‘Project Kasangga’ seen to boost govt. anti-corruption drive

THE Philippine government last September 3, 2021, created a ‘National Anti-Corruption Coordinating Council’ (NACCC) that is seen to boost the country’s anti-corruption campaign even beyond the term of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte.

Spearheaded by the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) headed by Chairman Greco Belgica, heads of 49 departments and national agencies in the Executive Branch joined in the simultaneous signing of a manifesto committing their respective offices to the campaign against corruption.

“Ngayong araw ay sinelyuhan na po ng Pangulong Duterte ang kanyang ipinangako na labanan ang katiwalian, dahil ang NACCC ay isa ng institusyon na mananatili kahit tapos na ang panunungkulan ng kasalukuyang administrasyon,” Belgica said.

Prior to the signing, Pres. Duterte, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar and Sen. Christopher ‘Bong’ Go, delivered their respective messages reminding the participants on the importance of the covenant signing in the Duterte administration’s war against corruption.

Andanar described the event as the “most formidable convergence of the highest order” and a “historic weapon versus graft and corruption.”
The creation of the NACCC has long been a project of the PACC under Belgica’s ‘Project Kasangga: Aksyon Laban sa Korapsyon’ where he envisioned the campaign against graft and corruption being able to penetrate down to the country’s barangays.

“Alam naman natin na ang korapsyon ay ‘itaas at ibaba’ sa isang ahensiya. The PACC may be able to run after those above but what about those below who are not covered by our (PACC) mandate,” Belgica told Pinoy Exposé.

Belgica said the NACCC takes off from the ‘Whole-of-Nation/Whole-of-Government’ (WON/WOG) strategy adopted by the government in the campaign against terrorism and illegal drugs where not only the government, but also the general public, is enjoined to join in rooting out corruption and prevent their occurrence in whatever level of the government bureaucracy.

He added that private stakeholders would also be invited to join the NACCC this week. The media sector would be represented by the National Press Club of the Philippines (NPC).

With the creation of the NACCC, Belgica said what follows is the creation of an ‘Anti-Corruption Committee’ (ACC) in all offices under the Executive Branch.

The ACCs are tasked to immediately investigate any report of shenanigan in their respective units and offices.

BOC among the first to create ACCs

Of the 49 executive departments, bureaus and agencies which signed the manifesto with the PACC last September 3, 2021, among the first to comply in the creation of the ACC is the Bureau of Customs (BOC) under Comm. Rey Leonardo Guerrero.

The BOC and the PACC last March 20, 2021, already signed the manifesto that committed the bureau to fully support Pres. Duterte’s anti-corruption campaign.

BOC spokesperson, Atty. Vincent Maronilla, informed Pinoy Exposé that Guerrero had recently signed a ‘Customs Special Order’ (CSO) creating anti-corruption committees in all of the bureau’s 17 collection districts.

The order designates all district collectors to head the ACC at the local level while a “central” ACC would be chaired by Maronilla. The final decision on what penalty to impose, including removal from the service for those found guilty, however, shall be made by the customs chief.

Among those who signed the manifesto are:

Department of Agriculture (DA); Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR); Department of Budget and Management (DBM); Department of Education (DepEd); Department of Energy (DOE); Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); Department of Finance (DOF); Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA); Department of Health (DOH); Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSURD);

Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT); Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG); Department of Justice (DOJ); Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE); Department of National Defense (DND); Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH); Department of Science and Technology (DOST); Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD); Department of Tourism (DOT); Department of Trade and Industry (DTI);

Department of Transportation (DOTr); National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA); Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA); Bureau of Customs (BOC); Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR); Land Transportation Office (LTO); Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB); Philippine National Police (PNP); Bureau of Immigration (B.I); National Bureau of Investigation (NBI);

Philippine Information Agency (PIA); Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO); Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA); Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP); Presidential Adviser of Religious Affairs (OPARA); Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP); Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA); Food and Drug Administration (FDA); Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA); Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA);

Land Registration Authority (LRA); Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth); Social Security System (SSS); Government Service Insurance System (GSIS); Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA); National Telecommunications Commission (NTC); Philippine Coast Guard (PCG); and, Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA).