The Philippines' Corruption Ranking in 2007 Transparency International

country

rank

country

2007

CPI score

surveys

used

confidence

range

About Transparency International

Denmark

9.4

9.2 - 9.6

What is Transparency International?

Transparency International, the global civil society organisation leading the fight against corruption, brings people together in a powerful worldwide coalition to end the devastating impact of corruption on men, women and children around the world.

TI’s mission is to create change towards a world free of corruption.

Transparency International challenges the inevitability of corruption, and offers hope to its victims. Since its founding in 1993, TI has played a lead role in improving the lives of millions around the world by building momentum for the anti-corruption movement. TI raises awareness and diminishes apathy and tolerance of corruption, and devises and implements practical actions to address it.

Transparency International is a global network including more than 90 locally established national chapters and chapters-in-formation. These bodies fight corruption in the national arena in a number of ways. They bring together relevant players from government, civil society, business and the media to promote transparency in elections, in public administration, in procurement and in business. TI’s global network of chapters and contacts also use advocacy campaigns to lobby governments to implement anti-corruption reforms.

Politically non-partisan, TI does not undertake investigations of alleged corruption or expose individual cases, but at times will work in coalition with organisations that do.

TI has the skills, tools, experience, expertise and broad participation to fight corruption on the ground, as well as through global and regional initiatives.

Now in its second decade, Transparency International is maturing, intensifying and diversifying its fight against corruption.

What is corruption?

Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain.

It hurts everyone whose life, livelihood or happiness depends on the integrity of people in a position of authority.

Why does fighting corruption matter?

Corruption hurts everyone, and it harms the poor the most. Sometimes its devastating impact is obvious:

A father who must do without shoes because his meagre wages are used to pay a bribe to get his child into a supposedly free school.
The unsuspecting sick person who buys useless counterfeit drugs, putting their health in grave danger.
A small shop owner whose weekly bribe to the local inspector cuts severely into his modest earnings.
The family trapped for generations in poverty because a corrupt and autocratic leadership has systematically siphoned off a nation’s riches.

Other times corruption’s impact is less visible:

The prosperous multinational corporation that secured a contract by buying an unfair advantage in a competitive market through illegal kickbacks to corrupt government officials, at the expense of the honest companies who didn’t.
Post-disaster donations provided by compassionate people, directly or through their governments, that never reach the victims, callously diverted instead into the bank accounts of criminals.
The faulty buildings, built to lower safety standards because a bribe passed under the table in the construction process that collapse in an earthquake or hurricane.

Corruption has dire global consequences, trapping millions in poverty and misery and breeding social, economic and political unrest.

Corruption is both a cause of poverty, and a barrier to overcoming it. It is one of the most serious obstacles to reducing poverty.

Corruption denies poor people the basic means of survival, forcing them to spend more of their income on bribes. Human rights are denied where corruption is rife, because a fair trial comes with a hefty price tag where courts are corrupted.

Corruption undermines democracy and the rule of law.

Corruption distorts national and international trade.

Corruption jeopardises sound governance and ethics in the private sector.

Corruption threatens domestic and international security and the sustainability of natural resources.

Those with less power are particularly disadvantaged in corrupt systems, which typically reinforce gender discrimination.

Corruption compounds political exclusion: if votes can be bought, there is little incentive to change the system that sustains poverty.

The conclusion - Corruption hurts everyone.

Deutsche Presse-Agentur

October 9, 2007 Tuesday 8:13 AM EST

SECTION: POLITICS

LENGTH: 463 words

HEADLINE:

Philippine leader's ally accused of offering bribe to congressmen

DATELINE: Manila

BODY:

DPA POLITICS Philippine Politics Philippine leader's ally accused of offering bribe to congressmen Manila

A senior official of Philippine President Gloria Arroyo's political party was accused on Tuesday of offering bribes to congressmen in exchange for an endorsement of a "weak" impeachment complaint against the scandal-tainted leader.

Leftist Congressman Crispin Beltran said lawyer Francis Ver, deputy secretary general of the political party Kampi, offered him 2

million pesos (45,146 dollars) last Friday in exchange for his

endorsement of an impeachment complaint against Arroyo.

The impeachment complaint, related to a mothballed 329-million-dollar government deal with China's state-owned ZTE Corp, was filed late Friday last week by lawyer Roel Pulido.

Government critics said the complaint was weak and allegedly backed by Arroyo allies in a bid to pre-empt the filing of a stronger

complaint by the opposition.

