by Santosh Digal

According to Transparency International, the Philippines are one of the most corrupt countries in the world, showing no improvement over last year, driving potential investors away.

Manila (AsiaNews) – The Philippines are one of the most corrupt countries in the world with a rating of 2.5 on a 0-10 scale, a situation that might dry up foreign investments. What is more for international watchdog group Transparency International (TI) the situation has not changed since last year.

Speaking at the Asia-Pacific planning conference held in Manila, TI regional director Pascal Fabie said the unchanged rating means that nothing has been done to improve the situation with the result that international perceptions of the country’s economy are worsening.

Fabie said that one of the worst problems is how corruption charges are used in Filipino politics. Seen from the outside there seems to be an endless series of thefts and this influences decisions to invest in the country. Both government and opposition must stop this. Even if such charges turn out to be false, they are harmful. Trading accusations for political purposes must end.

For Vincent Lazatin, executive director of Transparency and Accountability Network, corruption is not greater in the Philippines than in its South-East Asian neighbours. “The difference is that in other countries when business sets aside money to grease the wheels, they know that they will get what they paid for. In the Philippines, there is no certainty.”

• philippines
• transparency
• international
• pascal
• fabie
• vincent
• lazatin
• corruption