Congress, judiciary not doing a good job against corruption – survey

A nationwide online survey has revealed that at least 90 percent of respondents believe that the Congress and judiciary are not doing a good enough job in the fight against corruption. According to one of the online surveys conducted under the Philippine Public Transparency Reporting Project (PPTRP), 80 percent of respondents believe that Congress and the judiciary have major roles to play in the fight against corruption. However, less than 10 percent believe that they are doing a good job so far. Around 90 percent likewise said government needs to work more closely with ordinary citizens to increase transparency and reduce corruption. “Many have already acknowledged the importance of the people being the boss – but how do we all move beyond the rhetoric and actually get ordinary citizens involved?" said PPTRP director Alan Davis in a statement released Friday. The survey also showed that 94 percent of respondents believe that building greater transparency and accountability will help reduce corruption, but 60 percent didn’t think the current administration has the "ideal strategy" in place to build transparency and accountability. Only 4 percent of respondents likewise believe government is working extensively with other groups and sectors to build transparency and reduce corruption. "A really big problem" Still, the survey also showed 54 percent those surveyed see "real progress" in the administration’s attempts to improve transparency and accountability and reduce corruption. Newly proclaimed Senator Koko Pimentel on Friday told GMA News Online "there's a really big problem in the fight against corruption." But the public should "give these institutions time to prove themselves, especially now under PNoy's Tuwid na Daan." A total of 176 respondents took part in the PPTRP survey, conducted from June to August 2011. They were activists, civil servants, lawyers, journalists, students, accountants and professionals from major cities and provinces nationwide. The survey supposedly aims to measure perception on the roles of government, media, civil society and other sectors in promoting public sector transparency and accountability. It will be presented to the public next Tuesday. The PPTRP is a four-way partnership among the Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Center for Community Journalism and Development, National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, and MindaNews. It has received funding from the United States Agency for International Development and technical support from the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative. — VS, GMA News