Resident ombudsman program being revived

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman is reviving a program that designates a resident ombudsman in state agencies to help bolster the fight against corruption.

Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano said the program’s reactivation is part of the agency’s response to the findings of a survey it commissioned, which found that many Filipinos believed it is difficult to obtain government services without corruption.

“Respondents were asked how easy it is to access services without having to bribe, influence or engage in any act of corruption. The results were very telling because a majority said it was very difficult. These results, among others, will serve as the basis for the reforms about to be instituted by the Office of the Ombudsman,” Clavano said.

Under the program, a resident ombudsman will be assigned to “vulnerable agencies,” where they will work on-site to serve as the repository of complaints and be chief implementers of the programs of the agency.

“The resident ombudsman will be visible in the host agencies and will be rotated so as not to breed any familiarity and maintain professionalism,” Clavano said.

The ombudsman will enhance coordination with the Anti-Red Tape Authority and Department of the Interior and Local Government to ensure services are available and accessible to the public.

“We are finalizing the list of agencies where we would assign resident ombudsmen but offhand, the sure ones are the Bureau of Customs, BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) and DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways),” Clavano said.