CHAPTER IX:

ACCOUNTABILITY AND ETHICS

IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE
Prepared By:
Gerald Coralde Bea Bellen Eludelyn Gunao Patrick Gliane Claudine Carumba Kurt Lindsay De
Luna
Objectives:
By the end of the discussion we will know about:
 What is Personal Integrity, Values and Ethics.
 What are Values and Choice and Operationalization of Core Values.
 Ethics and Ethical Standards
 Ethics and the Administration
 What is Unethical Behavior, Graft and Corruption and its possible cause.
 Ethics and Unethical Practices
 Encouraging Ethical Behavior
Code of Citizenship and Ethics, Conduct and Ethical Standards in Public Office
Accountability and Ethics in the Public Service

 Accountability is a concept which implies responsibility and obligation to answer or

explain the acts and performances to some person superior to or occupying a
higher position in the hierarchy of an organization. For a better understanding of
the notion of public accountability, one needs to distinguish it from the term
responsibility. In which it generally associated with a personal moral quality
without necessarily relating it to status and power.
 In this sense, responsibility can be shared since it percolates downward through
the different levels of the organizational hierarchy. Some may be held legally
accountable for the acts of his subordinates based on the principle of command
responsibility, but not be responsible for the actual exercise of authority delegated
to his subordinates.
Accountability and Ethics in the Public Service

Faithful adherence to these guidelines is assured if public servants possess integrity,

personal discipline and sense of public commitment to discharge duties and
responsibilities faithfully and well. Certain standards necessary for a reasonable
exercise of official discretion must include:
1. Compatibility with the moral and constitutional foundations of government.
2. Answer the demands for effectiveness without sacrificing the moral and legal
commitments in favour of political expediency.
3. Relate personal integrity to public discretion but retain the "checking value" of
personal integrity.
What is Personal Integrity?
 The public office is a public trust; public officers and employees of government are
therefore accountable for what they do; they are enjoined to serve the people with
utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice
and lead modest lives. In a democratic polity, management of public affairs should
be in accordance with the provisions of law. It is these rules of law which define the
area of administrative responsibility including the criteria for evaluating
administrative performance. These rules are value norms which government
employees must live up to.
 The ability of a man to treat phenomena as objects of cognition and emotional
response, enables to objectify phenomenon, and give meaning to it. That meaning
is the essence of value.
Values and Ethics

The new public administration has accepted the theory which emphasizes the
proactive role of public administrators as agents and representatives of social
values.? This is a meaningful approach which enhances the innovative capacities of
administrative theory and believes in the following:
 1. Compatibility with the moral and constitutional foundations of government.
 2. Answer the demands for effectiveness without sacrificing the moral and legal
commitments in favor of political expediency.
 3. Relate personal integrity to public discretion but retain the "checking value" of
personal integrity.
What are Values

 Values are perceptions of individuals, organizations and societies of the desirable ways
or mechanisms to achieve goals and objectives. These are manifested in the behaviour
the manner of solving the problems. The prescriptive standards used as criteria for
determining choice of procedure and process to be employed and the expected
behaviour for specific situations are generally taken to the within the domain of ethics.
 Core values of public administration vary. Such variance is the primary rationale for
establishing a prioritization scale for implementation by different societies.
Prioritization takes into consideration immediacy and relevance of need, financial
resources and overall effects upon society.
What are Values

Social values in turn to guide choice of administrative values. When

administrative value are operationalized, policies are formulated and
implemented, the problems of society are solve, conflicts are resolve
and social wants are provided.
Choice and Operationalization of Core Values
What core value models should serve as guide to administrative action?
 The choice depends primarily upon the value orientation of a society
imputed by historical experience and orientations. Three core values
are appropriate and applicable these are (1) representativeness, (2)
neutral and competence (3) executive leadership.
REPRESENTATIVES

Representativeness implies that the administrative system should be

staffed by individuals drawn from the entire spectrum of society. Any
administrative decision made must be a product of the effort of the group
articulated through the agents of society and the prevalent values of the
general public.
How attainable is representativeness?
 Representativeness calls for the liberalization of social class selection for
the bureaucracy. In open societies this is attainable but with great risks.
Even a liberal selection process can open up avenues for nepotism
especially in a culture milieu where close family ties places on the side-
line the principle of merit and fitness.
 As Chester Barnard points out, representation is an amalgam of diversity
where the average, but not the exceptional ,is chosen for the function of
leadership. The ability to act under pressure and assume responsibilities
under conditions of risk is not easily found in societies lacking the
tradition of such management style.
Neutral Competence

