Showing posts with label WB. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WB. Show all posts

PostHeaderIcon For poverty reduction, RP gets a $405 million loan from World Bank

11/19/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


To lessen the incidence of poverty and hunger, the World Bank (WB) makes available a $405 million loan for the Philippines to support projects that will alleviate the impoverished condition of about 350,000 households.

About 1 in 6 people worldwide experiences hunger each day and poor Filipinos are no exception. To lessen the incidence of poverty and hunger, the World Bank (WB) makes available a $405 million loan for the Philippines to support projects that will alleviate the impoverished condition of about 350,000 households.

About 1 in 6 people worldwide experiences hunger each day and poor Filipinos are no exception. By estimates, the number of individuals suffering from lack of food will reach 1 billion this year throughout the world as the economy stalls. Cielito Habito, an economics professor of Ateneo de Manila says of the 90 million Filipinos, 35% (31.5 million) of them live below the poverty line. It is unlikely that the country, a UN-member nation, will meet its goal of reducing poverty to half its rate by 2015.

To counter the effects of poverty, international groups help indigent nations in maternal and child health, education, employment, and food production. Such money allocated for these projects are needed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in assisting families come out of economic difficulties.

The WB assistance must go hand-in-hand with the government addressing problems of the economy--- particularly the concentration of economic growth benefits in cities and lack of them in the countryside. (Photo Credit: mykworks) =0=

RELATED BLOG: "Donations sought for this year’s 1 billion hungry people worldwide " Posted by mesiamd at 11/16/2009
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PostHeaderIcon Naga City’s Governance Institute for Effective Urban Management

7/16/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


After bagging more than a hundred international recognitions and many more citations for effective urban management, Naga City in Bicol, the nation’s most awarded city has earned praises from World Bank director Bert Hoffman. The bank executive believes the founding of the Naga City Governance Institute (NCGI) will inspire other towns and cities to tow the line of good governance.

“Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo said that NGCI is the city’s response to the challenge of growing, promoting, and sustaining local governance innovations in the city and the rest of the Bicol Region. LGUs from outside the Bicol Region are expected to benefit, as many LGU officials and decision-makers are coming to Naga to learn from its experiences.

Specifically, the institute will engage in research, training, networking, and advocacy programs to help local government units (LGUs) deal effectively with day-to-day government issues.

Mayor Robredo said that both the Bicol region and the country will be better served if the quality of governance improves at the local level, as it is the key to reducing disparities and inequities among groups and sectors of society.”---Philstar (07/12/09)/ www.worldbank.org.ph

The World Bank concurs. Director Bert Hoffman who expresses commitment to help the NCGI says good governance is a way to alleviate poverty and spur development and social growth. He envisions that through NCGI, effective government management which is successful in Naga City will be implemented throughout the country. However, there are those who doubt if the Naga City's acclaim is well deserved.

Among those who support the move are the Department of Interior and Local Government, institutions of learning like the National College of Public Administration and the Ateneo School of Government, Ayala Foundation, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission. (Photo Credit: Garzland) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon RP needs improvement in governance

7/03/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


Despite claims that Pres. Gloria Arroyo has performed well in governing the country, The World Bank brings in another slow performance report that belies such claims. The Worldwide Governance Indicators for 1996-2008 (World Bank) show that Philippines made some progress in corruption, law enforcement and maintenance of political stability, but tails behind other countries in certain performance indicators of the region.

The fight against corruption had Philippines score 26.5% in 2008 and 22.2% in 2007 which is way below the regional average of 45.1%. Graft and corruption is a huge drag in the advancement of the nation and obviously the report tells that this is a serious challenge for Filipinos. As a consolation, the country fared well in regulatory policies: 51.7 percent last year versus the regional average of 42.1 percent.

Some indicators in which country lags behind are as follows:
-----------------------------------------2008-----------2007----------Regional Ave.
Up-holding the law-------------------39.7%---------33.8%---------52.9%
Maintaining Political Stability------10.5%---------10.1%---------59.9%
government effectiveness”------------55%-----------56.4%
“voice accountability”- -------------41.3%---------43.3%
Source: Philstar.com (07/02/09, Gonzales, I.)

