Winner: National Book Award for Journalism (1998)
CORRUPTION is an issues as old as governance itself. Filipinos therefore tend to be cynical about corruption in government. They are shocked that public officials are corrupt, although they may sometimes marvel at the magnitude of the thievery.
Yet more and more Filipinos are now raising issues about the effectiveness of government performance, the accountability of government institutions, and the transparency of government agencies. They have realized that democracy in itself does not ensue that government officials and institutions are immune to the corruption that plagued authoritarian regimes.
This book tries to address these concerns. In nine well-documented case studies, some of the country’s best investigative reporters show why corruption persists and what is being done to stop it. These case studies reveal the fallibility of individuals and institutions. They also show how democratization, economic growth, and liberalization bring about new temptations and new forms of abuse.
Pork and other Perks is a pioneering work. It exposes the many facets of corruption in the Philippines and pinpoints who is responsible. But this book goes beyond muckraking to examining the social structures and the institutions that breed graft. It also examines what can be done about it.
© 1998, 293 pages, ISBN 971-8686-18-5
The book is available at the PCIJ office. For more information, email pcij@pcij.org or call (+632) 4319204.