Vico Sotto bats for awareness on anti-corruption drive

Pasig City Mayor Victor "Vico" Sotto has voiced hope that the International Anticorruption award raises awareness on the campaign to eliminate corrupt practices.

"Thank you to the U.S. Department of State for this recognition. But more than the recognition, I hope this helps raise awareness," Sotto posted on his social media account.

"If we want better long-term governance, we need to fight corruption. We have to denormalize it, get it out of our culture," he added.

In the same post, Sotto said reforms have been implemented in Pasig City as he also admitted there were lapses committed during his tenure of office.

"Sa, Pasig marami na rin tayong napagtagumpayang mga reporma. Ngunit hindi ganun kadaling basagin ang mga kalakarang deka-dekada na. We've made mistakes, had failures along the way. May nagalit, may nanabotahe, atbp," he said.

He underscored that it is important to remain steadfast in pursuing these reforms.

"Ang mahalaga, hindi tayo nagpapatinag," he said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had named Sotto among 12 International Anticorruption champions "defend transparency, combat corruption and ensure accountability."

"Around the world, corruption threatens security and stability, hinders economic growth, undermines democracy and human rights, destroys trust in public institutions, facilitates transnational crime, and siphons away public and private resources," said Blinken in a statement.

Blinken said the award aims to recognize individuals who have "worked tirelessly, often in the face of adversity, to defend transparency, combat corruption, and ensure accountability in their own countries." -- BAP, GMA News