The discordance in what the Pres. Gloria Arroyo believes to be good governance in her administration and the reports of watch groups tells Filipinos of a need for improvement. Otherwise, among competing nations, Philippines is in danger of falling behind and be at the tail end of sovereign nations. (Photo Credit: BeyondSFO) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon TB patients without treatment, lowered hunger rate & recent joblessness data

3/25/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


135,000

Tuberculosis, the chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis has reportedly gone down in prevalence in the Philippines, but there are an estimated 450,000 people still suffering from the disease. Of this number, a staggering 135,000 don’t seek medical treatment offered by the government. In spite of free diagnostic and treatment programs available, about 30% with TB choose to ignore the disease until the condition becomes complicated and hard to treat. Cultural barriers and stigma are reasons offered for the people’s refusal for TB treatment.

P11.3 billion

For the full automation of the 2010 national election, Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo signed the budget of P11.3 billion. Although it is unclear how the government will implement the modernization, the upgrade of the electoral counting system is hoped to prevent the rampant cheating in the election process. At the late hour of the Arroyo’s presidency, many still doubt her winning in the last ballot.

15%

According to the SWS, 15% of Filipinos (2.9 million families) reported of being hungry for at least once in a period of three months. The survey taken in February 20-23 was an improvement from December’s finding of 23.7% (4.3 million families.) It is unclear what kind of food poor Filipinos eat with their meager food budget.

$280-290 billion

The World Bank estimates this amount of remittance to developing countries by OFWs----gains from employment abroad. This is lower and less rosy than the expected amount of $305 billion---an effect of the global financial crisis. In 2008, 1.376 million Filipinos went abroad to work in more than 190 host nations. They sent back an estimated US$16.4 billion to the country, the highest in history so far.

41,000

The number of workers who lost the jobs, raising the unemployment rate to 7.7% in January, 2009, according to Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo. This adds up to the 2.9 million of jobless individuals which rose by 0.3% from last year’s data. As a cost-saving measure, the president announced the cancellation of the independence parade this year which costs P30 million to stage. (Photo Credit: =0=

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PostHeaderIcon WB-funded road contracts & the US State Department’s charges of graft and corruption.

2/28/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


For some weeks now, World Bank (WB) tells us of the corruptive practice which rigs the bidding of the foreign bank-funded road projects in the Philippines. Instead of being thankful to the international lending institution for giving important leads to curb corruption, some of our government officials have been defensive.

Without tangible effort to find out the truth, supporters of the Arroyo government thought of filing a “diplomatic protest.” As if to way lay the investigation, Sen. Santiago pompously crowed over “court evidence” and insisted on the foreign bank officials to feed the senate investigation with all the details of the allegation. WB officials in turn told our government investigators they couldn’t do the job for us. Careful not to trample on our national “pride,” they said it wasn’t the foreign bank’s duty. Yes, why then couldn't we have our investigation without the help of an outsider like the foreign bank?

Jose Miguel Arroyo, the husband of Pres. Gloria Arroyo, was at the center of the WB scandal. Santiago, an Arroyo ally, behaved as though it was WB’s interest over our own national interest that criminal wrong-doing be proven. The foot-dragging that followed demonstrated the lack of resolve to get into the bottom of the case. The inquiry led by Sen. Miriam D. Santiago was haphazard, diversionary and inutile.

If only to heighten our shame and incompetence, the US State Department, on a separate issue of human rights, called on our government to exert more in stopping graft and corruption. In its “Country Reports on Human Rights Practices in 2008,” released last February 25, 2009, the department disclosed corruption in government agencies and the judiciary was among the reasons why basic human rights continued to be violated in the Philippines.

“'The law provides criminal penalties for official corruption; however, the government did not implement the law effectively, and officials often engaged in corrupt practices with impunity,' the report says."---Inquirer (02/28,/09, Dizon, N; Burgunio, TJ)



What they are saying about us is consistently embarrassing, but many of us choose to keep the usual silence. Malacanang Press secretary Cerge Remonde tries to be “smart” by dismissing the accusations as merely perceptions and therefore not rooted on reality.

