October 28th, 2010
In early October, I visited the Philippines to hold seminars on how to improve the partnership between the government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) like POGO in the procurement process. The program was sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines and Procurement Watch, Inc. (PWI), which fights to reduce—if not eliminate—graft and corruption in government through procurement reform.
The flight was long (approximately 28 hours), but I was excited and very interested in our flight path, which carried me through Canada, Alaska, and Russia before landing in Tokyo, Japan. After a short layover and a relatively brief four-hour flight to Manila, I was met at the airport by Joseph Tordella, the Assistant Cultural Affairs Officer, who does a great job of spreading democracy and cheer around the world. My hotel was in the busy Pasig neighborhood (did you know that Manila is one of sixteen cities that make up Metro Manila?), which at midnight was locked in standstill traffic and bustled with people still roaming the streets. I was seriously shocked at the amount of traffic (cars, buses, jeepneys, motorcycles, scooters, bicycles, and pedestrians). It was a little overwhelming. After figuring out that the electricity and AC in my room required that I keep my access key in a port near the door, I was ready for a good night sleep after a long day of traveling.
After traveling such a far distance, I expected to sleep in, but due to a cat who wakes me at home each morning at 4:27 a.m., I was up very early on October 7. After eating breakfast (no eggs and pancakes for me, I went right for the local Filipino dishes and fresh fruit), I was also able to get in a good workout before heading to the local USAID office for a briefing about POGO and some of the issues that plague the procurement system in the Philippines. The briefing was great and it allowed me to refine my presentations that would follow in Manila, Cebu, and Davao. The traffic returning to my hotel from the briefing was at a standstill. In an effort to avoid the rush-hour mêlée, my Embassy driver cut through many of the upscale villages, providing me with a feel for how many foreign residents live—those villages were guarded, clean, and the homes appeared to be very luxurious. On a side note—the Embassy motor pool did a great job getting me around the city and to the airport early (thanks Superman, Green Eyes, and a few other call-signs that I missed).
My first seminar was held on Friday, October 8 with approximately 45 attendees. My briefing consisted of informing the participants about POGO, our government system here in the States, some of the tools that allow POGO to do its work, and how we partner with whistleblowers and insiders, government officials, the media, and other NGOs to promote a good-government message. My presentation wasn’t focused on how great our system is—I mentioned many problems that sometimes allow policies and programs to benefit personal or private interests rather than the public’s interest. The Manila group was on their toes and very concerned about the lack of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and whistleblower protection laws, a court system that was very slow in holding people and companies accountable, and a media that isn’t all that free. One participant mentioned that only 25 percent of each procurement Peso gets to its intended target. That means the rest is skimmed off by government officials or others. The dialog was very open and I enjoyed the general questions as well as learning about contracting abuses (outrageous contracts for hand dryers and motorcycle helmets, which I was keen to point out should be highlighted like the hammers and coffee pots that POGO exposed so many years ago).
I was happy to learn that there are anti-corruption measures that have been added to the procurement process. Bid and Award Committees have been created to oversee the contracting system. Additionally, groups like PWI are selected to participate in the bid and award process and submit reports reflecting actual observations on the bidding activity monitored. Despite that openness, the system is still subject to infiltration by those who place personal gain before good government. Public perceptions of a corrupt procurement system didn’t fade as I moved around the Philippines.
As soon as that seminar ended, I was off with Mr. Tordella and Mr. Ascaño (the Embassy Cultural Affairs Specialist who kept us on time and on budget) to Cebu. The seminar was held in a very large hotel and casino, that was really buzzing—vacationers, weddings, a culinary convention, and Scott Amey. The seminar was on Saturday the 9th, and I was surprised by the 30 or more attendees who gave up a Saturday to hear about POGO and discuss anti-corruption measures. I also met Ms. Gloria, and later the lovely Husin family, who provided me with an insiders’ tour of Cebu, which included a trip to the mall, dinner, and visits to local attractions, including a beautiful monument of Magellan and Lapu-Lapu (who killed Magellan for trying to spread Christianity—although the country is 80 percent Roman Catholic) and a scary ride on some contraption called the Edge Coaster—a 38-story ride that tilts toward the ground at a very steep angle. (Sorry Mrs. Husin if that brought back bad memories!)
The trip finished in the southern portion of the country in Davao City. The presentation and interactive dialog with the participants were tremendous. There are many groups and people in the Philippines who are tired of the culture of corruption that has existed for years and they are trying to fix it at the national and local levels.
I have to commend all the attendees, the Embassy, and Procurement Watch for a wonderful trip. I hope that my presentation causes someone inside or outside government to question the policies and programs that impact public funds and to work together to prevent, expose, and prosecute corruption. And I thank all of them for a very fulfilling life experience for me personally—the country was beautiful, the food was delicious, the culture was refreshing, and the Filipino people were very welcoming. I enjoyed many of the personal and professional discussions that I had during the seminars and those that followed with all who shared in my travels.
Overall I would rate the trip a 9.9 out of 10 and the remaining .1 will be added when the Congress of the Philippines finally passes a FOIA bill after so many years of effort!
—Scott Amey
