?RP sinks deeper in corruption list? ? headline.

You?re still surprised that our government is considered one of the most corrupt in the world?

From 131st place last year, the Philippines has gone down to 141st place this year in the ranking of the world?s most corrupt nations. (The higher the number, the more corrupt a country is).

Exactly 180 countries were graded by anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International based in Berlin.

One of our Asian neighbors, Singapore, placed second on the list of the least corrupt nations next to Denmark, New Zealand and Sweden, which shared first place.

Thailand, another neighbor of ours, was at 80th place, and Vietnam at 121st.

Indonesia, where people who deal with the government are reportedly required to cough up money ?for the boys,? came in at 126th place.

Bribing government officials in Indonesia is allegedly a matter of course, and yet that country is 15 notches above the Philippines.

Why? Because under the present administration, corruption has become the rule rather than the exception.

In Indonesia, close relatives of military generals and civil officials operate on the sidelines, making a great effort not to be noticed.

In this country, husbands, wives, children and even queridas of corrupt officials and VIPs (very influential persons) openly engage in corrupt practices.

And woe to any journalist who exposes these outsiders!

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Why is the Philippines among the most corrupt countries in the world?

Because even religious preachers, who are supposed to teach honesty, take part in the corruption game.

These preachers ? and they know who they are ? are modern Draculas. They suck people?s blood by extorting from very poor followers through ?love offerings.?

One even had the temerity to sell land to the government at a price reportedly more than its market value.

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If only those gullible followers know where their ?love offerings? go!

A big part of their money is spent for the luxurious upkeep of an evangelist?s family.

The grandson of a preacher studies at an exclusive school and, at a very young age, has bodyguards.

Despite the millions and millions of pesos he collects from his followers, he has not built even a chapel when he could have built a huge cathedral with all that money.

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Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez has exposed the alleged corruption in allocating money for road users? tax-funded projects.

During a hearing on the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways, Rodriguez said road users funds are given to districts whose congressmen allegedly agreed to part with 30 to 40 percent of the project cost as ?commission.?

The commission or bribe, according to the Mindanao congressman, goes to ?people upstairs.?

I was told Public Works Secretary Jun Ebdane is not one of those involved.

Some congressmen I talked to pointed to the brother of a top government official as the one collecting for ?people upstairs.?

The money involved is mind-boggling; it?s in the billions of pesos.