CHOICES FOR DEVELOPMENT

On November 7, 2004, we were given the chance to meet Secretary Romulo Neri of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) after an integrated investment plan our group proposed for the province of Cagayan caught his  attention. For our part,  the  meeting would give us the opportunity  to discuss with him how to get the necessary start-up institutional support to prepare an alternative integrated investment model for a province in the Philippines. Due to that rare and gratifying chance  to personally meet the chief development planner of the Philippines, we wanted to come to the NEDA Office in Pasig City well prepared.  In this regard, we first held  a brainstorming exercise to decide the title of our presentation and worked hard in shaping what would be the main message that we must best convey to the Secretary. Finally,  we agreed to adopt the title “ Choice for Agro-Industrial Development” The text that would match our Power Point presentation started by saying that  “We believe that our present status as a people and as a country is a product of our choice. On this basis, we believe that development is a matter of making a choice. For instance,  the type of government that we have now and the socio-economic system that governs our ways of working, rendering our social obligations to our fellow Filipinos,  practicing  our faith in God, and  spending our precious time for rest and recreation purposes, are all products of our choices, both individually and collectively.”

The proposal to prepare an alternative integrated investment agenda for Cagayan, with projects that would include integrated grains milling centers, food terminal, integrated health care service delivery, integrated agro-forestry projects,  integrated livestock center, modern cooperative bank, and other projects that would  be initiated by  the proposed Cagayan Agro-Industrial Development Board may be so great  undertakings from the point of view of the local government officials and executives of national line agencies based in the province. However,  the investment projects being proposed would be largely achievable and within the scope of the  corporate powers and authorities of local government units in accordance with the Local Government Code.  The projects may be grand but essentially  realistic. Our country is now lagging behind in the globalization race and the only way to create developmental impact is to magnify and intensify  the projects particularly in strategic provinces of the Philippines like Cagayan, which has an international port accessible to the  Pacific Ocean and Chine Sea. More important, the investment agenda is promoting private sector and local community collaboration with  government intervention merely as catalyst.  Funding,  on the other hand,  would embrace  more innovative financing instruments such as project financing, build-operate-transfer (BOT), bond flotation, joint venture, and venture capital financing. (More)

COMMAND VOTE AND  THE BOLANTE FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM: A RAPID COMPARATIVE STUDY IN THE PRACTICE OF  PUBLIC SECTOR GOVERNANCE IN THE PHILIPPINES

The 12-0 command vote and the Bolante fertilizer distribution initiative on behalf of the Department of Agriculture  maybe far apart but they have structural similarities not easily  seen by our naked eyes. We usually have  strong propensity to  view and face problems  on a  piece meal basis.  We  often view problems in the context of our personal  concerns, business interests, or professional fields. Very often, we are not  interested in identifying the root of the problem and how problems are inter-related  through distinct cause and effect relationships. Furthermore, as long as a particular issue or problem is  not affecting  our own backyard, we do not complain. However, when a disaster  is already affecting our own backyard,  impending to affect us, or  there are already relatives crying asking for our help, we become  concerned and start to cite our constitutional rights. In many instances, however,  we always forget  to be more analytical  and responsible in addressing  the problem. For instance, very few were deeply concerned, although were aware of  the mishandling of fertilizer fund supposed to be intended for farmers being  the principal beneficiaries of government development assistance. In our  highly agricultural society, our farmers are still the most important group in our population.  More important, we must be  aware that if this sector that represents  two thirds of our population  are well off with adequate disposable income, we will be also beneficiaries of a vigorous rural economy that will create business opportunities for other industries and services in the more urbanized areas of our country.

The  command vote has been expressed with confidence because it was guided and supported by a more organized and well funded campaign. The target was announced to be regional even few hours before the election, downgraded to provincial when the initial results has suggested to be  difficult to achieve, and has become municipal when the more physically isolated towns in Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Tawi-tawi, and Maguindanao have canvassed that are not yet revealed. Nevertheless,  the objective of the command vote is not a referendum for the President, as it is difficult to convince more people that have spoken. Its primary purpose is its number to be included in the national tally. Is there really  a need for a local commander to deliver vote to represent the true will of the people if the people are satisfied with government service? Furthermore, is there really a need for a project type approach to deliver a command vote if really free will of the people is the result of a democratic exercise like electtion. (More)