Neutral competence as core value requires those in the administrative machinery to possess the requisite
personal attributes and knowledge of the job. An administrator or employee should possess the
competence to program and to implement policies which in some cases are politically defined more than
scientifically designed.
Neutral competence finds support in the integrity of the public servant. Said integrity rests upon basic
commitments like:
1. Mastery of the expertise required by the job including its conscientious performance.
2. Implementation of the laws and policies articulated in accordance with constitutional processes even if
one personally disagrees with them.
3. And provision for conscientious service to the people and to treat them with disinterested concern. This
requires overcoming prejudices and preferences and enjoining public servants not to impose personal
judgment, through the use of governmental power.
Executive Leadership

 Executive leadership emphasizes the importance of a firm authority figure

in an organization capable of effecting human networking, providing
direction in the investment of talents and efforts and applying principles
and formulas for the welfare of the constituency.
 Responsible leadership is dependent upon whatever information is
received by the executive via issues and problems, since decisions should
be based upon such information.
Executive Leadership

 Lack of political acumen weakens executive claim of the right to chart the
destiny of the nation. This perhaps could be the legislative rationale to
claim a moral right to aggressively participate and play the role of partner
in decision-making. This could be a test of the efficacy of
representativeness as a central value. But the dilemma persists, since
assertion of executive leadership could be a denial of representativeness;
to highlight representativeness will enthrone the primacy of the
legislature, which the executive organ may not be very willing to
accommodate.
ETHICS AND ETHICAL STANDARDS

 The ethical perspective used as basis for resolving a seeming conflict is indeed
important. Two principles may be employed as guide to public administrators in
operationalizing values these are the inherent and situational. The inherent
perspective uses the law of nature, articulating itself in human nature, as basis of
choice between right and wrong.
 The dictate of right reason, objectively perceived, becomes the working criterion
for judging human conduct." The situational perspective contextualizes human
behaviour in the light of the situation or circumstances, with ethical standards
formulated and applied relatively. Which of the two perspectives is a better guide
to decision-making and policy implementation depends upon motives and
intentions.
ETHICS AND ETHICAL STANDARDS

 When ethics is translated into moral standards in public administration

and put into operation, it is transformed into a way of life or a pattern of
behaving. Marshall Dimock believes that the eclectic view is most relevant
provided it upholds the primacy of public interest above factional
interest, accepts the universality of ethics, values and rights and regards
ethics as the rational pursuit based on cause-effect relationship.
Ethics and the Administrator

 If ethics refers to the ways of applying value interpreted in terms of social

good, applied public administration would view it in the light of the
interest of the many rather than that of the individual and the few.
 Those who administer should consider the effect of decision outcomes
upon those who will be the affected. Ethics can therefore be subjectively
and situational interpreted. Because it is concerned with moral obligation
and responsibility, there is the problem of identifying the appropriate
action to achieve that "good" in a specific context.
Ethics and the Administrator
 When ethics is applied to the process of social design, the administrator looks into
the meaning and propriety of the proposed decision with its accompanying
implementing guidelines to see to it that the obligations to the organization and to
the general public are complied with.? For one to assume the obligations which
administrative ethics imposes, would require clarification of the notion of moral
obligation, rights and options, among others, and the implications of these upon
administrative activities.
 According to McGregor, behind every managerial decision or action are assumptions
about human nature and human behaviour. The acts of the manager are influenced
by his sense of what Is right and what is wrong. It follows therefore that the
fundamentals of management are applied within the framework of values of the
manager.
Ethics and the Administrator
 There are two value frames which serve as basis for the practices of managers:

1. Organizational and effectiveness - interpreted in of terms efficiency and productivity of an entity

2. Organizational performance - which is not the only basis of managerial practices but also takes into
account accepted social ethics and norms of conduct more than efficiency values of the administrative
system.
 These two value frames need not be contradictory since these individually centered values of the
manager can be blended with those of the organization. The manager or administrator assumes the role
of ethical decision-maker capable of prioritizing between the two, using community welfare as ultimate
object. Where and when to strike the balance will depend upon assessment of the administrative terrain
and foresee the possible outcome. This is what Marshall Dimock calls eclectic choice.
What is Unethical Behavior?
 It is often suggested that in order to understand ethics, one has to know what
constitutes unethical behaviour. Some liken ethics to the weather because everyone
talks about it, but nobody does anything about it .
 There are different organizational approaches to ethics. There is the legalistic and
blame-punishment approach. Whatever is not provided for by law is non-ethical
because the law qualities what is ethical, and that which is not in accordance with it
should be discouraged.
 This is a reactive approach which is negatively oriented. The other approach is human
development approach which looks at ethical behaviour as a mechanism designed to
solve problems and therefore proactive.
What is Unethical Behavior?
 It is a positively oriented approach encouraging ethical behaviour by
making individuals realize the need to act in accordance with ethical
standards because it conduces to the social good. It believes that
government plays a significant role in developing feelings of obligation and
respect for society.
 Once this role is performed by government, the people must show implicit
trust in its capacity to protect the public interest. The effectiveness of the
representative polity rests on the drawing power of its officials to render
trust and confidence.
What is Unethical Behavior?
Marshall Dimock identifies two classes of unethical behaviour in
government.
1. Isolated - this is best illustrated by a case of public fund misappropriation.
The community allows the officer to repay whatever money is defaulted
without need for conditionality's.
2. Conspiratorial - this is a more serious case which involves an interest
group, a political machine or the underworld syndicate.
What is Unethical Behavior?
 Jong S. Jun considers blind loyalty to the system; action resulting from
pressure of special interests; indifference to public interest; corruption and
favouritism as unethical behaviour:
In the exercise of administrative power, there are always possibilities of
abuse like the following:
1. dishonesty
- This takes several forms of stealing from government like "kickback" racket;
falsification of expense accounts; substandard construction; accepting bribes
and exchanging favours at government expense.
What is Unethical Behavior?
 Jong S. Jun considers blind loyalty to the system; action resulting from
pressure of special interests; indifference to public interest; corruption and
favouritism as unethical behaviour:
In the exercise of administrative power, there are always possibilities of
abuse like the following:
1. dishonesty
- This takes several forms of stealing from government like "kickback" racket;
falsification of expense accounts; substandard construction; accepting bribes
and exchanging favours at government expense.
What is Unethical Behavior?
 Jong S. Jun considers blind loyalty to the system; action resulting from
pressure of special interests; indifference to public interest; corruption and
favouritism as unethical behaviour:
In the exercise of administrative power, there are always possibilities of
abuse like the following:
1. dishonesty
- This takes several forms of stealing from government like "kickback" racket;
falsification of expense accounts; substandard construction; accepting bribes
and exchanging favours at government expense.
What is Unethical Behavior?
2. gross inefficiency
- This results from the use of poor hiring criteria which easily qualify even the unfit
and the incompetent. Defective and inefficient office procedures can give rise to it. It
may also be ascribed to negative work ethic, lack of personal discipline or lack of
individual commitment to organizational goals.
3. lack of initiative
- This reflects in ability to take a stand on an issue or exercise discretion which the law
contemplates as important especially for policy implementation. It can be a by-
product of fear of being criticized especially if one is not sure of what should be done,
and so he plays it safe by inaction.
What is Unethical Behavior?
4. violation of legal procedural requirements
- This refers to non-observance of the procedural requirements of law
especially applicable to bidding of government public works projects.
What is Unethical Behavior?

