Decentralization, Democracy and Local Governance in the Philippines: Concepts, Issues and Practices
Maria Alma O. Salvador, in Philippine Politics: Democratic Ideals and Realities. Pp. 191 – 212
Discussions for the Chapter:
Recognition of additional players in the decision making arena traditionally dominated by the state at the national level.
Definition of the concept of local governance and its linkage with concepts of decentralization and democracy.
Examination of so – called spaces at the local level, which are opened to NGO's and other actors in which a range of participation in decision making is made possible.
Reflection of the challenges and limitations of participatory governance in the Philippines.
Stems from the oligarchic culture of Philippine politics and democracy
Personality politics are identified as structural constraints that redound and eventually impede decentralizing practices at the local level (Hutchcroft and Rocamora 2003, 262; Sidel 1999, 56 – 63)
Definition of Terms:
Governance –3 definitions of governance and development:
"The exercise of economic, political and administrative authority to manage a country's affairs at all levels. It comprises the mechanisms, processes and institutions through which citizens and groups articulate their interests, exercise their legal rights, meet their obligations and mediate their differences." (www.undp.org)
"The establishment of operation of social institutions, set of roles, rules of decision – making procedures, and programs that serve to define social practices and to guide the interactions of those participating in these practices." (Young 1996, 245)
"Good governance is epitomized by predictable, open and enlightened policy making, a bureaucracy imbued with a professional ethos acting a furtherance of the public good, the rule of law, transparent processes, and a strong civil society participating in public affairs." (www.gdrc.org/u-gov/governance-understand.html)
Common in these definitions are the process of making rules by actors other than the state, their interaction with the other actors and the rules they make as a result of theses interactions.
Good governance is based on pluralistic, accountable, sustainable and participatory decision making. It is also based on the promotion of equitable access to economic resourced and opportunities for the development.
Local Governance – The development of new forms of collective decision making at the local level, which lead to the development of different relationships, not simply between public agencies but between citizens and public agencies." (Goss 2001, 11-12)
Decentralization –based on being "away from the center."It generally refers as a transfer of power by the central government to different levels of government as well as actors.
Deconcentration –refers to a temporary transfer of authority or responsibility to lower levels within the government administration.
Delegation – refers to a transfer of responsibility for a specific authorities to a body that is outside the government and where control by the national government is indirect.
Devolution –a profound decentralization. Because power transfer is permanent, its impact to the receiver is empowering. This is marked by an increase in the scope of power of LGU's to deliver public services, to impose taxes, and to raise revenues.
Privatization – refers to the transfer of authority to the private sector.
NGOs – Non – Government Organizations; are non government actors which have a development orientation which pursue social development goals such as poverty alleviation, access to health, conservation and others. NGOs perform some functions including "disciplinary" (Magno 2001, 264 – 68), watchdog functions (Siliman and Noble 1998, 3-49); advocacy and deliberative functions (Lowndes, et al. 2001, 207).
Participatory Governance –inclusive and decentralized processes of decision making involving state and non – state actors including citizens.
Conceptual Framework: Local Governance, Decentralization and Democracy
QUALIFYING GOVERNANCE
The concept of governance is associated with participatory and democratic forms of action that emanate from below.
Definitions of governance are interwoven with notions of pluralistic, consensual, and participatory forms of politics underlined by the principle of democracy.
It is the central government that legitimizes decentralization and transfer of power.
Pomeroy and Berkes (1997, 466-67) suggest a framework that looks at decentralization as a case of division of powers. Decentralization is also the outcome of a negotiated process of power sharing and contesting with the central powers of the state.
Decentralization recognizes the limits of the traditional monopoly of the state to govern.
Decentralization is the outcome of a negotiated process of power sharing and contesting with the central actors of the state.
The Philippine Government acts as a singular and a central government. Under the central government are subnational governments distinguished by their size of population, incomes and land areas. Local government units are grouped into administrative regions for coordination purposes. Currently, 15 administrative regions including the NCR have organized the 79 provinces throughout the country.