“Corruption is really more…perception than reality. This perception is making us more aware and more conscious of the problem. More people become vigilant in watching graft and corruption,” Remonde told a news conference at the Palace on Friday."---PDI, (02/27/9, Guinto, J.)

Others like Remonde in government are defensive by pointing that even USA and other countries have shares of the same problem. Apologists for the country say the Philippines isn’t the only one. They try to downplay the stark contrast in how other countries respond to stop graft and corruption.(Photo Credit: Animationcomics) =0=

RELATED BLOG: "Corruption scandals hurting Filipinos under Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo" Posted by mesiamd at 1/29/2009

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PostHeaderIcon Who bears the shame in the senate investigation of WB corruption scandal?

2/16/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


If it is true that World Bank (WB) has no proof against Jose Miguel Arroyo (husband of Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo) and others implicated in the rigging of WB-funded projects what next should the senate do? With the charges of corruption coming from no less than a foreign lending institution (whose reputation is undoubtedly better than the Philippine government,) Sen. Miriam D, Santiago must listen to what WB is trying to say: “If there is smoke, then there could be fire.”

Why then doesn’t she---the Senate Economic Affairs Committee chairman ascertain if the house is indeed on fire? Is Santiago trying to hide something? A known ally of Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo, is she trying to protect someone under her wings---perhaps Jose Miguel?

Instead of waging a “diplomatic protest,” an investigation is more productive to do. Besides, what is the country protesting for? The WB has already given away a favor. Aren’t the solons ashamed of being defensive? Instead of being shooting down the bad news, it’s more productive to ascertain the charges. There is no valid justification for a cover-up, a low-road exercise in dealing with this common problem.

The gutsy lady senator who is supposedly sane must not waste time. Her insistence that there is no evidence in the WB report (without investigating) distracts people from the vital issues of the controversy. As a government official, Miriam must be truthful. She must take the initiative of purging the country from corrupt practices---something which is doable if she follows the leads WB has so far disclosed.

Based on the bank report, it’s now the turn of the government to investigate and get to the bottom of the case. If the WB doesn’t have the evidence, this is the right time to seek and find. The public must not be misled into thinking that the rigging of contracts has not happened. It's not at good idea to perpetuate the cynicism of the Filipinos, harass the WB, and pretend the country doesn't need a lender.

Miriam has to do more digging. Whether there is corruption or not, the burden of proof lies in her turf. As chairman of the inquiry, she needs to bring the investigation to a credible conclusion to convince the world who is telling the truth, thereby freeing innocent people of the stigma of dishonesty.

Santiago’s high-handed display of power looks amateurish and blasé. It’s embarrassing the self-absorbed senator and her admirers wring the arms of foreign bank officials who care less if Filipinos are corrupt. She persistently waves around her intelligence---an ego-trip, a deluded peacock awareness of self, a condescending habit of demeaning people in public which are all counterproductive. To illustrate, here is her comments on Sen. Panfilo Lacson who correctly points out the lack of focus on the investigation:

“Di naman siya abugado, gusto niyang turuan ako. Di magandang ugali ‘yung tuturuan mo ang chairperson mo sa gagawin, lalo na kung wala ka namang background sa batas [He’s not even a lawyer and yet he wants to outsmart me. He’s not supposed to dictate to his chairperson on what to do, especially because he does not even have any background in law],” Santiago said.---GMANewsTV.net (02/15/09, Dedace, S)

Obviously, it’s the whole town’s interest that Miriam’s bloated sense of erudition simmers below the fight against corruption. Regardless of the cost and the damage on the people involved, she must work (in spite of her misgivings for not being admitted in the International Court of Justice) to banish any suggestion of bias and defensiveness. Without this, shame on us Filipinos will continue to mount. =0=

RELATED BLOG: "World Bank opens a can of worms & Sen. Miriam D. Santiago investigates" Posted by mesiamd at 2/13/2009



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PostHeaderIcon World Bank opens a can of worms & Sen. Miriam D. Santiago investigates

2/13/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post
Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago is hotly agitated by the World Bank (WB) scandal. The corruption charges by the international lending body implicate Jose Miguel Arroyo, the palace's “first gentleman” and husband of Pres. Gloria Arroyo. The accusations of unlawful transactions inflame the pompous side of the flighty woman-senator who acts like a straight and unbending arrow.

