PBBM: PH using digitalization, people-participation vs. corruption

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (RTVM Screengrab via PNA)

By Darryl John Esguerra, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Tuesday the government is employing a “two-pronged approach” in the fight against corruption – digitalization and people participation.

Speaking at the 5th State Conference on the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) Implementation and Review in Malacañang, Marcos said streamlining and digitalizing government processes would minimize the avenues of corruption as government transactions become more transparent and accessible to the public.

The initiative, according to the President, is being undertaken through the New Government Procurement Act, which establishes standardized electronic bidding and payment systems through the enhanced Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System.

“By streamlining and digitalizing processes, we are improving the efficiency and fostering trust and accountability between government and the public,” he said.

He also emphasized empowering the people to participate in good governance through the electronic Freedom of Information platform.

Aside from implementing laws and regulations, the government must also encourage the practice of core values that would help promote integrity, he added.

“We must shift away from merely enforcing compliance with laws, rules, and regulations, to steering our people towards the practice of integrity in their daily lives,” he said.

“Integrity that is rooted in katapatan, malasakit, pakikipag-kapwa, and bayanihan (honesty, care, fellowship, and the spirit of community) – these need to be reinforced and sustained. This is the kind of transformation that we envision, which guides not only our systems of governance but our behaviors as citizens of this Bagong Pilipinas.”

The UNCAC is an international anti-corruption treaty ratified, accepted, approved, and acceded to by at least 180 countries worldwide, including the Philippines.

The conference highlighted the presentation and implementation of the Integrity Management Plan (IMP) vision overseen by the Office of the President – Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs (OP-ODESLA).

Marcos said the country continues to honor its obligation to UNCAC through the IMP, which he described as a tool to enhance both individual and systems integrity across the bureaucracy.