4. violation of legal procedural requirements

This refers to non-observance of the procedural requirements of law
especially applicable to bidding of government public works projects.
5. refusal to honour the intent of legislation
- An administrator is aware of the rationale for passing the law but refuses to
act in accordance with the guidelines reflective of legislative intent. Policy
standards and performance standards are not duly observed.
What is Unethical Behavior?
4. violation of legal procedural requirements
This refers to non-observance of the procedural requirements of law especially
applicable to bidding of government public works projects.
There is an announcement enjoining participation in sealed bids but the winning party is
pre-determined. Or the contract is awarded without bidding to a company which has
substantially contributed to the party in power during the campaign period before the
election.
5. refusal to honour the intent of legislation
- An administrator is aware of the rationale for passing the law but refuses to act in
accordance with the guidelines reflective of legislative intent. Policy standards and
performance standards are not duly observed.
What is Unethical Behavior?
6. unfair treatment of subordinates
- This includes discriminatory implementation and enforcement of rules and regulations
regarding personnel; witch-hunting and scape goating ; abuse of loyalty check programs
by administrators, refusal to dialogue and dismissal allegedly for insubordination or
inefficiency.
GRAFT AND CORRUPTION
 The constitution of 1987 provides six grounds as basis for initiating impeachment
proceedings against high ranking government officials, among which are graft and
corruption.39 these are unethical conduct ubiquitously present in all systems of
government.
 Ivan hill, formerly of the Ethics Center at Washington D.C. believes that honestly
increases efficiency and productivity both in business and in government. The
inference is that where there is dishonesty, there is the corresponding decrease of
efficiency and productivity. it is an act performed by civil servant or a group of civil
servants, acting alone by himself or by themselves , without involving any person
outside the bureaucracy or jeopardizing the performance of duties by another
bureaucrat.
GRAFT AND CORRUPTION
In the bureau of internal revenue, graft takes form of falsification and manipulation of
financial documents and other records and delay in forwarding remittance collections.
It involves participants from within and outside of the bureaucracy.
Two variants of corruption have been identified as negative bureaucratic behaviour in
the Philippines.
1. That which involves only civil servants like giving lucrative positions and
promotions to the highest bidder and giving and accepting bribes (padulas)
2. That which involves a person or persons outside the bureaucracy either of whom
initiates the act
GRAFT AND CORRUPTION
 In the land transportation commission, there is corruption when the employee
circumvents procedures for checking and resealing; receiving '' retainer fee'' for
expeditious processing of license to operate and for motor vehicle registration . in
government there are high-bribe-paying applicants; out-of-office settlement of income
tax, business tax and sales tax are some of the common corrupt practices.
In the bureau of customs, corruption takes form of:
1. Undervaluation - there is undervaluation when an importer depreciate his imported
goods very much below the actual cost
2. Misclassification - misclassification are falsification of quantity and quality of imported
goods .
GRAFT AND CORRUPTION
 In the land transportation commission, there is corruption when the employee
circumvents procedures for checking and resealing; receiving '' retainer fee'' for
expeditious processing of license to operate and for motor vehicle registration . in
government there are high-bribe-paying applicants; out-of-office settlement of income
tax, business tax and sales tax are some of the common corrupt practices.
In the bureau of customs, corruption takes form of:
1. Undervaluation - there is undervaluation when an importer depreciate his imported
goods very much below the actual cost
2. Misclassification - misclassification are falsification of quantity and quality of
imported goods .
GRAFT AND CORRUPTION

4. Misdeclaration - An incorrect declaration, especially relating to how

much tax one owes.
5. Outright smuggling - outright smuggling occurs when the cargo id
unloaded not in the designated place or part of entry.
6. Abuse of bounded warehouse permits - occurs when an importer brings
in raw materials to be made into finished products.
POSSIBLE CAUSES OF GRAFT AND
CORRUPTION
 Ledivina V. Caraño believes that corruption results from individual,
organizational and societal causes.
1. Individual - this results from low morality of both bureaucracy and clients .
2. Organizational - the weaknesses arising from the system may be due to
unrealistic compensation , inadequate controls in areas not susceptible to
corruption
3. Societal - these are causes which are primarily attributed to the culture of
a society
POSSIBLE CAUSES OF GRAFT AND
CORRUPTION
 The expected behaviour of the Filipino is arrayed against cultural norms
most of which are anchored on personalism. In the Philippines , people
who practice graft and corruption are often put on the pedestal; they attain
respectability while those who do not engage in such practices are branded
as ‘’ tanga’’ for not taking advantage of their position and power.
 Behaviour that is legally unacceptable depending upon the political culture
of a society. They gives priority to the transactions of their Family however
down the file these maybe.
POSSIBLE CAUSES OF GRAFT AND
CORRUPTION
 There are three critical focal points of corruption in the bureaucracy.
a. Regulatory entities and enforcement agencies like police, regulation of
professions and licensure boards and etc.
b. Spending agencies like the bureau of public norms and public highways
c. Revenue raising and collecting entities like the bureau of internal
revenue , bureau of customs, board of transportation and the treasury
offices.
 Effects of Unethical Practices