Santiago has displayed irritation over the non-appearance of WB representative Bert Hofman in the January 27, 2008 senate hearing in which he is expected to clarify the allegations against government officials, influence peddlers, and road contractors. With the characteristic loquacious bravado that the lady-lawmaker is known for, Santiago blared:

““Mr. Hofman must come here in person or else we will cite him for contempt. Let this cause trouble (between the WB and the Senate) that would even lead to the Supreme Court or even the International Court of Justice. This is good because we will be able to test who between the World Bank and the Filipinos are the kings here.” ----Philstar (02/13/09, Calica, A)

Sen. Santiago’s incendiary words don’t fail to befuddle observers who think her thunderous tirades are nothing but another episode of “entertainment” in the corruption-riddled government. She effectively distracts the public from the sordid corruption charge in the WB-funded projects which has been "institutionalized" for at least a decade. While she seems urgently intent to pursue truth and punish wrong-doers in her ranks, many believe all the fury will die down before anyone will ever be proven accountable. She focuses wrongly on the messenger of bad news---the WB, instead of the rapacious perpetrators of the crime.



From whichever angle people look at the Santiago, her demeanor is a source of both pride and dishonor. She poses as a feisty defender of truth ready to uphold the dignity of the nation, something rarely seen in the slow-mo senate. But there are those who question her truthfulness and motive. From past experience, it is unlikely her noisy declarations will ever amount to anything beyond the exercise of words. At a time when the world suspects how deeply the country is mired in dishonesty, Santiago won’t probably go farther than mere investigations.

Even as the controversy goes on, Finance secretary Margarito Teves is already banking on the WB to increase its lending to the Philippines to a tune of $1 billion for the next few years. Keeping a warlike stance (instead of being conciliatory) is distracting. Sen. Santiago brushes aside the reality that the foreign bank isn’t obligated to humor the Philippines so that it can enjoy the “honor” of granting loans to the country. As a government official representing the country, there are those who think she is rude and crude---a loose cannon who blames the foreign bank for its "incomplete" disclosure, effectively deflecting the issue from the real crime.

It is said the leads pointing to fraud in the WB-financed project biddings have been passed on to Filipino authorities as early as 2007, but it’s only now (after the lid of corruption was blown open) that they see the urgency of investigating. Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez has been criticized and threatened with dismissal for negligently sitting on the case.

The World Bank has already provided vital information to work on. Many wonder the aptness of the senate demanding more information from the foreign entity without the Philippines taking exhaustive effort to gather truth from its own backyard. As if to lamely cover up for glaring shortcomings and the embarrassments which go with incompetence and hypocrisy, Santiago’s blistering words have been set into play for the public to guess and digest. (Photo Credit: Neofinoy.info; ButchokoyD; Arenamontanus) =0=



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PostHeaderIcon Corruption and apathy: where will these lead us?

2/10/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post
We face foreign aid cuts due to corruption. It is shameful that our country which seeks assistance abroad is being singled out as unworthy of help because we are dishonest. Obviously, this is morally and economically damaging. Foreigners are saying untrustworthiness will hurt us in the end. It's time we heed the criticisms and do corrective action.

“The Philippines is facing a big cut in foreign aid because corruption in government is “deeply entrenched” and the World Bank report is “worrying” a big donor country, a diplomat disclosed yesterday.

The diplomat from the major donor country, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said their government is closely following the WB report and the investigation into the anomalous road projects funded by the foreign financial institution and the extent of government corruption that has identified First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo as the alleged patron of colluding contractors in a $33-million road project in 2003. “----Philstar (02/10/09, Lee-Brago, P)

Corruption is getting worse. Our leadership is in crisis. Right at the heart where Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo weaves power, allegations of corruption in her administration are common. Even members of her household have been repeatedly accused of dishonesty in government. The charges are too many---and too embarrassing that even foreign observers are stunned.

