Pres. Aquino Vows to Strengthen Fight vs Corruption

President Benigno Aquino III has pledged to strengthen and rationalize government’s reform measures in weeding out corruption during the 2nd State Conference on the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) held in Malacañan Palace on Tuesday.

In his speech, the President said he has approved the proposal to draft an executive order to institutionalize an Integrity Management Program (IMP) in government agencies based on the UNCAC.

The Joint Technical Working Group, compose of the Office of the President (OP) and the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB), posed the request to the President.

The IMP is the first joint anti-corruption program of the technical working group, supported by the World Bank.

The program is envisioned to be the primary national anti-corruption prevention framework of the government.

“We are working to rid the Philippines of the corruption that has tainted its reputation and plagued it for so long; we are working to institutionalize a legacy that finds its roots in the mindset of our countrymen, who will never again settle for anything less than true public service,” President Aquino said.

He said while the technical working group ended its review of the UNCAC, the government is more driven to institutionalize good governance and push further the administration’s vision of treading the straight path.

Also present during the event were Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, Supreme Court Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Senate President Franklin Drilon, and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte. PND (jb)