Businessmen listed the Bureau of Customs and Land Transportation Office as the most corrupt government agencies in the last year of the Aquino administration, poll group Social Weather Stations said in its latest survey.
The SWS survey on the perception of enterprises on corruption covered seven areas with 950 entrepreneur respondents on Feb. 2 to May 6, 2016, the fourth survey under the Aquino term.
SWS president Mahar Mangahas said among government agencies rated by the respondents, the Bureau of Customs landed as most corrupt with a net satisfaction rating of -68 percent.
It was followed by the Land Transportation Office with -47 percent; the House of Representatives at -28 percent; Bureau of Internal Revenue, -27 percent; Transportation Department, -25 percent; and Public Works Department at -22 percent.
“The Senate rated far better than the House of Representatives, among the business people with -3 percent,” said Mangahas.
The business sector gave good ratings for the Securities and Exchange Commission with +55 percent; followed by the Trade Department with +43 percent; Labor Department with +38 percent; Office of the President and the Health Department both with +37 percent; and Civil Service Commission with +35 percent.
SWS said while efforts against corruption started very well and were maintained up to 2015, there was backsliding in 2016.
About 42 percent of the respondents said most companies in their sector of business gave bribes to win public sector contracts while 26 percent said most companies in their line of business gave bribes to win private sector contracts.
Despite the persistence of corruption in businesses, 81 percent disagreed that “to prosper in business in the Philippines today, one has to be corrupt” while 67 percent said “the government can be run without corruption.”
Results of the survey showed the number of those who received solicitations for a bribe reached 49 percent, but only 10 percent reported it.
About 51 percent disagreed that “the present laws to fight corruption in our country are already adequate” while 73 percent disagreed that they could not do anything to reduce corruption in government.
A good 87 percent agreed that “corruption will be reduced by the passage of a strong law on the right of the people to information from the government.”