Background:

• Philippines has been perceived by foreign businessmen as Asia's most corrupt economy based on the results of a regional poll conducted by a Hong Kong-based group, Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) on 1,400 expatriate businessmen last January and February 2008. In a grading system used by PERC under which zero is the best possible score and 10 the worst, Philippines got 9.0, dropping to the bottom of a list of 13 countries[1].
• President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo topped the list of the most corrupt Philippine presidents in recent history according to a Pulse Asia Survey conducted nationwide from October 21 to 31, 2007.Among 1,200 respondents nationwide, 42% think that Arroyo is the most corrupt followed by Ferdinand Marcos with 35% and Joseph Estrada with 16%. Former presidents Fidel Ramos with 5% and Corazon Aquino with 1% came in at the bottom of the list[2].
• According to the annual Corruption Perceptions Index released by the Berlin-based organization Transparency International last Wednesday, Philippines is perceived to be among the world's most corrupt countries.The Philippines ranked 131st out of the 180 nations studied, with a 2.5 rating, together with Burundi, Honduras, Iran, Libya, Nepal, and Yemen. The index score ranges between zero, which is highly corrupt, and 10, which is very clean[3].
  

Bayani Fernando

• “There are engineering ways to prevent the commission of graft.”[4]

Chiz Escudero

• Corruption and wasteful extravagance should be blamed for the rising national debt that had reached P3.908 trillion as of November 2006[5].
• "To ensure that the civil servant does not use his position to enrich himself, there must be transparency in the financial standing of the civil servants. Once passed, this bill (Senate Bill No. 1476) will serve as deterrent to graft and corruption." [6]

Dick Gordon

• "I am glad and humbled that our people appreciate the work we do in the Senate. This modest gain however validates what the people demand from their leaders, that is to lead a no non-sense fight against graft and corruption.”[7]

Gilbert Teodoro

• Named to be one of the most honest government officials with Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral and Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro by Former senator Vicente Paterno[8].

Jejomar Binay

• “The administration has been selective in its anti-corruption drive, citing the long-stalled case against former agriculture undersecretary Jocelyn "Joc Joc" Bolante who is accused of funneling P728 million in agriculture funds to administration allies during the 2004 presidential elections.”[9]
• He said corruption is not tolerated and the government has a continuing campaign against the practice[9].
• He said an educational campaign on how to prevent corruption should be mounted to complement efforts to prosecute offenders[9].
• Binay said he would stamp out graft and corruption" graft and corruption and focus on productivity and peace and order[10].

Jinggoy Estrada

• Estrada said the administration should stop graft and corruption that have reduced government funds that should be used for poverty-alleviation programs to develop agricultural production and create more jobs for the people[11].
• "Ang lakas ng loob niyang magsalita tungkol sa paglaban sa corruption. Dapat unang tingnan niya yung kanyang paligid at yung kanyang asawa. ‘Pag nababasa ninyo sa pahayagan, halos lahat ay dinidiin ang kanyang asawa. Magmula sa Bureau of Customs, magmula sa PAGCOR, at magmula sa kadami-daming ahensiya ng gobyerno, wala pang ibang itinuro kundi ang asawa ni Mrs. Gloria Arroyo."[12]
  

Joker Arroyo

• Fights for the poor by rejecting Graft and Corruption. He exposed and condemned anomalous deals and contracts involving PIATCO, the TAX CREDIT scandal, NAPOCOR and MASINLOC biddings, the BOLANTE fertilizer scam and others. He never allowed our committees to be used for harassment or any other purpose than to find the truth[13].

Joseph Estrada

• "Ang aking susunod na digmaan ay laban sa mga tiwali sa pamahalaan at sa mga tao ng pribadong sektor na nakikipagsabwatan sa kanila."[14]
• "Graft and corruption is the worst form of rottenness in our society. It erodes the moral fabric of our people, robs the poor, increases the costs of doing business, erodes tax collection efforts, and drives away investments."[14]
• "We can no longer fight corruption piecemeal. We need a comprehensive approach that would reduce opportunities for corruption; remove needless regulations and simplify procedures; eradicate the end to recover electoral expenses by corrupt means; increase public vigilance both to deter and to detect commissions of graft; reform budget processes; improve meritocracy in the civil service; target selected departments and agencies for cleansing; increase the efficiency and speed in catching offenders and their prosecution; stiffen sanctions against corruption partnerships with the private sector; and support judicial reform to make the courts part of the solution rather than part of the problem. The courts should not allow themselves to be used as a refuge for scoundrels... I warn all departments and agencies of government to brace themselves, especially those consistently listed in surveys and studies on government corruption."[14]
• "I will be submitting to Congress an urgent bill creating an anti-graft and corruption commission. This bill will provide the government with the necessary powers and resources to combat this long-festering cancer in our society. I also urge Congress to pass the anti-racketeering bill (with anti-money laundering provisions)."[14]
• "Pigilin, supilin, sugpuin ang graft and corruption!"[14]

