Australian gov’t supports PH anti-corruption project

Rappler.com

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Australia extends assistance to the Philippine government for greater transparency and accountability amidst public anger over abuse of discretionary funds

FOREIGN SUPPORT. The Australian government supports Philippine government efforts to foster transparency and accountability in managing public funds. Photo courtesy of the Ausrtalian Embassy in the Philippines official Facebook page


MANILA, Philippines – Australia lauded the Philippine government for its initiative to push for greater transparency in using public funds, in spite of an ongoing pork barrel scam controversy that has hounded the Aquino adminstration. 

In a statement, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Bill Tweddell said: “A more effective and open budget process in the Philippines is essential to combat corruption and direct public spending to where the development needs are greatest.”

He added that initiatives like zero-based budgeting and the Open Government Partnership is a testament to the administration’s vow to push for greater government transparency and accountability.

Australia has committed P1.3 billion – equivalent to A$30 million – for the implementation of the Public Financial Management Program (PFMP).

The Citizen Participatory Audit (CPA), a project housed under the PFMP, recently gained international recognition after receiving the Bright Spots award at this year’s Open Government Partnership (OGP) summit held in London.

The recognition came amid various criticism on how the administration has been managing public funds. Addressing these criticisms, the president delivered a 10-minute speech on October 30 to defend the way his office used discretionary funds such as the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) and the President’s Social Fund (PSF).

The PFMP facilitates practical budgeting and reforms on expenditure management. According to the statement issued by the Australian embassy, “it will help those responsible for managing public funds to do their jobs efficiently and effectively.”

Launched in November 2012 and implemented by the Commission on Audit and the non-profit Affiliated Network for Social Accountability in East Asia and the Pacific (ANSA-EAP), the CPA provides citizens online and offline avenues to collaborate with government sectors in auditing “projects that have an impact to a large number of beneficiaries.”

“Under the CPA project, citizens are with auditors. They are not on the outside looking in,” ANSA-EAP’s Vivien Suerte-Cortez emphasized.

The project enables ordinary citizens to “conduct audits, community surveys, particpate in the community scorecard process, or provide audit-related feedback as individuals.” 

Department of Social Welfafe and Development, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Education have already been subjected to participatory audits since the program’s launch. – Rappler.com

 


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