Corruption in the Philippines worsens in 2019 global index

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 23) — Corruption worsened in the Philippine government in 2019 as it ranked 113th of 180 countries studied on their perceived political integrity.

Transparency International, a nonprofit watchdog monitoring the status of global corruption in the public sector, has issued the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2019, showing that the Philippines dropped 14 notches from 99th in year 2018.

In its current ranking, the Philippines obtained a score of 34, down by 2 points from 36 in 2018.

The CPI scores countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption using a scale of zero to 100, with zero as “highly corrupt” and 100 as “very clean.”

The Philippines’ score indicates that it “continue[s] to struggle to tackle corruption,” along with other countries in the Asia Pacific region, the report read.

This is the lowest ranking that the country has received since 2012. While the Philippines also got a score of 34 in 2017, it only ranked 111th out of 180 countries.

In 2016, the country placed 101st, 95th in 2016, 85th in 2018, 94th in 2013, and 105th in 2012.

The index noted that of the 31 countries assessed in the Asia Pacific, the regional average was at 45, illustrating “general stagnation” in control of corruption in the region.

“Governments across the region, from China to Cambodia to Vietnam, continue to restrict participation in public affairs, silence dissenting voices and keep decision-making out of public scrutiny,” the report read.

“Given these issues, it comes as no surprise that vibrant economic powers like China (41), Indonesia (40), Vietnam (37), the Philippines (34) and others continue to struggle to tackle corruption,” it added.

New Zealand and Denmark topped the corruption index, with scores of 87 each, followed by Finland with a score of 86, Singapore with 85, Sweden with 85, and Switzerland with 85.

The bottom countries are Somalia, South Sudan and Syria with scores of 9, 12 and 13, respectively.

“Governments must urgently address the corrupting role of big money in political party financing and the undue influence it exerts on our political systems,” said Transparency International chair Delia Ferreira Rubio.