CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
By:Iris P.Concepcion

I was once invited to an eating sortee that had brought out more illumination than the thousand research papers commissioned for publication in our esteemed universities.

Thus,we started the interactions with a sense of purpose.

Bearing with my penchant for prettified food that is likewise fulfilling,I was asked where to get my snack from before my very educational dinner.

Without batting an eyelash,I replied:"McDonald's."

I am not ashamed to admit that BigMac is my comfort food. I was likewise fed with huge servings of french fries.

I asked my friend what brought her to Manila.

"A conference," she replied.

Curiously,I asked how much these conventions cost in terms of policy formulation.

"Each individual is paid P72,000.00, including hotel accomodation/food. For three days," was the reply.

I blinked.

"And how much does this translate to actual implementation of policies in your conferences?" I prodded on.

"We just do the papers,then recommend," replied the friend.

"I mean, actual output in public, i.e., fixed infra support and equipment?" I questioned further.

Silence. A knowing smile.

I ate everything on the plate. My snack could be a better convention outlet than a hotel billet of discussions since I could pinpoint at the outcome right outside the fastfood window. From nearby the fastfood is the fixed drainage and widened road, aimed to be replicated elsewhere.

Actually, she is part of the reform. Her office is not overstaffed. Her equipment though, are world-class. It eliminates overlapping of functions since she could operate all the machines by her lonesome. The machines came from Japan. She had made blood donations easier and faster for the needy and the sick. Yes, I have friends who listen well.

This is a Mindanao setting and I am glad a remote place can afford to give convenience to the dying and the distressed with state-of-the art medical equipment.

Of course,the dinner itself was an eye-opener. I wrote about the ambulance and the gist of that beautiful saga as an entry to this blog.

I am writing this since I am currently reading a book on corruption titled: Towards Improved Governance: A Handbook On Developing Anti-Corruption Programs. Commissioned by the World Bank and coursed through the Asian Institute of Management, this handbook is worth the browse.

It is easy to read, devoid of difficult legalese and technical maze that could be beyond the grasp of rank-and-file members of the public service.

It includes, in brief, Sheila Coronel's Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism's (PCIJ) documentation of corrupt practices.

I was bawled over by the fact that even the poet Eric Gamalinda shared his writing lease to improve the texts of this handbook.

This should be a required reading for ALL government employees; even the business sectors. It does not confine itself to public corruption but wrote squarely about corrupt private dealings. Business ethics is discussed here.

Beats anytime the grammatically-spocked funnies of the better men on the other side of the universe.

This is a hand of five-work, doing what it takes to leap from mere print blah to actual imposition of rabid talks.

I am quoting a portion of the book which is timely.

"Drawing upon our global experience and the Philippine-specific analysis, we recommend that a national strategy for fighting corruption in the Philippines should focus on reducing opportunities and motivation for corruption and should make corruption a high-risk, low reward activity."

It is a clear statement. It itemizes the preventive actions as:

1. rule of law

2.proper management of public affairs and public property, integrity, transparency and accountability

3.strengthening anti-bribery actions and promoting integrity in business operations; effective prevention, investigation and prosecution.

4. supporting active public involvement /public discussion of corruption/access to information and public participation.

It says in part that "business should work against corruption in all forms, including extortion and bribery." It further states that " the public should be made aware of what is acceptable behavior and what the costs of corruption are."

This is correct in the sense that "traditional profit bottomline is expanded to a social bottom line of firms."

I believe that Ms. Coronel's piece was edited out before or was refused by major media outlets for publication as it touched on tax evasion cases which did not sit well with powerful offenders in the past. I am glad her study had made a headway into a handbook for a more widespread accessibility.

From this, you can read today's issues of newspapers and read deeply into the stories. From there you can sense a grasp of how this is done institutionally. It is not done through peddling and connections. Societal and institutional measures are required to elevate these things into workable concepts. No particular cluster is spared. This is demanded be it in business, church, government, media, advertising entities, health sector and the like.

Thus far,I have seen some of the economic variants played in the malls. You might be shocked to find out that the previous administration had started the lifestyle check policies but its battle had been wrought in the more mundane and scandalizations of mediocre concerns.

This is a McDonald's meeting on a higher level. Only, better technocrats,more educated than myself, had drawn out the blueprint.

I have seen the culprits' faces falling in one meat section as they gaze away from the nagging truth that spiced ham could be brought down to the level of slum appetites without undermining corporate profit. I buy my cheese of a New Zealand taste P10.00 lower than the leading brand.

They look away. They walk the aisle. They return teary-eyed and touch the affordable price tags.

Yes, this book made it affordable for you.If you still complain about increasing prices, that is no longer the fault of the government.You are given the alternative choices of the same make and quality but still would pay for the overpriced unfresh products because you are stubborn.

If you can't match this vision (they reply by again, pointing at the genitals---how smart can these people be), then, try at least to offer the public the BEST alternative.

The people who do not like the President's style of incorporating these changes ahead of everyone else must take a look at the markets and pinch the products if they are truly worth P200.00.

Can we print this at our National Printing Office? Make this a required read to all government workers.

(Shhhhhhh. My Dads are very hilarious.Hear them speak please. Go to Recto and see the painting about books. Deliriously a grin. Even the Drivers' Licenses are improved. And the owners are wearing jologs outfits buying from their food stalls.)