MANILA — The Philippines’ perceived level of public sector corruption deteriorated in 2025, with the country slipping in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released by Berlin‑based Transparency International (TI). 

The Philippines ranked 120th among 182 countries and territories included in the 2025 index, falling six notches from its 2024 position. The CPI assesses countries by perceived public sector corruption on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). 

The country obtained a score of 32, which was one point lower than in the 2024 edition and its lowest score since TI adopted the current scoring system in 2012. Among its Southeast Asian neighbors, the Philippines scored higher only than Cambodia and Myanmar. 

The 2025 report noted that the global average score fell to 42 out of 100 for the first time in more than a decade, with 122 of 182 countries scoring under 50, indicating widespread concerns over corruption worldwide. 

A major scandal involving allegations of multibillion‑peso corruption in government infrastructure projects for flood control has roiled the country, leading to several filed cases and heightened public scrutiny. 

Reacting to the CPI results, Malacañang said the lower score was expected because of President Marcos’ exposé of anomalies in flood control projects, which it said likely affected perceptions. 

At a press briefing, Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said perceptions of corruption “may have worsened due to Marcos’ ‘cleaning up the dirt’ of the past and exposing anomalies,” adding when asked which past administration she referred to, “all of them.” 

On whether the administration had lost interest in pursuing accountability over the flood control scandal, Castro said in Filipino: “The President never loses interest in holding accountable whoever should be held accountable.”

Castro also said President Marcos directed agencies to move forward and focus on economic recovery after the House of Representatives junked impeachment cases against him, quoting him as saying he would focus on the economy “for the sake of our countrymen who are unmindful of politics.”