 If the causes of graft and corruption are individual, organizational and

societal, said three sectors are also affected. To the individual there is loss of
self respect and ultimate dehumanization to the organization it could result in
subversion of authority structure and disillusionment within the bureaucracy.
 To society, it could mean increased administrative cost and revenue loss to
government. There will be corresponding deterioration of public service and
loss of confidence in government. " There will be goal displacement as
employees pursue personal interests, rather than organizational and social
objectives.
 Effects of Unethical Practices
 Graft and corruption are encouraged by public apathy which results from bad
and ill managed government. But its most important and potent medium is
the individual official or employee.
 Let us take the Bureau of Customs as a case in point, since it is the number
one collecting arm of government which account for four fifths of the total
governmental revenue generated.
 Its general duties and powers include assessment and collection of lawful
revenues from imported goods and other fees, charges, dues, fines and
penalties.
 Effects of Unethical Practices

 It is charged with preventing and suppressing smuggling supervision and

control over the entrance and clearance of vessels and aircraft engaged in
foreign trade enforcement of customs and tariff laws and other rules and
regulations relating to tariff and customs administration supervision over the
handling of foreign mail to collect duties on articles smuggled through mails
control import and export cargoes landed and stored in piers, airports,
terminal and depot facilities like container yards and flight stations, and
exercises jurisdiction over seizure and forfeiture cases in accordance with
tariff and customs laws.
Effects of Unethical Practices

 Newspaper reports of customs men charged of fraud, smuggling rings

bared, and cargoes worth millions seized, are not uncommon.
1. "Assorted smuggled goods valued at 13. 8 million were seized in six
operations conducted by the Economic Intelligence and Investigation Bureau
EllB at the MIA and South Harbour.
The assorted contraband ranged from expensive electronic goods to highly
dutiable textile materials and ready-to-wear apparel.
2. "The finance intelligence bureau bared the existence of a smuggling
syndicate allegedly headed by a Taiwanese national.
Effects of Unethical Practices

3. "Cases of food flour smuggling proliferated when the government

imposed a 30 import duty on food flour imports and only 10 for industrial
flour.
4. Unscrupulous traders declared their food flour imports as industrial
flour to do away with paying higher taxes. Smuggled food flour posed
unfair competition with the imported ones which were legally paid for.
Red Tape

 One catalysing agent of graft and corruption is red tape. This is a

bureaucratic procedure characterized by excessive and unnecessary delay
in transacting business with government which is intentionally
committed.
 When there is undue delay in the processing of transactions, people
resort to fixers who collude with corrupt employees and officials to
expedite business transactions. Fixers with connections inside the
different offices facilitate the issuance of marriage license or certificate of
birth or of death.
Red Tape

 After all, marriages are not made in heaven but at the city hall with the
price set by the fixer.
 Certainly, the client of city hall would be willing to shell out a few pesos as
"fixer's fee" rather than queue the long line aggravated by the slow paced
processing process.
Nepotism
 Nepotism is a version of graft and corruption exemplified by favours
showered on relatives by appointing them to government positions
regardless of qualifications.
 The practice may be viewed as an aid to responsive management if blood
relatives do their share in achieving organizational goals with minimum
time and effort expended.
 On the other hand, nepotism can be pernicious to society if the relatives
in the employ of government use blood relationship as the key to open
themselves to the opportunity of improving their lives at the expense of
public good and general welfare.
Nepotism
 In the Philippines, nepotism is not without historical antecedents. The
barangay of early Philippine society was viewed more as a socioeconomic
unit composed of members with consanguinial ties and those related by
affinity.
 The prohibition against nepotism is articulated best in the statement
made by the late Ferdinand Marcos in 1972. Unfortunately, however, his
administration committed the most number of cases of nepotism.
 Critics maintain that it during the Marcos era that nepotism was
institutionalized.
Nepotism

 The Aquino administration also showcased was nepotism. But why the
insatiable desire of relatives of presidents to serve in government Why do
public officials appoint relatives to sensitive positions.
 Should personal loyalty and intimacy outweigh competence, seniority and
the merit system These are administrative dilemmas which have to be
resolved.
Encouraging Ethical Behavior

 There are many ways to encourage ethical behavior of public

servants. In a national survey of public administrators in the United
States conducted by James S. Bowman, it was shown that the key
factors of ethical behavior are the values of the individuals,
employee peers, and superiors.
 It affirms that even if individuals are responsible for their behavior,
the organization itself defines and controls situations within which
decisions are made and is therefore the major social control agency.
Encouraging Ethical Behavior

