Pnoy: December is ‘Anti-corruption Month’

President also signs RA 10587 regulating practice of environmental planning

PRESIDENT Benigno C. Aqui- no III signed a law declaring December of every year as “AntiCorruption Month” in a bid to create awareness among the Filipino people on the adverse effects of corruption.

The President also signed inton law Republic Act No. 10587, which regulates the practice of environmental planning.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said yesterday that the President signed on May 27 Republic Act No. 10589 entitled “An Act Declaring December of every year as ‘Anti-Corruption Month’ in the entire country.”

The new law is also known as the “Anti-Corruption Month Act.”

The Act, which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 3376 and House Bill No. 3005, was finally passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on Feb. 4, 2013 and Feb. 5, 2013, respectively.

Aquino mandated all heads of government agencies and instrumentalities, including governmentowned and controlled corporations, as well as local government units and employers in the private sector, to conduct activities designed to create awareness among the people on the adverse effects of corruption.

“The awareness campaign must not only contain information on what constitutes an act of corruption, but also what citizens must do when faced with acts of corruption,” the President said.

Aquino designated the Office of the Ombudsman as the lead agency for coordination purposes.

Valte also said the environmental planning law creates a Professional Regulatory Board of environmental planning that will now regulate the practice of environmental planning in the country.

It also puts down the terms of office who would be forming the particular Board of Environmental Planning.

The new law also mandates that professionals who practice environmental planning should now undergo an examination for them to secure their license.

There are also penal provisions in the new law should some individuals be found to be violating some of its mandates.

So essentially, Valte said the new law now regulate the practice of environmental planning in the country.