Graft and corruption in its various forms including kickbacks, bribery and embezzlement is a major challenge to economic development in the Philippines. The misuse of public funds for private gain is ever-present in the country because its political system and government institutions allow the practice to flourish, although it is people, and not institutions, who are robbing the funds of government. The socio-cultural background of Filipinos also seem to tolerate taking opportunities to steal public funds.[1] Graft and corruption discourages new business investors in the country and the expansion plans of existing investors.[2]
Whistleblowing is the reporting of a wrongful act that has to be stopped to protect the public interest. Its potential for making individuals and organizations accountable for their actions may lead to the reduction of abuses for private gain by officials of entrusted power. Whistleblowing may then boost the existing anti-corruption measures of the government, which have so far been inadequate.[3]
An important whistleblower at this point of our history is Heidi Mendoza, a former Commission on Audit (COA) accountant who has also worked at the Asian Development Bank. She has testified that she was told to go easy on the investigation being done on the alleged corruption by former military comptroller Carlos Garcia by her former boss, former COA chairman Guillermo Carague. Mendoza led an 11-member COA team that was tasked to look into deals by the military including the funds connected with soldiers’ pensions, Balikatan, the United Nations and the modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.[4]
Mendoza has testified on the suspicious transactions involving Garcia and his family, who were faced with a 303 million-peso plunder charge. She stated that she found a 200 million-peso Land Bank check signed by Garcia and encashed at the United Coconut Planters Bank in Makati City in November 2002. Mendoza has uncovered fund irregularities including the missing 50 million pesos from the 200-million UN fund for reimbursing peacekeeping operation expenses and the missing 5 million dollars for the UN equipment reimbursement. The netizens, clergy, legislators, the justice secretary and the President have all expressed support for Mendoza’s revelations.[5]
Heidi Mendoza is seen as a hero who has done an ordinary action in an extraordinary manner because her act was done to tell the truth to the Filipino people, her act carried a personal sacrifice on her part and her act was done with no vested interests. She reportedly could have gotten any desired position in the COA, if she just followed the wishes of higher-ups, but she refused and turned in a truthful report because the interest of the Filipino people was at stake. She shortly left her government position and worked with the Asian Development Bank which paid better, but which she also voluntarily gave up because doing her part in the battle against corruption was paramount to her. Mendoza’s observation that we are all responsible in some way for the corruption in our country for accepting the status quo and doing nothing about it has a ring of truth.[6]
It has been observed that Filipinos have a parochial mentality and a weak sense of nation or recognition of what is good for the national interest, and just cynically accept the seemingly standard corrupt practices in government. Their view is that it is practical to just ride along with the system and not resist it, for overall convenience. It is here where Heidi Mendoza sets herself apart from the rest. Through her choice of action, she put herself and her family’s well being on the line, and in the process, demonstrated that in the higher scheme of things, what really matters is doing what is moral and right.
[1] Gary W. Elliott, “Philippine Graft and Corruption: Decades of Plunder Have Dramatically Stunted National Development”, East Asian Affairs, 9 February 2008, <http://www.suite101.com/content/philippine-graft-and-corruption-a44148> [accessed 3 June 2011]
[2] “Whistleblowing in the Philippines: Awareness, Attitudes and Structures”, Asian Institute of
Management, pdf, June 2006, <http://www.rvrcvstarr.aim.edu/Library%20CV%20Starr/Center%20Publications/Whistleblowing%20Monograph.pdf> [accessed 3 June 2011]
[3] ibid
[4] “Heidi Mendoza”, WikiPilipinas, 15 March 2011, <http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Heidi_Mendoza> [accessed 3 June 2011]
[5] ibid
[6] Solita Collas-Monsod, “Heidi Mendoza: May Her Tribe Increase”, UP School of Economics, 2011,
[accessed 8 June 2011]
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