Bautista: Fighting corruption needs innovation, not antiquated solutions

SENATORIAL candidate Herbert Bautista has expressed frustration at what he said were antiquated solutions still being implemented but have largely been ineffective against corruption.

“We already have policies in place against corruption,” Bautista said, as he lamented that corruption has persisted despite countless efforts to curb it.

He said corruption cases, like those in PhilHealth and other government agencies, have been getting coverage in the media.

“It’s good that corruption is being exposed,” said Bautista, who is running for senator on a platform of internet reform, livelihood for all and youth development (ILY).

But he said it seemed that corruption has not been defeated by methods that are outdated.

“Our system has been operating for the longest time,” said Bautista, who is number eight on the ballot in the senatorial race.

“We’re already in the 21st century,” he said.

“But our system is still in the 20th century, in the past century,” Bautista said.

“So we really need to study what would it really take to stop it,” he said, adding: “Let’s use technology.”

He said the most effective way to reduce corruption was transparency in all government transactions and, to achieve this, innovation would be crucial.

“Please note that it is important that each agency that is supposedly corrupt is exposed,” the senatorial aspirant added.

In an earlier statement, Bautista said he would push for more digital transactions in government offices to help curb corruption.

“We want to remove corruption so we should strengthen our Internet connections so that our government services will go online,” Bautista said.

“We won’t need to go and pay for the city hall or the municipal building. No need to go there anymore,” the three-term mayor of the Philippines’ biggest city in terms of land area, Quezon City, said.

Payments can be made through Bayad Centers or other fintech platforms, he said, while receipts of payment can be sent online, too, like emails, SMS or even Facebook accounts.

“All these are good things that can reduce corruption,” Bautista added. (PR)