VICE President Jejomar C. Binay recently renewed calls to institute reforms to improve efficiency and ensure effective and honest delivery of housing services to the people.
Binay, chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), issued a memorandum to the government’s key shelter agencies (KSAs) directing the submission of a report on the reforms the government has made in eliminating practices of red tape and corruption in their offices.
“Corruption is an evil that weakens and destroys the trust of the people—the very foundation of a government,” Binay said.
“We are morally bound to institute reforms that would deter opportunities for corruption in every government transaction.”
Binay recently created a Transparency and Accountability Group (TAG) within the KSAs to conduct fact-finding investigations on reports of alleged graft and corruption committed by personnel and officers of the shelter agencies.
“The creation of the TAG would ensure that President Aquino’s daang matuwid policy will be strictly adhered to by the housing sector,” Binay said.
The group is headed by HUDCC Secretary-General Celia S. Alba.
It will be recalled that Binay’s first directive upon his assumption of office as housing czar was to ensure that clients of the shelter agencies will be served under the principle of good governance and transparency.
Binay’s anti-corruption campaign resulted in the dismissal of some personnel of the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF or Pag-IBIG) who were found to have been involved in the illegal transactions of real-estate developer Globe Asiatique that apparently victimized innocent homebuyers.
Under Binay’s guidance, risk analysis and extensive review of expenditure and revenue patterns have been implemented within the KSAs, which resulted in clearer targets and priorities and equitable appropriation of budget.
“We have made every effort to ensure that the housing sector complies with the anti-corruption policy set by the President and the 2003 United Nations Convention Against Corruption [Unac],” Binay said.
The Philippines is a signatory to the Unac, which is observed every December 9.
