Leveraging Strategic Collaborations to Address Corruption 
OGP Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting (Side Event) 
February 5, 2025 | 1:00 PM  
Grand Hyatt Manila 

To the Stratbase ADR Institute, headed by Professor Victor Andres Manhit;  

Members of Democracy Watch Philippines; 

Distinguished leaders from the government, civil society, business community, and the academe; 

And to all advocates and champions of open government and good governance;  

Assalamu alaikum wa Raḥmatullahi wa Barakatuh.   

Good afternoon, everyone. Magandang hapon po. 

I am honored to speak at this forum on the sidelines of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting as it reinforces the very reason we are gathered here: to explore ways to address the region's most critical issues. And today, we choose to face corruption head-on.   

According to 1Transparency International’s 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), corruption thrives worldwide. In fact, over 80 percent of the world’s population lives in countries with CPI scores below the global average of 43 out of 100, on a scale where 0 indicates the highest level of corruption.  

For our citizens, corruption means slower public service delivery, higher prices of commodities, and poorer living conditions for individuals and families. These adversities erode their trust in the government, weakening our democracy and hampering the growth of our economy.  

As champions of democratic and open governance, we have a responsibility to step up and lead global efforts to combat corruption as we know that this requires strong leadership and collective resolve.  

The theme of this forum, “Leveraging Strategic Collaborations to Address Corruption,” underscores the significance of the OGP Regional Meeting because while we recognize that fighting such a pervasive global issue is never easy, we also understand that genuine collaboration makes meaningful progress possible and worthwhile. 

It is evident in the initiatives across Asia and the Asia-Pacific Region, where innovative approaches and collective action have advanced the fight against corruption. 

Let’s look at New Zealand, recognized as the third least corrupt country worldwide and first in the Asia-Pacific. They have been championing open contracting through their 2Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS), a free web-based service that publishes data on government-awarded contracts. This reform on procurement open data promotes fair competition and encourages public monitoring. 

Another milestone in our region is 3Indonesia’s beneficial ownership database, launched in 2019 following a legislation that requires all types of corporations to disclose beneficial ownership data. This reform ultimately prevents corruption and ensures accountability for legal violations of those involved in procurement.  

Similarly, 4Armenia has been working to ensure greater business transparency and accountability through a series of beneficial ownership and transparency reforms. In 2020, the country published its first beneficial ownership declarations for companies operating in the extractive industries. Three years later, it expanded its ownership disclosure requirements to cover the entire economy. 

Meanwhile, 5Mongolia is strengthening participation and accountability in public procurement by launching a portal that regularly publishes information on tender invitations, lists of bidders, contract winners, and contract delivery. Giving citizens access to these data ensures their involvement in procurement processes.  

These are just some of the reforms that highlight our region's commitment to open governance.  

In the Philippines, I am proud to share that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is implementing game-changing initiatives to combat corruption. 

In July 2024, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed the New Government Procurement Act (NGPA), ushering in a new era of corruption-free procurement in the Philippines.  

Hailed as the biggest anti-corruption measure in the country’s recent history, this landmark legislation introduces open contracting, which enables the disclosure of data and documents at all stages of procurement, from planning to contract implementation. Through this, we are indeed at par with global best practices since open contracting is recommended by international bodies such as the European Commission, the World Bank, and even the United Nations. 

We also demonstrate our commitment to fostering transparency by requiring the disclosure of the beneficial ownership information of suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, contractors, or consultants to participate in government procurement.  

This information will be accessible to the public through an online registry maintained by our Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB), ultimately preventing and mitigating the risk of conflicts of interest and corruption.   

The NGPA also recognizes the role of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in enhancing transparency and public monitoring in government procurement. Hence, observers from the Commission on Audit (COA) and at least two from civil society will be invited to participate in all levels of the procurement process. 

And just yesterday, February 4, at exactly 4 PM, we witnessed the approval of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the NGPA! This is the fastest crafting of an IRR which usually takes years, but this time, it took only six months—a testament to our commitment to a transparent, accountable, and participatory governance. 

Our Public Financial Management (PFM) Reforms Roadmap 2024-2028, launched in October 2024, also leverages digitalization to mainstream our government processes and strengthen our PFM systems. 

This will expedite the adoption of our Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) across all government agencies to ensure seamless and efficient government transactions.  

One of its cornerstones is the Budget and Treasury Management System (BTMS), which we just launched last December! It is a unified financial management platform that connects existing separate systems to facilitate real-time online accounting, monitoring, and oversight of obligations and disbursements. With this transparency component, we ensure that every peso from our national budget is accounted for and properly spent for the benefit of our citizens. 

We are also reviving the Digital Information for Monitoring and Evaluation (Project DIME), which enables a more open monitoring and evaluation of big-ticket infrastructure projects.  

