MANILA, Philippines- Malugod na tinanggap ng Malakanyang ang desisyon ng Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) na alisin ang Pilipinas mula sa listahan ng mga hurisdiksyon na ‘notoryus’ para sa pagiging ‘safe havens’ ng money laundering at terrorism financing.
Kasunod ng three-day plenary nito, inanunsyo ng FATF na hindi na kasama ang bansa sa sinusubaybayan para sa dirty money, halos apat na taon na simula na makasama ito sa tinatawag na “grey list.”
“Our well-earned exit from the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) grey list boosts our drive to attract job-creating, growth-inducing foreign direct investments,” ayon kay Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin sa isang kalatas.
“For so long, our investment attractiveness has been dragged down by this dirty money haven label,” dagdag ng opisyal.
Aniya pa, ang pagkakaalis ng Pilipinas mula sa “grey list” ay mula sa ilang aksyon “to finally dismantle structures that could be exploited by money launderers and terrorism financiers.”
Ang pagkakaalis ng bansa mula sa grey list ay malapit na rin dumating sa dalawang taon matapos na ipalabas ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Kr., ang isang Executive Order (EO) No. 33 noong Hulyo 2023.
Ang EO ay nagsilbi bilang roadmap para sa pagtugon ng action plan na ipinatupad ng FATF.
“This seal of good financial housekeeping benefits overseas Filipinos as it would make cross-border transactions faster and cheaper as layers of compliance barriers are removed,” ang sinabi ni Bersamin.
“This hard-fought administration win in its battle against money laundering will be preserved and protected through consistent compliance with global standards,” patuloy niya.
Samantala, inilarawan naman ni Finance Secretary Ralph Recto ang desisyon ng FATF bilang “a significant step for the country to secure a credit rating upgrade under the Marcos Jr. administration.”
“By upholding the highest standards of financial governance, we will attract more foreign direct investments and expand more trade partnerships that will help accelerate economic growth. With this momentum, our next goal is clear—a credit rating upgrade within the Marcos Jr. administration,” ang sinabi ni Recto.
Ang Department of Finance (DOF), sinabi ni Recto ay may mahalagang papel sa tagumpay na ito bilang isang miyembro ng National Anti-Money Laundering/Counter-Terrorism Financing/Counter-Proliferation Financing Coordinating Committee (NACC), ang inter-agency body na responsable para sa pangangasiwa ng National AML/CTF/CPF Strategy (NACS) at paggabay sa implementasyon sa mga kaugnay na ahensya. Kris Jose