 Ethical standards differ from one bureaucracy to another thus raising

the problem of how these should be regarded and enforced. A
negative regard for ethics requires the setting up of injunctions
through statutory enactments in order to enforce compliance to the
prescribed standards.
 This could discourage voluntary participation and initiative and even
disrespect for rule-making. Marshall Dimock suggests five measures
to improve ethical behavior.
Encouraging Ethical Behavior

1. Provide ample avenues for rank and file participation. Employee inputs
increase the ethical content of decisions by making a positive work
environment.
2. Make discretionary authority commensurate with responsibility.
3. Develop a training program aimed primarily at understanding rules and
regulations rather than learning them.
4. Internalize the task force idea to make the employee cognizant of his
role in the small group and in still in him ethics consciousness.
Encouraging Ethical Behavior

1. Provide ample avenues for rank and file participation. Employee inputs increase the
ethical content of decisions by making a positive work environment.
2. Make discretionary authority commensurate with responsibility.
3. Develop a training program aimed primarily at understanding rules and regulations
rather than learning them.
4. Internalize the task force idea to make the employee cognizant of his role in the small
group and in still in him ethics consciousness.
5. Develop a sense of employee pride which makes for operational ethics; inculcate a
sense of belonging, shared identity, loyalty and communal perception of relationships.
Encouraging Ethical Behavior

 There could be profession of faith in the capability of government but if

men of low ethical standards are endorsed and supported, ethical
behavior cannot be guaranteed if society itself is the promoter of
uncalled-for behavior. What is needed is a code of citizenship and ethics.
 President Manuel Quezon's 16-point Code of Citizenship and Ethics
proclaimed in August 19, 1939 is now a classic in foresight and wisdom for
every Filipino in every generation.
Code of Citizenship and Ethics
1. Have faith in Divine Providence that guides the destinies of men and nations.
2. Love your country for it is the home of your people, the seat of your affections, and
the source of your happiness and well-being. Its defense is your primary duty. Be ready
at all times to sacrifice and die for it if necessary.
3. Respect the Constitution which is the expression of your sovereign will. The
government is your government. It has been established for your safety and welfare.
Obey the laws and see that they are observed by all and that public officials comply
with their duties.
4. Pay your taxes willingly and promptly. Citizenship implies not only rights but also
obligations.
Code of Citizenship and Ethics
5. Safeguard the purity of suffrage and abide by the decisions of the
majority.
6. Love and respect your parents. It is your duty to serve them gratefully
and well.
7. Value your honor as you value your life. Poverty with honor is preferable
to wealth with dishonour.
8. Be truthful and be honest in though and in action. Be just and charitable,
courteous but dignified in your dealings with your fellowmen.
Code of Citizenship and Ethics

9. Lead a clean and frugal life. Do not indulge in frivolity or pretense. Be

simple in your dress and modest in your behavior.
10. Live up to the noble traditions of our people. Venerate the memory of
our heroes. Their lives point the way to duty and honor.
11. Be industrious. Be not afraid or ashamed to do manual labor, Productive
toil is conducive to economic security and adds to the wealth of the nation.
12. Rely on your own efforts for your progress and happiness. Be not easily
discouraged. Persevere in the pursuit of your legitimate ambitions.
Code of Citizenship and Ethics

