OMB PROMOTES INTEGRITY DURING INT’L ANTI-CORRUPTION DAY

The Philippines joins other United Nations-member countries in celebrating International Anti-Corruption Day today (09 December 2011) through the signing of a covenant among all branches of government and the private sector for a unified and vigorous effort against corruption.

The event shall be held at the Garden Ballroom of the EDSA Shangri-La Manila in Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales leads the signing of the covenant together with the heads of the different branches of government: Executive Secretary Paquito ‘Jojo’ N. Ochoa for the Executive department; Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile for the Senate; Speaker Feliciano ‘Sonny’ R. Belmonte for the House of Representatives; Court Administrator Jose Midas P. Marquez and Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Francisco H,. Villaruz, Jr. for the Judiciary; and Mr. Tan Ching , President of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) for the private sector and Pura Sumangil, Chairperson of the Concerned Citizens of Abra for Good Government (CCAGG) and the Northern Luzon Coalition For Good Governance (NLCGG) for the civil society.

Under the Covenant to Support the National Anti-Corruption Program of Action (NACPA), the parties will commit to “come together and join hands in supporting an anti-corruption convergence process that will promote wide, continuing, and effective participatory consultations among the various stakeholders against corruption and align all anti-corruption initiatives undertaken by government, civil society, and the private sector under a unified comprehensive strategic framework”.

Ombudsman Morales will also lead the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the establishment of a Steering Committee to implement the Project on the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Code of Conduct for Business with representatives from the government: Depts. Of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Industry and Securities and Exchange Commission, and from the private sector: National Competitiveness Council, Women’s Business Council of the Philippines and the Asian Institute of Management.

Under the said MOU, the parties “have agreed to join hands as a multi-sectoral Steering Committee to develop and implement the Philippine-proposed Seminar-Workshop for the Implementation of APEC Code of Conduct for Business and to oversee the implementation of the Operationalization Programme”.

The two-day seminar-workshop which aims to increase awareness among micro, small and medium enterprises “that corruption is an unacceptable practice according to law” is set to be held in the first quarter of next year.

The annual assembly of the Multi-Sectoral Anti-Corruption Council (MSACC) shall also be held on the same day. MSACC serves as the advisory and consultative body of the NACPA. Dir. Edgardo C. Diansuy, Media Affairs Bureau, Office of the Ombudsman