Though most of us acknowledge that there is worsening corruption, almost no one is ready to face it with candor, righteousness, and accountability. Instead, there is damning apathy and lack of concern.

Those who are guilty dodge the issue by denying the accusations. Most of them who are influential keep a blind eye and take advantage of the weakness of the legal system. Most corruption charges remain unproven in spite of investigations with telling evidence. There is little effort to ferret out the truth and bring the guilty accountable. This is bad to the future of the nation and the next generation. (Photo Credit: gmaresign; zero+q) =0=

RELATED BLOGS:“Not as a lecturer or as a judge,” EU thinks RP must do more to curb corruption Posted by mesiamd at 1/29/2009; "Corruption scandals hurting Filipinos under Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo" Posted by mesiamd at 1/29/2009




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PostHeaderIcon “Not as a lecturer or as a judge,” EU thinks RP must do more to curb corruption

1/29/2009 | Posted by mesiamd | Edit Post


Many huge corruption charges in the Philippines involve officials in the highest corridors of power, but almost all of them remain as accusations displayed like dirty laundry for the public to bear. At the cost of the country’s credibility, almost no one gets punished. The entire nation keeps a blind eye of the growing list of scandals whose outcomes are often tip in favor of the crime doers.

For a long time, corruption comes like a foul odor ignored by the government and its citizens. The stench is allowed to stay, follow its course, until it dissipates in the wind. That’s the usual course that has incrementally robbed the country of its shame and dignity. The public is tired, perhaps, about to give up on corruption---for even with laws in place, there is little accountability. There is almost no public outcry of protest.

Illegal deals and criminal transactions occur right on the face of a Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo. Circumventing the law is common, perpetrated by criminals in broad daylight without embarrassment. The hideousness of the corrupt practices has prompted foreign entities like the World Bank (WB) and European Union (EU) to sound their alarm; they point to government deals that smell too stinky to brush aside. The latest is the WB disclosure of fraud in its bank-financed projects.

The president’s husband Jose M. Arroyo, just like in the past, has been linked to greedy collusion schemes. The latest is with the E.C. De Luna Construction Corp, one of the contractors named by the World Bank for rigging the bidding process of road projects funded by foreign money. Officials of the foreign bank are dismayed by the scale of corruption that is traced way back in 2007.

Careful not to rub the sense of shame of Filipinos, WB’s corruption charges which point the complicity of Chinese partners, suggest that the international community can’t just watch the dirty way the government is run. Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo continues to play the charade for the nation.

The EU also sounded its concern by offering the Philippines help to fight corruption. Ambassador Alistair MacDonald of the European Commission said in a Commission of Human Rights meeting in Manila that the EU “sees corruption as a symptom of poor governance and lack of transparent, accountable management, and control system. ---Philstar (10/28/09, Clapano, JR)

There it is. MacDonald is right in saying that officials, the civil society and media must work together to fight corruption in government by observing “transparent electoral processes and supporting parliamentary and judicial oversight.” The country can’t live with perversion of integrity that is out in the open and politicalized for everyone to see, but can’t do something against it.

Even if the outside world wants to help the Philippines solve corruption, it is still the people who must first reject and work against it. There is no shortage of anti-corruption laws. They are just waiting to be enforced, not by officials who are themselves corrupt, but by those who are committed to move the country ahead.

The fight against corruption needs ethical leaders to help government officials and business leaders reform their ranks. They need moral rejuvenation and accountability which must be taught and applied in the community. With the nation’s fate at stake, there is deep shame when foreigners remind Filipinos of their freedom, duty for country, and moral responsibilities. (Photo Credits: Almostevil665; wdbphoto) =0=

RELATED BLOG: "Corruption scandals hurting Filipinos under Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo" Posted by mesiamd at 1/29/2009; "On Philippine Corruption And Our Being Inure To It" Posted by myty555 at 12/16/2008

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