President Aquino lll. INQUIRER file photo
MANILA, Philippines – Despite President Benigno Aquino III’s efforts to stamp out corruption, Filipinos still think there has been little improvement in the level of graft in the country, Berlin-based non-profit group Transparency International said.
Transparency International said it surveyed 114,000 people in 107 countries this year and found out that “bribe paying levels remain very high worldwide”—the Philippines was no exception.
The results of its Global Corruption Barometer this year showed that 35 percent of Filipinos felt that corruption has “decreased a little” over the past two years.
Nineteen percent said corruption “increased a lot” under Aquino’s presidency.
The police took the top spot on the list of institutions perceived as corrupt by the survey’s Filipino respondents, gaining 69 percent. Public officials and civil servants took second place with 64 percent.
Political parties were also perceived as corrupt by 58 percent, followed by the judiciary which was seen to be affected by corruption by 56 percent of the respondents.
Fifty-two percent believed that the legislature was also affected by corruption.
Nineteen percent of the respondents said someone in their household paid a bribe to members of the police force in the last 12 months.
Thirteen percent said they bribed someone from the government’s registry and permit services. Eleven percent cited bribing someone from land services while 10 percent said they have bribed someone from the judiciary.
However, 45 percent did agree that ordinary people could make a difference in the fight against corruption, Transparency International said.