIDENT DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL WAS KNOWN AS THE INCORRUPTIBLE,
AND I MUST CONTINUE THE WORK HE STARTED DECADES AGO. ALSO, EDSA 2 WHICH
CATAPULTED ME INTO THIS OFFICE WAS ALL ABOUT PEOPLE POWER AGAINST
CORRUPTION, A HISTORIC FIGHT AGAINST GRAFT IN THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF
GOVERNMENT. I CANNOT BUT FOLLOW THIS EDSA SPIRIT, THIS COURAGE AND
DETERMINATION TO FIGHT CORRUPTION.

WE DO NOT HAVE TO GO OVER STATISTICS ON HOW HUGE A PROBLEM CORRUPTION IS
FOR OUR COUNTRY. SOME SAY IT HAS PERVADED EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY OF OUR
BUREAUCRACY, SO MUCH SO THAT IT EATS UP A BIG CHUNK OF TAXPAYERS' MONEY AND
BUSINESSMEN'S EXPENSES.

MANY ADULT FILIPINOS HAVE, SOMETIME IN THEIR LIVES, AN ACTUAL ENCOUNTER
WITH CORRUPTION. THE TONG FOR SOME REAL OR FABRICATED TRAFFIC VIOLATION.
THE FEE FOR THE SWIFT ISSUANCE OF A DOCUMENT FOR AN IMPORTATION OR A
BUSINESS PERMIT. THE 10 PERCENT OR EVEN MORE PAID FOR A GOVERNMENT
CONTRACT. PROTECTION MONEY FOR ILLEGAL NUMBERS GAMES.

CORRUPTION IS ONE OF THE MAJOR OBSTACLES TO REDUCING POVERTY, THE
OVERARCHING GOAL OF MY ADMINISTRATION. IT REDUCES GOVERNMENT RESOURCES FOR
ALLEVIATING THE PLIGHT OF THE POOR, AND INSTEAD FINANCES THE LUXURIES OF AN
UNSCRUPULOUS RICH. BECAUSE IT IS AN ADDITIONAL COST TO BUSINESS, IT NOT
ONLY WEAKENS OUR COMPANIES' COMPETITIVENESS. IT EVEN MAKES GOODS AND
SERVICES THE POOR NEED MORE EXPENSIVE.

AS SOON AS I TOOK OVER, I LAUNCHED THIS FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION --
STARTING WITH MY FAMILY AND TOP OFFICIALS. I ISSUED A PROCLAMATION
PROHIBITING AGENCIES OF THE GOVERNMENT FROM DOING BUSINESS WITH MY KIN. I
HAVE NO CRONIES OR DRINKING BUDDIES. MALACANANG'S TRANSACTIONS ARE
TRANSPARENT.

I INSTRUCTED MY ENTIRE GOVERNMENT TO FORMULATE AND INSTITUTE
ANTI-CORRUPTION MECHANISMS, AMONG THEM THE SETTING UP OF AN OPEN,
INTERNET-BASED PROCUREMENT SYSTEM FOR GOVERNMENT SUPPLIES AND THE REDUCTION
OF SIGNATURES IN REGULATORY ACTIVITIES, WHICH HAVE BEEN A FERTILE FIELD FOR
GRAFT.

BUT THIS IS ONLY THE START. I AM INSTRUCTING THE NEW PAGC CHAIRMAN RAMA TO
SUBMIT IN A MONTH'S TIME THE COMMISSION'S CONCRETE PROGRAM TO FIGHT GRAFT
AND CORRUPTION. THE SAME INSTRUCTION IS FOR COMMISSIONER BERNARDO FOR THE
BUREAU OF CUSTOMS. COMMISSIONER BAÑEZ SUBMITTED HIS PROGRAM LONG AGO, AND
HAS BEEN CARRYING IT OUT, RESULTING IN ACHIEVING INTERNAL REVENUE
COLLECTIONS HIGHER THAN TARGET, AS ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CREDIT
RISK AGENCIES THAT HAVE UPGRADED THE PHILIPPINES' RATING. I CONGRATULATE
HIM AND URGE HIM TO CONTINUE HIS WORK, WHICH, IMPRESSIVE AS IT IS SO FAR,
STILL HAS ADDITIONAL POTENTIAL FOR OPTIMIZATION.

WE NEED NOT JUST STUDIES, BUT ACTUAL RESULTS. CORRUPT OFFICIALS MUST BE
IDENTIFIED, THEN IMMEDIATELY SUSPENDED, AND CHARGES FILED IN COURT. I NEED
RESULTS IN A FEW MONTHS' TIME. OUR PEOPLE ARE EVEN CLAMORING THAT WE HAVE
TO CATCH BIG FISH.

CORRUPTION IS SO CLEARLY A PROBLEM THAT ORDINARY CITIZENS AND EVEN STUDENTS
HAVE ORGANIZED NGOs TO FIGHT CORRUPTION. REPRESENTATIVE OF ONE SUCH NGO --
CLEVERLY NAMED "WALANG KU-CORRUPT" -- ARE WITH US TODAY. I APPLAUD THEIR
EFFORTS. IT IS NOT ONLY CIVIL SERVANTS WHO HAVE THE DUTY TO FIGHT
CORRUPTION. IT IS THE DUTY OF ALL OUR CITIZENS. THE HELP THEY EXTEND TO
OUR OFFICIALS AND AGENCIES FIGHTING CORRUPTION WILL BE INVALUABLE.

I WANT OUR GOVERNMENT TO BE REMEMBERED AS A SUCCESSFUL ANTI-GRAFT
ADMINISTRATION. AND I EXPECT THE PAGC TO BE AT THE VANGUARD OF SUCH A WAR ON CORRUPTION, AND THE BUREAU OF CUSTOMS AND AND THE BUREAU
OF INTERNAL REVENUE AS SHINING MODELS FOR VICTORY AGAINST GRAFT.

OUR NATION HAS TARRIED SO LONG IN TAKING ON THIS BULL OF CORRUPTION BY ITS
HORNS. LET US CLEAN UP GOVERNMENT ONCE AND FOR ALL. WE OWE THIS TO THE
FUTURE OF OUR CHILDREN. TUNGKULIN NATIN ITO SA DAKILANG MANGGAGAWANG
PILIPINO.

THANK YOU.

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