Politicians are almost the same everywhere, so I will tell you that I live in a country where, with small interruptions, for 30 years, a party that has been condemned as a criminal organization has ruled, and their prime minister ended up in prison - and now they are in power and are destroying the country as best they know how. The key to their success is to convince the majority of voters that nothing can be changed, and at the same time, their party army goes to the elections as if by strict military command.
Unfortunately, people in such countries have two options, to become politically active and try to change something, which is a very difficult option - or to leave the country, as is the case in my country (about 500 000 people left in ten years), but I see that a lot of Filipinos have immigrated, because they are obviously better off than in their homeland.
Corruption globally, particularly in Southeast Asia, remains a serious challenge, with sharp disparities between countries. Overall, ASEAN has achieved slight improvements in the corruption index compared to a decade ago, but this progress is uneven and often hampered by political interests, weak oversight institutions, and the involvement of corruption in the infrastructure and natural resource sectors.
In the Philippines, corruption is a structural issue embedded in patronage politics and the distribution of infrastructure budgets. Despite the government's frequent anti-corruption campaigns, major scandals continue to emerge. Pressure from civil society and the media remains strong, but the interconnectedness between political elites, local dynasties, and the bureaucracy often makes anti-corruption efforts inconsistent. With a stagnant CPI score of around 33, the Philippines ranks among the lowest in ASEAN. This situation demonstrates that legal reform alone is not enough; it must be accompanied by budget transparency, the independence of audit institutions, and a strengthened public oversight role.
Singapore remains a role model for clean governance and the highest CPI score in the world, while Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos rank at the bottom, with systemic corruption that is difficult to eradicate due to political conflict, weak institutions, and oligarchic dominance. Mid-sized countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia show fluctuating trends, with improvements in regulations and law enforcement, but are still overshadowed by major cases involving high-ranking officials and business elites.
https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/rankings/transparency_corruption/ASEAN/