SLIGHTLY UP, PHL STILL ON ‘MOST CORRUPT’ LIST IN INDEX
THE Philippines moved an inch higher in the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) of international nongovernmental organization Transparency International (TI), but still ranked among the perceived most corrupt worldwide. According to TI, the Philippines received a CPI score of 34, one point higher than its 2022 score. The lowest possible score is 0, which is very corrupt, and highest possible score is 100, which is very clean.
A German-registered NGO, TI measures corruption index based on opinion surveys and expert assessments of “perceived levels of public sector corruption.” It is one of the leading global indicators of public sector corruption.
Among 180 countries surveyed worldwide in 2023, the Philippines ranked 115th, a miniscule improvement from its 116th ranking in 2022. It is tied with ve other countries—indonesia, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Ecuador and Malawi. This puts the Philippines among the ranks of the perceived “most corrupt” bracket.
TI said it collated nine sources from corruption indices which tracked down cases of bribery, diversion of public funds, o cials using their public o ce for private gain without facing consequences, ability of governments to contain corruption in public sector, excessive red tape in the public sector which increases corruption opportunities, nepotism, access to information, and anti-corruption laws.
In the Global Corruption Barometer-asia, 86 percent of people surveyed believed corruption is a “big problem” in the Philippines, while 19 percent admitted to paying a bribe to public
services in the past 12 months.
Corruption, geopolitics, climate change
THE average CPI score in the Asia-paci c region is 45 out of possible 100. Sixty-eight percent have a CPI score below 50.
The top ve least perceived corrupt in the region are:
■ New Zealand (CPI: 85)
■ Singapore (CPI: 83)
■ Australia (CPI:75)
■ Hong Kong (CPI: 75); and
■ Japan (CPI: 73).
Meanwhile, the ve countries at the bottom of the perceived corruption index from the region are:
■ North Korea (CPI: 17)
■ Myanmar (CPI: 20)
■ Cambodia (CPI: 22)
■ Bangladesh (CPI: 24)
■ Papua New Guinea (CPI: 29)
TI notes that the Paci c continues to grapple with the impact of climate change as well as being caught in the geopolitical tensions between China and the West. “While there’s a steady in ux of economic, military or nancial incentives to support its development and climate goals, many Paci c countries have weak governance systems, which some donors overlook, exposing these substantial investments to high risk of corruption,” the TI said.
TI also stressed that the Asia-paci c region faces a big 2024 election year, referring to the presidential contests in Taiwan, Indonesia and Sri Lanka, as well as general elections in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and the Solomon Islands, and legislative polls in South Korea.
“Transparency International’s Global Corruption Barometer revealed the prevalence of corruption around election processes in Asia and the Paci c. These ndings show the serious implications for the ability of elections to bring in governments that can be trusted to e ectively control and curb corruption,” it said.
TI notes that “very few countries” show sustained turnarounds indicating signi cant changes in corruption levels.
“These weak scores re ect the lack of delivery by elected o cials on anti-corruption agendas, together with crackdowns on civil society and attacks on freedoms of press, assembly and association,” it said.