Kiko Pangilinan

• "Corruption will not stop if the conviction rate of most cases pending at the Sandiganbayan remains at 20 percent only."[15]
• "Hangga't ganun lamang ang bilang, yung mga maliliit lamang ang napaparusahan, habang ang malalaking isda ay nakakalusot. Mangingibabaw pa rin ang korupsyon sa bansa."[15]

Loren Legarda

• "We must step up our fight against corruption. Otherwise, we shall continue to be left behind in the economic competition among nations, especially in our effort to encourage more foreign investments in our country. We must catch more big fishes in our anti-corruption net."[16]
• According to Loren, the perception of corruption in our country is a significant factor in encouraging more local and foreign investments for infrastructure and other development projects[16].

Manny Villar

• "It is painful to accept but we should face reality. It should serve as wake-up call for us. We cannot change the perception of the businessmen who were polled in the survey [Survey of the Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) ranking the Philippines as "the most corrupt in Asia']."[15]
• "It is not right to blame the opposition for the 'most corrupt' image of the country and pointing fingers will not accomplish anything. It will just invite more negativity and create division and animosity among Filipinos.''[15]

Mar Roxas

• "Alam ng taumbayan kung papaano tumindig ako at ang mga Liberal laban sa katiwalian at para sa malinis at wastong pamamahala. Alam ng taumbayan kung paano umiiral ang mga sindikato ng korapsyon sa loob ng gobyerno.”[17]
• "As we [Liberal Party] escalate our opposition to corruption, unfairness and injustice in government, we [Liberal Party] expect that the same government will escalate their assault against their critics. We [Liberal Party] expect that they will use the 'rule by law and coercion' at the expense of the rule of law."[17]
• "Hindi kami [Liberal Party] matitinag. Hindi kami [Liberal Party]  titigil sa aming pagbabantay laban sa katiwalian at mga maling patakaran ng pamahalaang Arroyo. Dahil mahalaga na makamtan ng taumbayan ang bunga ng malinis na pamahalaan.”[17]

Miriam Santiago

• Corruption, she believes, is evil; her public crusade for good government is characterized by very simple messages. As she told the 1988 graduating class of elite Maryknoll College: "There is always a need to remember the eternal verities. It is a sin to tell a lie. Honesty is the best policy. It is wrong to steal other people's property."[18]
• Blamed "the tribal system of political protection", under which individuals with the highest connections were free to be the most corrupt. Thus rampant poverty and lawlessness in the land, as well as red tape and inefficiency in government, contributed to making corruption a way of life[18].

Noli de Castro

• De Castro said the fight against corruption should involve everyone, not just those in government and political parties, but should not be for the political gain of those who pursued it[19].
• "The issue about corruption in government should not be pursued simply for the political gain of one party or one group. This should be about protecting and advancing the welfare of the entire Filipino people.”[19]
• “Kung gusto nating wakasan ang korapsiyon, alisin natin ito sa lahat ng antas ng government service, mula sa baba, hanggang sa taas [If we want to end corruption, let’s remove it from all levels of government service, from the bottom up to the top]."[19]

Pia Cayetano

• Oppositionist Senator Pia Cayetano said President Arroyo’s administration was “entirely to blame” for the failure to curb corruption[20].
• Cayetano pointed to “the absence of transparency and accountability in government dealings, compounded by the Arroyo administration’s practice of stonewalling every investigation on the numerous scandals involving its top officials.” She said these eroded not only the people’s trust in their leaders, but also our good standing in the international community[20].

Ping Lacson

• “Fighting corruption is about restoring fair play for all. For it is corruption, more than anything else, that distorts the idea of equal opportunity and fair play.”[21]
• “Dahil sa kurakot, nawalan na ng saysay ang Patas na laban, Para sa lahat.”[21]
• “Corruption exists because we have been resigned to its existence. Like traffic, corruption has defined us as a nation.” [21]
• “Corruption is a two-way street: walang ko-corrupt, kung walang magpapako-corrupt.”[21]