Capitol Pursues Corruption-free Program

The Provincial Government pursued its commitment to a clean and transparent government.

The Capitol department and office heads underwent a two-day training on “The Role and Contributions of the Local Government Units (LGU) Functionaries of the Pilot Area of Cebu Province in Partnership for Integrity and Jobs (Project I4J)” at the Radissun Blu last January 29-30.

Project I4J is a three-year program to bring together local government units and the private sector to cooperate for integrity and a transparent, effective and efficient small business registration and promotion procedures.

Cebu was among the three pilot provinces for the implementation of Germany’s Kondrad-Adenauer-Stiftung project. The town of Tuburan was also selected among the three pilot municipalities for its implementation.

Project I4J is co-funded by European Union. It is implemented by the consortium of Kondrad Adenauer, European Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Centrist Democracy Political Institute, the League of Cities of the Philippines, (LCP), the League of Municipalities of the Philippines, and the League of Provinces of the Philippines.

The project stresses the concept of individual and organizational integrity as the key towards a flourishing community.

The 2011 human development index showed the most corrupt countries in the world are lagging behind in growth.

Granting individuals practice corruption, the pre-requisite of LGU culture change is the commitment of top officials, according to one of the speakers during the two-day training.

“We strive to engineer ‘culture’ by forming individuals,” said Dr. Oscar Bulaong Jr. Bulaong in his talk on the “Process Engineering to Improve Integrity in Business and Investment.”

Bulaong is the executive director, Gov. Jose B. Fernandez Jr. Ethics Law Center, Ateneo School of Business.

Bulaong borrowed the definition of integrity from the dictionary which is honesty and moral uprightness. Integrity likewise means the “state of being whole and undivided.”

Governor Hilario P. Davide III already signed the integrity pledge last November. He emphasized that sustainable progress comes with good governance.

In his earlier message, the governor said if they can restore the people’s trust through good governance, the trust of investors investing in corruption-free climate will also follow.

“The pillars for good governance require awareness, cooperation, determination, and sacrifice from all of us. It starts with me and the people on my team,” he said in his 2014 State of the Province Address.

www.cebu.gov.ph