It utilizes existing technologies such as satellites, drones, and geotagging to compare fund utilization with actual project completion status, eliminating the so-called “ghost projects.” And so at the core of this initiative is our commitment to ensuring that the substantial portion of our national budget allotted annually for infrastructure projects delivers equally substantial results for our people.  

We are energized to advance these reforms because we know that we are not alone. As the Chairperson of the Philippine Open Government Partnership (PH-OGP), I am also proud to share some of the results of the commitments under our 6th PH-OGP National Action Plan, specifically those driven by various government and civil society members to strengthen our democracy.  

The Presidential Communications Office has achieved a substantial level of completion in its commitment to localizing the Freedom of Information (FOI) Program, marked by the launch of the Local FOI Ordinance Handbook. This will be a reference for our Local Government Units (LGUs) in drafting and implementing their FOI ordinances. 

Our Commission on Elections, on the other hand, has completed its commitment to conducting more overseas and local field registration activities for overseas voters. By doing so, we ensure that all Filipinos worldwide can exercise their right to vote and contribute to our nation’s development.  

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has also made significant progress in empowering and engaging CSOs across the Philippines. From increasing the number of CSO members in Local Development Councils to building their capacity in implementing local development plans, the DILG has notably scaled up civil society involvement in local governance.  

We also have two panel discussions for this side event, covering transparency and accountability in government transactions, as well as the upcoming 2025 elections and fighting corruption in a democratic society.  

I hope these discussions will help us see that we have come a long way in our quest to eradicate corruption through a comprehensive, whole-of-open-government approach. But of course, we acknowledge that there is still much to be done to fully achieve our goals.  

As we move forward, let us remember that the success of our reforms is built on the foundation of strategic collaboration among the government, private sector, academe, and civil society.  

So, let us continue working together to build a corruption-free, future-ready Bagong Pilipinas in the Asia Pacific—a region where every citizen trusts the government and actively contributes to its progress and development. 

Thank you very much.  

Wabillahi Tawfiq Wal Hidaya, Wasalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu. 

END

References: 

1Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index  

2Open Government Partnership - New Zealand Commitments  

3Indonesia - Beneficial Ownership Reform  

4Armenia - Beneficial Ownership 

5Open Government Partnership - Mongolia Commitments  

A pleasant afternoon to everyone.  

Assalamu alaikum wa Raḥmatullahi wa Barakatuh.   

First, I would like to thank our esteemed resource speaker, our very own former DBM Secretary Benjamin Diokno, who now serves as a member of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Monetary Board, for accepting our invitation to talk about his recently published book.   

Congratulations, and welcome back to your home of many years, Sec. Ben!  

We are so grateful to have you today as your extensive and exemplary service always inspires resilience, adaptability, and hope in the face of unprecedented challenges.  

As his Assistant Governor at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, I personally witnessed how Gov Ben led the BSP out of the pandemic. I don't think it's an understatement to say that he saved the Philippine economy during the pandemic. It is no wonder that he was named the Global and Asia-Pacific Central Banker of the Year by The Banker in 2022.  

If you want to learn how Gov Ben did it, aside from his latest book, the tribute of The Banker details how he expertly guided the BSP to fulfill its core functions, drive significant policy initiatives, and support the National Government during one of the most challenging periods in history—the COVID-19 pandemic.  

He introduced reforms that mitigated the adverse impact of the pandemic on our economy and paved the way for its early recovery. This includes accelerating digitalization, promoting financial inclusion, strengthening BSP’s internal operations and research capabilities, enhancing consumer protection, and, most importantly, fostering a stakeholder-centric approach that has moved the institution closer to the Filipino people. 

Gov. Ben was also instrumental in the modernization of the country’s banking system and invigorating the financial sector. He ensured that Philippine banks were well-capitalized and robust through the BSP’s regulatory and legislative measures.  

From this, we can learn that when asked to close our doors due to danger, we must look for windows of opportunity to adapt and thrive amidst extraordinary circumstances.   

So at this time, when the economy has been significantly impacted by the recent typhoons and severe weather conditions, discussing this book could not have been timelier. This masterpiece is not only the personal account of an incomparable leader but also an important guide for future leaders in times of crisis. 

Once again, thank you for gracing us with your presence, sir, especially during library month. Your book will certainly be another great addition to our library. 

So, as we celebrate National Library and Information Services Month, let us make the most of this golden opportunity to harness the potential of libraries to empower communities, foster inclusivity, and build resilience amidst adversities—not just this November but throughout our lives. 

Let us all listen intently to a great leader, educator, one of my mentors, and author whose insights will surely leave an indelible mark in our hearts.  

And finally, let this book serve as a reminder to engage more with our libraries and find books that will meaningfully impact our present lives and our nation’s future.   

Thank you very much.   

Wabillahi Tawfiq Wal Hidaya, Wasalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu.   

END