AMBASSADOR John Danilovich, chief executive officer of the United States’ Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) reminded Philippine government leaders that the political noise on corruption in the government is not in any way affecting Manila’s stake in qualifying for the multibillion-dollar grant, saying it is better to hear news on corruption than having a silenced media in the country.

Danilovich met with government officials led by Finance Secretary Margarito Teves to discuss the Philippines’ application for a large-scale grant under an innovative foreign-aid model for poverty reduction through economic growth.

In a meeting that took place at the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C., Danilovich described the new foreign-aid model as “smart aid” or “grown-up aid” that links donor assistance with recipient country accountability. The grant program uses private-sector style measures and return on investments (ROIs) to measure the success of each recipient country’s implementation program.

During the discussions, Philippine officials asked if the “perception of corruption” in the country as highlighted by the Philippine media affects the selection process in the MCA.

“The noise level about corruption in the Philippines was indeed high, but the MCA would rather that there was a level of noise as it represented a healthy and vibrant freedom of expression, which other countries do not enjoy. To have a completely silent media would be more troubling,” Danilovich said in a statement issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

He said the Philippines got passing marks on 14 of 17 indicators used, which included security and corruption, and can now look forward to the next step of the program.

The Philippines qualified for an MCA grant of $21 million as a compact-eligible country.

The grant was matched by the Philippine government after it demonstrated reforms necessary to improve policy and performance.

The MCC recognized in particular the accomplishments to fight corruption by strengthening institutions like the Office of the Ombudsman and reforms in revenue collections within the Department of Finance.

Ex-PA chief: We didn’t seize Jonas Burgos

FORMER Army commander Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino on Tuesday denied that he or any of his men were involved in the disappearance of Jonas Burgos, political activist and son of press freedom fighter Jose Burgos Jr., almost a year ago.

THE Ombudsman have junked the administrative and criminal complaints against the 20  policemen assigned in Calabarzon (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon) filed by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in connection with the burning of a public elementary school during the May  2007 midterm election that resulted in the death of a teacher in Taysan, Batangas.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—A religious leader branded as an act of darkness the Sunday bombing at the Immaculate Concepcion Metropolitan Cathedral in downtown Zamboanga City.

THE Court of Appeals (CA) has affirmed the public-auction sale of the 18.4891-hectare “Payanig sa Pasig” property to the Pasig City government following the failure of its private owner to pay real-property tax in the amount of P389 million covering 18 years, or from 1987 to 2005.

BAGUIO CITY—A small but determined group of protesters gathered in front of the Supreme Court  (SC) mansion on Tuesday morning to press their appeal for the reversal of the SC decision on the question of executive privilege as invoked by former socioeconomic planning secretary Romulo Neri on his conversation with President Arroyo.

ARCHBISHOP Antonio Ledesma of Cagayan de Oro has accused the President’s brother in law, Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino Rep. Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo of Negros Occidental, of blocking the extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) as he charged that most obstructionists in Congress are allies of the administration.

AMBASSADOR John Danilovich, chief executive officer of the United States’ Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) reminded Philippine government leaders that the political noise on corruption in the government is not in any way affecting Manila’s stake in qualifying for the multibillion-dollar grant, saying it is better to hear news on corruption than having a silenced media in the country.