The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and its subsidiaries vowed to uphold transparency and good governance in their day-to-day operations.

In fact, they signed an integrity pledge during the BCDA Group presidents’ caucus  held  recently at the  Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati.

BCDA president and chief executive officer Arnel Casanova took the lead in the signing of integrity pledge.

He vowed to get rid of corruption in BCDA’s backyard as well as in its subsidiaries.

“The integrity pledge affirms our commitment to President Aquino’s strategy of good governance is good economics.

“Since government and business are built on trust and transparency, we cultivate a culture of integrity in BCDA Group so that our private sector partners and the public will have greater confidence in a fair and transparent dealing with us,” Casanova told The Daily Tribune.            

The BCDA Group is composed of  the  Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), Clark Development Corporation (CDC), John HayManagement Corporation (JHMC),  Poro Point Management Corporation (PPMC), Clark International Airport Authority (CIAC),  North Luzon Railways Corporation (NorthRail), Bataan Technology Park, Inc., (BTPI) and BCDA Management Holdings Inc. (BMHI).

The signing of the Integrity Pledge by the various heads of the BCDA Group is  part of a multisectoral campaign to eradicate graft and corruption in government.

Casanova said he welcomed the partnership with the Integrity Initiative led by the Makati Business Club (MBC), the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), Asian Institute of Management (AIM), and American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (AmCham).

“Most of our locators will now be made to sign and abide to the Integrity Pledge,” Casanova said. 

Among the practices to be adopted as part of the Integrity Pledge include to combat graft in any form in all activities.

“The BCDA Group will  ensure transparency by implementing strict guidelines on the receiving and giving of gifts, charitable or political contributions, sponsorships and other tokens that attempt to unduly influence the recipient — whether  from government or the private sector — into  an improper exercise of functions,  duties or judgment,” the BCDA president said.

Other practices to be adopted include to uphold, monitor and ensure the implementation of  RA 6713 (Code of Ethical Standards for Pubic Officials and Employees) and apply  appropriate  sanctions for violations of the code; reduce red tape; maintain appropriate financial reporting mechanisms that are accurate and transparent; enter into integrity pacts with other businesses and with government agencies when dealing with procedures related to bidding and procurement of supplies, materials, and construction; and engage only third parties who have existing internal control systems on transparency, integrity and corporate governance and avoid those who are reputed to engage in illegal and unethical transactions.

Casanova said the entire BCDA Group looks forward with a lot of optimism and hope as it moves forward with its work guided by the principles that have been laid out under the Integrity Initiative.

“Our commitment in the succeeding days and years on our work would be based on stewardship, honesty, integrity, excellence and professionalism,” Casanova said.

Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad said that if there was anything the Aquino government was able to achieve in the first three years of its administration, it is the promotion of a high degree of confidence in government, in the society and in the economy.

Source: The Daily Tribune; Business; 16 April 2013