Under Philippine laws, only one impeachment complaint can be filed against the president every year.

Congressman Ronaldo Zamora also accused Ver of offering projects to opposition lawmakers in exchange for their endorsement of the impeachment complaint.

Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye dismissed the charges against Ver as an "unsubstantiated allegation."

"We are disappointed, but not the least surprised, at this unsubstantiated allegation," he said in a statement.

"On her part, the president will just stay focused on keeping the

nation on track even if her detractors have nothing better to do than

continue their bitter path," Bunye added.

Ver denied that he attempted to bribe congressmen in exchange for

their endorsement of the impeachment complaint against Arroyo.

He said he talked to some congressmen to ask them about news on the impeachment complaint.

"I'm not guilty," he said.

But Kampi chairman and Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno immediately sacked Ver from his position, stressing that Kampi does not condone his actions.

"I think you can now refer to him (Ver) as ex-deputy secretary

general of Kampi because certainly this is something that Kampi does not countenance," he said in a press briefing at the presidential palace.

"I just want to let everybody know that Kampi has absolutely

nothing to do with the actions of this individual," he said.

Puno said he berated Ver over the telephone Monday because of

complaints from lawmakers allied with Arroyo.

"I was able to talk to him and berated him," he said. "He was just

quiet. I was asking what's this all about. He was just stammering and really did not say anything."

In the past two years, Arroyo and her allies in the House of Representative successfully blocked moves to impeach her in relation to accusations she cheated in the May 2004 presidential elections.

