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JUDICIAL REFORMS & ANTICORRUPTION ACTIVITIES
USAID sees corruption as a problem that impinges on economic growth and democratic values, and has adopted a multi-faceted approach to dealing with this complex issue. First, USAID programs help the GRP to revamp their systems to eliminate opportunities for Corruption. Specific priority areas include:
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Government procurement
Tax administration
Customs administration
Anti-money laundering activities
Judicial Programs
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Transparent and Accountable Governance (TAG-2)
Barangay Justice Service System (BJSS)
Legal Accountability and Dispute Resolution (LADR)
Legal Reform
AntiTrafficking
Philippine Election and Political Support Project (PEPPS)
USAID also collaborates with civil society groups that are interested in fighting Corruption. The Transparent and Accountable Governance Program, implemented by The Asia Foundation, works at the national level to promote better governance, increase public participation in governance through conferences and other public forums and reduce opportunities for Corruption. A recently completed project enabled the Philippine Department of Education to significantly reduce Corruption in the delivery of textbooks to students. The program also works with local governments in Mindanao to help them adopt anti-Corruption procedures and activities. An example is assistance to a southern Philippines city to establish a one-stop shop where businesses can meet all the requirements for renewing permits. In addition to curbing Corruption, the reforms helped to cut by a factor of seven the amount of time it takes to renew business permits, helping to attract more businesses to locate in the city. The programs' website, www.tag.org.ph , is particularly helpful.
To strengthen rule of law, USAID institutionalized alternative dispute resolution systems at various levels, increasing judicial transparency and improving case management in the courts. At the community level, USAID's Barangay Justice Program enables marginalized groups to gain access to the judicial system. As a result, community disputes are resolved more rapidly, greatly reducing caseloads in municipal courts. Other Activities have instituted mediation systems in several government agencies, in the lower courts, and in the Court of Appeal. USAID cooperates with the Philippine Supreme Court in a number of other areas, such as training judges on new developments and public discussions of legal issues. Through the American Bar Association (ABA), it is also bringing U.S. judges to the Philippines to engage in judge-to-judge interaction with Philippine jurists to share experiences.
The National Democratic Institute is piloting an activity to help the ARMM government to strengthen civilian control over the police, and to test out the approach called community policing in the ARMM.
Finally, USAID will be meeting with a variety of counterparts over the coming months to explore additional ways in which it can support the GRP's reform agenda.
RELATED ARTICLE:
USAID Anti-Corruption Strategy Report