Anticorruption efforts should focus on preventing and eliminating
root causes of corruption, but government’s capacity to detect corruption and sanction corrupt practices should also be strengthened.
The goal is to change the current perception of corruption in the Philippines—from a “low-risk, high reward” activity to a “high-risk, low-reward activity.” The following actions would strengthen the anticorruption institutions:
• fast-tracking—for successful prosecution—a few high profile pending cases of alleged graft and corruption
• merging the Presidential Commission Against Graft and Corruption with the Ombudsman’s Office and strengthen the latter’s capacity
• strengthening capacity of the Sandiganbayan
• supporting capacity building in forensic audit at Commission on Audit and corruption prevention at the Civil Service Commission
• streamlining and simplifying the legislative and regulatory framework involving corruption and civil service codes of conduct
• strengthening the functions of the Inter-Agency Anti-Graft Coordinating Council to harmonize rules and joint activities.