PORTFOLIO

In

SEMINAR IN CURRENT ISSUES & NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER II
Nature of Graft and Corruption

FIRST SEMESTER
S.Y. 2021-2022

Submitted by:

Thea M. Isi-os
Masterand

Submitted to

Nicetas D. Fudolin, Ph. D., AFP

Professor
 SUMMARY

Bureaucracy is a type of organization that is designed to accomplished large-scale administration

tasks by systematically coordinating the work of many individuals. It was the German sociology

scholar Max Weber who described the characteristics/ideal key of bureaucracy systematically. Based

on Weberian Approach the characteristics of bureaucracy are as follows; (1) Division of labor upon

function specialization (2) Well-defined hierarchy of authority (3) System of rules covering the rights

and duties of positional incumbents (4) System of procedures for dealing with work situations (5)

Impersonality of interpersonal relations (6) Promotion and selection for employment based upon

technical competence.

In the Philippines, bureaucracy is characterized as follows: (1) Vulnerability to nepotism (2)

Perpetuation of spoil system (3) Apathetic public reaction to bureaucratic misconduct (4) Availability

of external peaceful means of correcting bureaucratic weakness (5) Survival of historical experience (6)

Lack independence from politics. With these characteristics such issues or problems arises such as (1)

Red Tape (2) Graft & Corruption (3) Conflict (4) Political monopoly or Dynasty (5) Waste. The most

distinct one which is the graft and corruption is defined as a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense

which is undertaken by a personal or an organization which is entrusted with a position of authority, in

order to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one’s private gain.

There are specific types of graft and corruption in the Philippines; tax evasion, ghost projects and

payrolls, evasion of public bidding in the awarding of contracts, passing of contracts, nepotism and

favouritism, extortion, “Tong” or protection of money, “Lagay” system of Bribery. There are many

causes of graft and corruption but the most common are the political and economic environment ,
professional ethics and morality, habits, customs, tradition and demography and its effects can be seen

by the way it discourages investment in our economy, alters the composition of government spending

and as a whole stifles economic growth.

 REACTION

One of my classmates during the discussion mentioned that graft and corruption is now a social

term as someone that been hearing the news about was is going on in the government, I realized that it

really did indeed became a social term. If there is something unexplainable happened within the

administration, we immediately think that the people managing it are doing corruption. How and when

did it really started? How can we say that someone’s administration is being corrupt or when can we

say that it is already corrupted?

As someone who works in the government the best way for me to avoid these kinds of practices

is to be objective with my decisions in my function in the organization. To always think what is best for

the agency and not only on the personal motives or benefits that I can gain. Though certain situations

arises where my work ethics on this matter is being tested I always see to it that I work with integrity

and honesty because this is what I am expected of who took an oath as a “kawani ng gobyerno” “na

mag silbi ng aayon sa husto at higit sa kinakailangan” and how to live with that is to work with honesty

and integrity in all my works in the agency.

Now that we can say that it is rampant, we end up pointing fingers on those who we think are at

fault, wherein fact we forgot to look on our own and check to ourselves if we are being corrupt. I

believed that it is on our own steps that we can change how things are now in the government. As

cliché as it sounds, change really do starts from ourselves. If we want something better, we ourselves

should better. After all our government is of the people, by the people, for the people.
 BIT INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE
TAGBILARAN CITY CAMPUS
GRADUATE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

Masterand: Thea M. Isi-os Professor: Nicetas D. Fudolin, Ph.D., AFP

Course: Master in Public Administration Subject: Seminar in Current Issues and
Topic: Key Issues and Problems of National Development
Philippine Education

SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM

PHILIPPINE BUREACRACY

ISSUES & PROBLEMS

CHARACTERISTICS

 Red Tape
 Vulnerability to Nepotism  Graft & Corruption
 Perpetuation of Spoil  Conflict
System  Political Monopoly/Dynasty
 Perpetuation of Spoil  Waste
System
 Availability of external
peaceful means of
correcting bureaucratic
weaknesses
 Availability of external
peaceful means of
correcting bureaucratic
weaknesses TYPES CAUSES EFFECTS
 Lack of Independence  Tax Evasion  Political & Economical  Discourage Investment
from Politics  Ghost Project & Payroll Environment  Alters the composition
 Evasion of public bidding in the  Professional Ethics & of Government
awarding of contracts Morality spending
 Passing of Contracts  Habits  Stifle economic growth
 Nepotism and Favoritism  Customs
 Extortion  Tradition
 “Tong” or protection of money  Demography
 “Lagay” system of Bribery