13. Do your work cheerfully, thoroughly, and well. Work badly done is worse than work
undone. Do not leave for tomorrow what you can do today.
14. Contribute to the welfare of your community and promote social justice. You do not
live for yourselves and your families alone. You are a part of society to responsibilities.
which you Owe definite.
15. Cultivate the habit of using goods made in the Philippines. Patronize the products
and trades of your countrymen.
16. Use and develop our natural resources and conserve them for posterity. They are the
inalienable heritage of our people. Do not traffic with your citizenship."
Code of Citizenship and Ethics
 The worth of ethics does not lie in codes but in the day-to-day practices of
those in the service of government. The content of the code must be
seriously taken by government and implemented accordingly. There is
recognition of need for an ethical code, but what is more important is that
it is acceptable and enforceable.
 A counterpart entity in the executive branch, like the Office of Government
Ethics created by the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 in the United
States, is most appropriate and desirable. The creation of an ethics
committee in the two houses of Congress are positive steps toward
improving the quality of service delivered to society by government.
Code of Citizenship and Ethics
 Corruption, particularly at higher levels, can be disruptive of development
efforts. Nothing demoralizes and causes indiscipline more rapidly than the
spectacle of public officials amassing wealth openly and remaining
unpunished. It is essential therefore to fight corruption at every turn in
order to develop the morale and character of a responsible civil service.
 President Emilio Aguinaldo, much earlier observed the strengths and
weaknesses of democracy, even as he was fighting a dictatorship on the
way to a democracy he would soon revolt from.
Code of Citizenship and Ethics
 Renato Constantino, the doyen of contemporary Filipino writers, points
out the greatest corruption of all. Democracy's slow and lumbering pace
on the one hand, and susceptibility to propaganda on the other, are
nevertheless inherent weakness. Some dictatorships - Russia, for instance -
are frightfully durable.
 Rizal: An immoral government presupposes a demoralized people, a
conscienceless administration, greedy and servile citizens, outlaws and
brigands in the mountains. Like master, like slave! Like government, like
country! Padre Florentino in Rizal's El Filibusterismo summarizes this
terrible truth for us.
 Code of Citizenship and Ethics
 The Corrupt Society, 1958. Finally, Filemon Rodriguez, who has served both the
public and private sectors, urges us to revolt: There is nothing wrong with the
nation's energy, its will and its high purpose. The trouble is that we have
allowed ourselves to be cowed by a new tyranny. These men have no use for
the people except to get their votes. They do not believe in the high principles
for which the nation stands.
 What is needed is a revolt against the corrupt political system, a revolt to oust
its high priest, the bad politicians, occupying public offices, and to prevent their
kind from returning to public trust and authority. The cry for this revolt should
be sounded now, and the arena should be the whole country; the battlefield,
the minds of the electorate.
 CODE OF CONDUCT AND ETHICAL
STANDARDS IN PUBLIC OFFICE
 The legislative response to these problems is the passage by Congress in
February 20, 1989 of Republic Act 6713 establishing a Code of Conduct
and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees to Uphold the
Time Honored Principle of Public Office Being a Public Trust, Granting
Incentives and Rewards for Exemplary Service, Enumerating Prohibited
Acts and Transactions and Providing Penalties for Violation. There is
Short of being a complete code of conduct and ethics, this new law
supplements the Anti-graft Law, the Ombudsman Law and the Law on
Plunder.
CODE OF CONDUCT AND ETHICAL
STANDARDS IN PUBLIC OFFICE
 These declare the policy of the state to promote a high standard of ethics
in public service and mandate government functionaries at all times to
be accountable to the people and discharge their duties with utmost
responsibility, integrity, competence and loyalty, act with patriotism and
justice, lead modest lives and uphold public interest over personal
interest. Private individuals who participate in conspiracy as co-
principals, accomplices or accessories, with public officials or employees,
in violation of R.A. 6713 are subject to the same penal liabilities as
government men and shall be tried jointly. Indeed, there must be a giver,
if there is a taker. The following are the key ideas of the law.
 Norms of Conduct
"Sec. 4. Norms of Conduct of Public Officials and Employees. - (A) Every public official and
employee shall observe the following as standards of personal conduct in the discharge
and execution of official duties.
 Commitment to public interest - All government resources and powers of their respective
offices must be employed and used efficiently, effectively, honestly and economically,
particularly to avoid wastage in public funds and revenues.
 Professionalism - Public officials and employees shall discharge their duties with the
highest degree of excellence, professionalism, intelligence and skill. They shall enter
public service with utmost devotion and dedication to duty, reads the Public Service
Commission's (PSC) code of conduct for public servants.
 Norms of Conduct

