Abra NGO joins Ombudsman’s sustained anti-corruption efforts

by Maritess Beñas

Bangued, Abra (25 July) — The Concerned Citizens of Abra for Good Government, Inc. (CCAGG), a non-government organization in the province known for its being a government watchdog had accepted the invitation of the Office of the Ombudsman to join and become full-pledged member of the Multi-Sectoral Anti-Corruption Council (MSACC) last month.

The membership of the CCAGG to the said anti-corruption council was formalized after an orientation on the vision and mission and mechanics of operation and the plan of action of the MSACC and the Office of the Ombudsman itself conducted by the Ombudsman herself, Atty. Merceditas Gutierrez.

The MSACC was formed based on three basic frameworks: The Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan of 2004-2011 (MTPDP); the Millennium Development Goals (MDG); and the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC). The Office of the Ombudsman serves as the Secretariat of the said anti-corruption council.

Currently, there are 21 member-agencies of the MSACC coming from various government and civil society organizations.

Gutierrez has likewise invited the Northern Luzon Coalition on Good Governance (NLCGG) of which the CCAGG is one of the organizers and founding members, to become member of the MSACC.

Meanwhile, the CCAGG had also renewed its membership in the Corruption Prevention Unit of the Office of the Ombudsman on invitation Gutierrez who said, the MSACC is very much impressed and inspired by the anti-corruption efforts of the said local NGO in Abra. CCAGG had been a member of the Corruption Prevention Unit of the Office of the Ombudsman way back during the time of Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo.

Gutierrrez also expressed her appreciation of the CCAGG’s participation in the sustained effort of the government to mitigate corruption that various governments in the world have already adopted the CCAGG anti-corruption measures. (PIA-Abra)