Dissecting Corruption book to be launched Dec. 19

Pulse Asia recently revealed that President Gloria M. Arroyo is rated by Filipinos as the most corrupt president, followed by Ferdinand Marcos, Joseph Estrada, Fidel V. Ramos, and Corazon Aquino, who was given a rating of 1 percent. A couple of years ago, two of the country's presidents, Marcos and Estrada, were counted as among the world's most corrupt leaders, based on an international survey. For several years now, the Philippines has been ranked among the most corrupt countries in the world - No. 10 in the whole world, according to the November 2007 report of Transparency International.

Will there be no end to corruption in the Philippines? Many Filipinos view corruption with cynicism, as a malady that will persist no matter who the president is. Others believe that only a sweeping change in government and a surgical reform of the political system will eliminate corruption.

The book, Dissecting Corruption: Philippine Perspectives, seeks to probe into the basic roots of corruption and traces its historical and systemic aspects. It also examines how corruption ravages government, the military, and business with the Filipino people ending up as the losers.

The book is being launched to mark the International Day against Corruption which was on Dec. 9. It will be CenPEG's fourth book in four years.

Published by the Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG), Dissecting Corruption will be launched on Dec. 19, 2007, 8:30 – 11 a.m. at the CSWCD Bldg. grounds, UP Diliman, Quezon City. The book compiles papers presented during the National Study Conference on Corruption held in January 2005 at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, with the late Commissioner Haydee Yorac as the keynote speaker. Prof. Felipe Miranda will also give brief remarks about Pulse Asia's latest survey on President Arroyo.A policy institute founded in 2004, CenPEG conducts research, issue analysis, forums and roundtable discussions as well as media advocacy about politics, governance, elections, corruption, and other issues. Its corps of Fellows includes Dr. Bienvenido Lumbera, who also serves as Board chair; Profs. Rivera, Roland Simbulan, Luis Teodoro, Ben Lim, Felix Muga II, Lani Abad, and Bobby Tuazon; Drs. Leni Jara and Ed Clemente. Evi-Ta Jimenez is CenPEG's Executive Director.