Oct 0907 0813 GMT

LOAD-DATE: October 9, 2007

Terms and Conditions Privacy Policy

Finland

9.4

9.2 - 9.6

New Zealand

9.4

9.2 - 9.6

Singapore

9.3

9.0 - 9.5

Sweden

9.3

9.1 - 9.4

Iceland

9.2

8.3 - 9.6

Netherlands

9.0

8.8 - 9.2

Switzerland

9.0

8.8 - 9.2

Canada

8.7

8.3 - 9.1

Norway

8.7

8.0 - 9.2

Australia

8.6

8.1 - 9.0

Luxembourg

8.4

7.7 - 8.7

United Kingdom

8.4

7.9 - 8.9

Hong Kong

8.3

7.6 - 8.8

Austria

8.1

7.5 - 8.7

Germany

7.8

7.3 - 8.4

Ireland

7.5

7.3 - 7.7

Japan

7.5

7.1 - 8.0

France

7.3

6.9 - 7.8

USA

7.2

6.5 - 7.6

Belgium

7.1

7.1 - 7.1

Chile

7.0

6.5 - 7.4

Barbados

6.9

6.6 - 7.1

Saint Lucia

6.8

6.1 - 7.1

Spain

6.7

6.2 - 7.0

Uruguay

6.7

6.4 - 7.0

Slovenia

6.6

6.1 - 6.9

Estonia

6.5

6.0 -7.0

Portugal

6.5

5.8 - 7.2

Israel

6.1

5.6 - 6.7

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

6.1

4.0 - 7.1

Qatar

6.0

5.4 - 6.4

Malta

5.8

5.3 - 6.2

Macao

5.7

4.7 - 6.4

Taiwan

5.7

5.4 - 6.1

United Arab Emirates

5.7

4.8 - 6.5

Dominica

5.6

4.0 - 6.1

Botswana

5.4

4.8 - 6.1

Cyprus

5.3

5.1 - 5.5

Hungary

5.3

4.9 - 5.5

Czech Republik

5.2

4.9 - 5.8

Italy

5.2

4.7 - 5.7

Malaysia

5.1

4.5 - 5.7

South Africa

5.1

4.9 - 5.5

South Korea

5.1

4.7 - 5.5

Bahrain

5.0

4.2 - 5.7

Bhutan

5.0

4.1 - 5.7

Costa Rica

5.0

4.7 - 5.3

Cape Verde

4.9

3.4 - 5.5

Slovakia

4.9

4.5 - 5.2

Latvia

4.8

4.4 - 5.1

Lithuania

4.8

4.4 - 5.3

Jordan

4.7

3.8 - 5.6

Mauritius

4.7

4.1 - 5.7

Oman

4.7

3.9 - 5.3

Greece

4.6

4.3 - 5.0

Namibia

4.5

3.9 - 5.2

Samoa

4.5

3.4 - 5.5

Seychelles

4.5

2.9 - 5.7

Kuweit

4.3

3.3 - 5.1

Cuba

4.2

3.5 - 4.7

Poland

4.2

3.6 - 4.9

Tunesia

4.2

3.4 - 4.8

Bulgaria

4.1

3.6 - 4.8

Croatia

4.1

3.6 - 4.5

Turkey

4.1

3.8 - 4.5

El Salvador

4.0

3.2 - 4.6

Colombia

3.8

3.4 - 4.3

Ghana

3.7

3.5 - 3.9

Romania

3.7

3.4 - 4.1

Senegal

3.6

3.2 - 4.2

Brazil

3.5

3.2 - 4.0

China

3.5

3.0 - 4.2

India

3.5

3.3 - 3.7

Mexico

3.5

3.3 - 3.8

Morocco

3.5

3.0 - 4.2

Peru

3.5

3.4 - 3.7

Suriname

3.5

3.0 - 3.9

Georgia

3.4

2.9 - 4.3

Grenada

3.4

2.0 - 4.1

Saudi Arabia

3.4

2.7 - 3.9

Serbia

3.4

3.0 - 4.0

Trinidad and Tobago

3.4

2.7 - 3.9

Bosnia and Herzegovina

3.3

2.9 - 3.7

Gabon

3.3

3.0 - 3.5

Jamaica

3.3

3.1 - 3.4

Kiribati

3.3

2.4 - 3.9

Lesotho

3.3

3.1 - 3.5

FYR Macedonia

3.3

2.9 - 3.8

Maldives

3.3

2.3 - 4.3

Montenegro

3.3

2.4 - 4.0

Swaziland

3.3

2.6 - 4.2

Thailand

3.3

2.9 - 3.7

Madagascar

3.2

2.5 - 3.9

Panama

3.2

2.8 - 3.5

Sri Lanka

3.2

2.9 - 3.4

Tanzania

3.2

2.9 - 3.4

Vanuatu

3.1

2.4 - 3.7

Algeria

3.0

2.7 - 3.2

Armenia

3.0

2.8 - 3.2

Belize

3.0

2.0 - 3.7

Dominican Republic

3.0

2.8 - 3.3

Lebanon

3.0

2.2 - 3.6

Mongolia

3.0

2.6 - 3.3

105

Albania

2.9

2.6 - 3.1

105

Argentina

2.9

2.6 - 3.2

105

Bolivia

2.9

2.7 - 3.2

105

Burkina Faso

2.9

2.6 - 3.4

105

Djibouti

2.9

2.2 - 3.4

105

Egypt

2.9

2.6 - 3.3

111

Eritrea

2.8

2.1 - 3.5

111

Guatemala

2.8

2.4 - 3.2

111

Moldovaa

2.8

2.5 - 3.3

111

Mozambique

2.8

2.5 - 3.1

111

Rwanda

2.8

2.3 - 3.3

111

Solomon Islands

2.8

2.4 - 3.1

111

Uganda

2.8

2.5 - 3.0

118

Benin

2.7

2.3 - 3.2

118

Malawi

2.7

2.4 - 3.0

118

Mali

2.7

2.4 - 3.0

118

Sao Tome and Principe

2.7

2.4 - 3.0

118

Ukraine

2.7

2.4 - 3.0

123

Comoros

2.6

2.2 - 3.0

123

Guyana

2.6

2.3 - 2.7

123

Mauritania

2.6

2.0 - 3.3

123

Nicaragua

2.6

2.3 - 2.7

123

Niger

2.6

2.3 - 2.9

123

Timor-Leste

2.6

2.5 - 2.6

123

Viet Nam

2.6

2.4 - 2.9

123

Zambia

2.6

2.3 - 2.9

131

Burundi

2.5

2.0 - 3.0

131

Honduras

2.5

2.3 - 2.6

131

Iran

2.5

2.0 - 3.0

131

Libya

2.5

2.1 - 2.6

131

Nepal

2.5

2.3 - 2.7

131

Philippines

2.5

2.3 - 2.7

131

Yemen

2.5

2.1 - 3.0

138

Cameroon

2.4

2.1 - 2.7

138

Ethiopia

2.4

2.1 - 2.7

138

Pakistan

2.4

2.0 - 2.8

138

Paraguay

2.4

2.1 - 2.6

138

Syria

2.4

1.7 - 2.9

143

Gambia

2.3

2.0 - 2.6

143

Indonesia

2.3

2.1 - 2.4

143

Russia

2.3

2.1 - 2.6

143

Togo

2.3

1.9 - 2.8

147

Angola

2.2

1.8 - 2.4

147

Guinea-Bissau

2.2