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PHILIPPINES: Media Has Key Role in Fighting Corruption

Prime Sarmiento

MANILA, Feb 16 2009 (IPS) - When administrative officer Bryan Baylon discovered irregularities in the state-run hospital that employed him he first tried resolving them by informing his supervisors and proposing measures to curb corrupt practices.

Baylon had, in 2005, discovered fund diversion and rampant overpricing of hospital equipment. When nobody in the hospital listened to him he decided to blow the whistle by contacting media reporters.

Baylon accused hospital chief Dr. Domingo Vega of being behind the irregularities and the expose sparked a public outrage.

"I pity the patients who go to our hospital," he said, alluding to the poor people in their province of Negros Occidental, southern Philippines, who had no choice but to go to this hospital. He felt it was unfair that some top hospital officials siphoned off funds at the expense of the patients who needed affordable healthcare.

Baylon was later dismissed from the hospital on trumped up charges.

The Philippine health ministry is now investigating Baylon’s claims and has transferred Vega to another hospital pending an investigation. Baylon has continued to talk to the media, believing that by doing so the issue will not die down and that the culprits will not remain unpunished.

Baylon is just one of the many whistleblowers in the Philippines who, allied with the media, have named and shamed officials in the belief that this will deter corruption.

In 2008, the Philippines was ranked 141 in a list of 180 countries under the corruption perception index (CPI) devised by the Berlin-based Transparency International. On a scale from zero (highly corrupt) to ten (highly clean) the Philippines scored a low 2.1 – 2.5.

A study commissioned in 2006 by the World Bank and the Netherlands Trust Fund revealed that numerous cases of bribery and theft of funds had undermined the delivery of public health services in the Philippines. This resulted in such problems as more waiting time at public health clinics and late immunisation of infants.

Non-government organisations (NGOs) like the Global Call to Action against Poverty-Philippines and Social Watch Philippines said corruption affected the country’s ability to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of the United Nations as most of the funds that could have addressed these goals were instead used as payoffs.

In its review of the Philippine government’s mid-term assessment of MDGs in 2007, Social Watch Philippines' co-convenor Leonor Briones said: "The call is for political reform which will do away with traditional political practices which divert needed financial resources to the undeserving and distorts government priorities. Good governance characterised by citizen participation, transparency and accountability will go a long way in achieving MDG goals."

Development experts and top journalists are agreed that the Philippine media can play a key role in combating corruption and help achieve the MDGs.

"The media is a powerful watchdog that can monitor and expose corruption," said Rohini Kohli, human development report analyst with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in an interview with IPS.

"Corruption is about abuse of power and fear. Journalists have to confront our personal fears so that we can help those who were afraid to speak to expose abuse of power,’’ says Maria Ressa, senior vice-president of the News and Current Affairs of ABS-CBN, the Philippines’ biggest media network.

In the Philippines, where the media is free and influential, news reports on corruption have empowered citizens to demand good governance and drive out corrupt officials.

"Investigative journalism is a powerful tool versus corruption," said Isagani Yambot, publisher of the ‘Philippine Daily Inquirer,’ the country’s biggest broadsheet. Yambot said reports by investigative media s on government corruption helped galvanise the ‘‘people power’’ revolt that toppled Joseph Estrada from presidency in 2001.

Yambot said given the "pervasive corruption in the Philippine government," the Philippine media should continue to do its role as a watchdog. By regularly publishing spot news and investigative reports, journalists will not only expose corruption but also instill it in the public consciousness and arouse public outcry.

Media exposure can lead to more systemic reforms. Indeed, a media expose on "ghost" deliveries of textbooks and other school equipment spurred the Philippine education department to start reforming its procurement system in 2002. It has linked up with the private sector and NGOs to guard against short and "ghost" deliveries that harmed the public school system in the past.

Ressa said that media people also needed to check corruption within the industry as journalists are known to accept bribes in exchange for favourable coverage or even resort to extortion.

She said that it was difficult to curb such culture of corruption. "Very few want to expose their media colleagues. There are consequences if you do. You’ll be ostracised.’’

When Ressa was appointed to head the ABS-CBN newsroom in 2005, she immediately implemented a zero-tolerance policy against corruption. Suspect journalists were fired and those with good reputations recognised.

This made Ressa one of the most unpopular persons in her media company. Some of those she fired even sued her for illegal termination, but Ressa remained resolute and is happy to report that she has contributed to progress.