MANILA, PHILIPPINES – The Philippines has slightly improved its score in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) by one point garnering 115th rank, according to Transparency International.
In the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), Manila secured the 115th position out of 180 countries with a score of 34. This reflects a modest improvement of one place compared to 2022 and two places from its lowest rank in 2021, which was 117th.
Notably, the score of 34 falls below both the global average of 43 and the Asia-Pacific region’s average of 45. In recent years, the Philippines ranked 115th in 2020, 113th in 2019, and 99th in 2018.
In the Asia-Pacific region, the Philippines scored lower than countries such as New Zealand (83), Singapore (83), Australia (75), Hong Kong (75), Japan (73), Bhutan (68), Taiwan (67), South Korea (63), and Malaysia (50). It also fell behind Timor-Leste (43), China (42), Vietnam (41), India (39), Nepal (35), and Thailand (35).
Sharing the same score of 34 with the Philippines were Indonesia and Sri Lanka. Manila outranked only Mongolia (33), Pakistan (29), and Papua New Guinea (29). It fared better than countries with autocratic governments like Laos (28), Bangladesh (24), Cambodia (22), Afghanistan (20), Myanmar (20), and North Korea (17).
According to the report, the watchdog noted that Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines and Thailand, have faced challenges in effectively addressing corruption, maintaining a position “on the lower end of the spectrum.” Malaysia, on the other hand, was highlighted for surpassing the regional average, attributing its success to strong electoral processes and an anti-corruption commission that has successfully handled prominent cases in the past decade.
Indonesia faces uncertain prospects due to uncertainties surrounding the future of its significantly weakened anti-corruption agency. Vietnam, despite a “promising” high-profile anti-corruption campaign, is hindered by the ongoing restriction of critical voices, leading to a less optimistic outlook.
The marginal improvement in the Philippines’ ranking is deemed insignificant, primarily attributed to the absence of any anti-corruption program initiated by the Marcos administration, according to Gary Ador Dionisio, Dean of the De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde School of Diplomacy and Governance.
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