By Catherine Talavera, November 7, 2021; The Philippine Star
https://www.philstar.com/business/2021/11/07/2139470/da-creates-committee-get-rid-corruption
Manila, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has officially launched its anti-corruption committee in line with its efforts to serve the public with integrity and accountability.
“It is both our responsibility and duty to serve and to serve with integrity and accountability, free from any form of graft and corrupt practices that not only undermine the very institution we swore to protect and uphold but ultimately steers the people towards suffering and predicament. We must protect them from it at all cost,” Agriculture Undersecretary for Special Concerns Waldo Carpio said during the DA’s first Anti-Corruption Summit earlier this week.
Carpio challenged fellow government officials to continue to uphold their oath of honesty.
“Our Constitution, the very covenant that is the basis of all our laws and institutions, declared that the public office is a public trust and that public officers and employees must, at all times, be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, loyalty, act with patriotism and justice, lead modest lives and uphold public interest over personal interest,” Carpio said.
“With this declaration, we, public servants, are reminded that the very position that we are occupying belongs not to us but to the people, where sovereignty resides. We are but mere custodians and servants,” he said.
In July, Agriculture Secretary William Dar established the DA anti-corruption committee,which is tasked to monitor and report corruption-related cases, investigations and actions taken within the agency.
It will be required to submit daily corruption incident reports and validate reports from other sources.
The committee is also directed to formulate the agency’s anti-corruption policies, programs and activities, and will also be in charge of identifying corruption-prone processes in the agency; spearheading an anti-corruption campaign plan of action; and creating a streamlined complaint action center or hotline.
