Anti-Fixer Campaign

January 6, 2009 BLGF MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 002-09 TO : All BLGF Officials and Employees, Regional Directors for Local Government Finance, District Treasurers of Metropolitan Manila; Provincial, City and Municipal Treasurers and Others Concerned SUBJECT : Anti-Fixer Campaign For the information and guidance of all concerned, attached is a copy of the Memorandum dated December 6, 2008 of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) on the above subject matter. Said Memorandum emphasizes the role of the agency head in the implementation of Republic Act No. 9485, entitled "An Act to Improve Efficiency in the Delivery of Government Service to the Public by Reducing Bureaucratic Red Tape, Preventing Graft and Corruption, and Providing Penalties Therefor", which aims to ensure the expeditious delivery of transactions in government with honesty and efficiency. Section 7 of R.A. 9485 requires the head of office or agency to be primarily responsible for the implementation of this law through the conduct of massive information campaign against fixers and fixing by posting among other modes of information dissemination, the provisions against fixers and the act of fixing, and taking into account the penalties involved, at the most conspicuous places. R.A. 9485 and its IRR define fixer as "Any individual whether or not officially involved in the operation of a government office or agency who has access to people working therein, and whether or not in collusion with them, facilitates speedy completion of transactions for pecuniary gain or any other advantage or consideration", and fixing as "An act that involves undue facilitation of transactions for pecuniary gain or any other advantage or consideration." The said Act has likewise recognized fixing and/or other collusion with fixers in consideration of economic and/or advantage as a major offense with the penalty of dismissal, perpetual disqualification from public service and imprisonment. The Memorandum also provides that the transacting public should also be encouraged to report acts of fixing by providing the Text Hotline of the Office of the Ombudsman at 0926-6994703; Telephone Hotline, 927-4102 and 927-2404; or through Text CSC at 0917-8398272 and its Telephone Hotline, 932-0111, the following information: Name of fixer Name and location of office Date and type of transaction (example: license, tax payment, permit) CEDScA The Regional Directors of this Bureau are hereby instructed to disseminate the contents of this Circular to all Provincial, City and Municipal Treasurers within their respective jurisdiction, likewise enjoining them to observe and comply with the provisions thereof. For strict compliance. (SGD.) MA. PRESENTACION R. MONTESA Executive Director ATTACHMENT CSC MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 017-08 December 8, 2008 TO : All Heads of Constitutional Bodies, Departments, Bureaus, Agencies of the National Government; Local Government Units; Government-Owned or Controlled Corporations with Original Charters; and State Colleges and Universities SUBJECT : Anti-Fixer Campaign Republic Act No. 9485, "An Act to Improve Efficiency in the Delivery of Government Service to the Public by Reducing Bureaucratic Red Tape, Preventing Graft and Corruption, and Providing Penalties Therefor" together with its Implementing Rules and Regulations which aim to expedite transactions in government, has defined fixer as "Any individual whether or not officially involved in the operation of a government office or agency who has access to people working therein and whether or not in collusion with them, facilitates speedy completion of transactions for pecuniary gain or any other advantage or consideration", and fixing as "An act that involves undue facilitation of transactions for pecuniary gain or any other advantage or consideration". The same act has recognized fixing and/or collusion with fixers in consideration of economic and/or other advantage as a major offense with the penalty of dismissal, perpetual disqualification from public service and imprisonment. We aim to see tangible results, including several fixers charged and some major government offices cleared of them by January next year. To ensure wide dissemination of the abovementioned provisions, and in accordance with Section 7 of R.A. 9485 which requires the head of office or agency to be primarily responsible for the implementation of this law, you are hereby enjoined to conduct a massive information campaign against fixers and fixing by posting, among other modes of information dissemination, the said provisions against fixers and the act of fixing, and taking into account the penalties involved, at the most conspicuous places. The transacting public should also be encouraged to report acts of fixing by providing the Text Hotline of the Office of the Ombudsman at 0926-6994703; Telephone Hotline, 9274102 and 9272404; or through TextCSC at 0917-8398272 and its Telephone Hotline, 9320111, the following information: Name of fixer Name and location of office Date and type of transaction (example: license, tax payment, permit) This circular shall take effect immediately. (SGD.) RICARDO L. SALUDO Chairman