 Political neutrality - Public officials and employees shall provide service to

everyone without unfair discrimination and regardless of party affiliation or
preference.
 Responsiveness to the public -Public officials and employees in Pakistan shall
extend prompt, courteous, and adequate service to the public. They must
ensure openness of information, public consultations and hearings
whenever appropriate. They should simplify and systematize policy, rules
and procedures, avoid red tape and develop an understanding and
appreciation of the socioeconomic conditions prevailing in the country.
Norms of Conduct
 Nationalism and patriotism - Public officials and employees shall at all times be loyal to
the Republic and to the Filipino people, promote the use of locally-produced goods,
resources and technology and encourage
 Commitment to democracy - Public officials and employees shall commit themselves to
the democratic way of life and values, maintain the principle of public accountability, and
manifest by deeds the supremacy of civilian authority over the military. They shall at all
times uphold the Constitution and put loyalty to country above loyalty to person or party.
 Justness and sincerity - officials and employees shall remain true to the Public people at
all times. They must act with justness
 Norms of Conduct
 Simple living - Public officials and employees and their families shall lead modest lives
appropriate to their positions and income. They shall not indulge in extravagant or
ostentatious display of wealth in any form.
Section 4. (B) The Civil Service Commission shall adopt positive measures to promote the
observance of ethical standards, including the dissemination of information programs and
workshops authorizing merit increases beyond regular progression steps, to a limited
number of employees recognized by their office colleagues to be outstanding. The
commission shall conduct research and experimentation on measures which provide
positive motivation to public officials and employees.
 Duties

"Sec. 5. Duties of Public Officials and Employees - In the performance of their

duties, all public officials and employees are under obligation to:
(a) Act promptly on letters and requests - All public officials and employees
shall, within fifteen (15) working days from receipt thereof, respond to letters,
telegrams or of duties her means of communications sent by the public. The
reply must contain the action taken on the request employees must attend to
anyone who wants to avail himself of the services of their offices and must, at
all times, act promptly and expeditiously.
 Prohibited Acts and Transactions

 "Section Transactions. 7. Prohibited Acts and In addition to acts

and omissions of public officials and employees now prescribed in
the Constitution and existing laws, the following shall constitute
prohibited acts and transactions of any public official and
employee and are hereby declared to be unlawful:
 Statements and Disclosure

 "Sec. 8. Statements and Disclosure. - Public officials and employees have an obligation to
accomplish and submit declarations under oath of and the public has the right to know,
their assets, liabilities, net worth and financial and business interest including those of
their spouses and unmarried children under eighteen (18) years of age living in their
households.
 Public officials and employees, except those who serve in an honorary capacity, labourers
and casual or temporary workers, shall file under oath their Statement of Assets,
Liabilities and Net Worth and a Disclosure of Business Interests and Financial
Connections. Husband and wife who are both public officials or employees may file the
required statements jointly or separate.
 The Office of the Ombudsman

 The creation of the Office of the Ombudsman is our response to this warning
with the hope that even if public officials are remiss in the performance of
their roles, there is an entity to oversee conduct of public officials and apply
appropriate sanctions, if needed.
 The structural organization of the Office of the Ombudsman is defined by
Republic Act 6770, otherwise known as the Ombudsman Act of 1989. Its
powers and functions, as defined by the constitution, may be grouped into
the following:
 The Office of the Ombudsman
1. investigative
- The Office of the Ombudsman is empowered to investigate acts or omissions of public
officials that are alleged to be illegal, unjust, improper or inefficient. The constitution does
not qualify the nature of the act or omission that it may investigate. All forms of malfeasance
and misfeasance committed by public officials and employees during their tenure are under
its remit.
2. prosecutory
- After investigation and evaluation of the complaint the Ombudsman may decide to dismiss
the complaint or file it with the appropriate court. Should it decide to file the complaint, a
regular prosecutor is deputized to present the evidence against the accused.
 The Office of the Ombudsman
3. directorial and preventive
- The Ombudsman's job is to ensure that abuse and impropriety in the performance of
public office duties are either prevented or rectified. Within the limitations of law, it may
direct the officer concerned to furnish documents relating to contracts and transactions
entered into by a government office. The Ombudsman makes a report to the Commission on
Audit for appropriate action.
4. corrective
- An order may be issued to that government office to expedite the transaction of a citizen.
Ombudsman intervention corrects or rectifies the behavior of the government agency. In
extra-ordinary cases, the Ombudsman may even interfere in the prerogatives of
management if necessary.
 The Office of the Ombudsman
5. inquiry and information
- Section 26 of Republic Act 6770 outlines the powers of this office to inquire
and obtain information regarding the conduct of a public official especially
when the information is vital for securing the rights and interests of the
citizenry, and ensuring rights to information on matters of public concern.
THAT WOULD
BE ALL!
THANK YOU <3