The Democratic Bases of Decentralization: The Limits of Elections
Unless party systems are stable and programmatic, these systems do not provide an effective and communicative link between the state and the citizen.
Clientelism in political relations is a force that manipulates elections that are resorted to by rulers as token evidence of participation.
The UN, WB and EU single out three of the most important democratic underpinnings of decentralization; 1. Plurality, inclusion and equity; 2. Right of information; and 3. Consent.
Decentralization is a prerequisite to effective local governance and is based on the plurality of power. In addition, it depends on the ability of the state to respond to the initiatives of non – state actors on the ground. Ideally, decentralization must be inclusive and representative (Fung 2005, 5 – 7).
Decentralized governance recognizes the right of communities and the peoples to be informed of government decisions even before these are implemented.
TYPES OF DECENTRALIZATION AND MODALITIES OF PARTICIPATION
Differentiating decentralization type from one to another ids determined by the extent and impact of power transfer.
A key concern in determining the extent of decentralization at the local government level is the transformation of the role of citizens from recipients of basic services to partners of local governments in planning for service delivery and development. (Cornwall and Gaventa 2001)
Decentralization is viewed as a process of opening communication and decision making portals.
Types of decentralization may include a range of examples such as consumerist forms (polls, surveys, complaints), traditional methods (public meetings), consultative (interactive web sites, citizens ' panels and referendum) and deliberative innovations (community plan and user management)
Forms of Decentralization
Deconcentration
Which takes place between national government agencies and field offices, is guided by the goals of efficiency.
Central government unloads responsibility to another office located in the periphery in order to make efficient and accessible service delivery.
Field units merely implement decision from the top with limited authority to innovate on service delivery.
Delegation
Involves not merely a transfer of function but a transfer of responsibility to regional offices or other units such as functional development authorities with a relative degree of autonomy from the center.
More latitude is extended to the agents of the government to innovate and to adopt innovative practices.
Devolution
Central power transfers responsibility and authority to local government units, nongovernment organizations or firms under privatization.
Unlike deconcentration and delegation, devolution involves a complete transfer of law – making, regulatory, taxation and planning powers to LGU's and other units.
The 1991 Local Government Code provides for the devolution of service delivery of bureaucratic services such as:
Agricultural extension and research
Social forestry
Environmental management and pollution control
Primary health care
Hospital care
Social welfare services
Maintenance of infrastructure facilities
Water supply and communal irrigations
Land – use planning
The LGC also made provisions for LGU's to enhance its tax base in order to support devolved functions.
The intensity of decentralization differs when power is deconcentrated in order to save on the costs of service delivery or when it is transferred with an agreement to share power
LGU's have utilized their revenue creation powers to their advantage (Brilliantes 1999).
Yet there are caveats found in the system of devolving power: not all of LGU's have the capacity to absorb new responsibilities: Reasons behind these is the lack of financial and manpower resources.
Low income LGU's are entrapped into the vicious cycle of dependence on the national government (Bossert and Beauvais 2002).
Devolved powers are not self – executing, but require the activation of innovative leader at the local level.
Taxation and Revenue – Raising Powers
LGU's under a decentralized setting need financial security to effectively implement public services.
Fiscal devolution did not only authorize revenue creation but also the devolution of tax policy making to local legislative councils.
Participation of NGO's and Civil Society Actors in Decentralized Settings: Opportunities and Constraints
There are specific areas in the national government decision making that are now shared with the private sector and nongovernment actors.
NGO' s are allotted seats in the local development council, a planning body and in local boards, which deliberate on health, education, procurement and peace and other matters.
NGO's are given some discretion to identify policy goals in the budget, to incorporate projects in local plans, or to propose new legislation.
NGO's are directly involved in identification of goals and in setting the agenda in the interlinked processes of planning and budgeting.
The Illusion of NGO Involvement in Local Development Councils and Other Special Bodies
NGO involvment, although very crucial, is dependent on a host of political factors.
The LCE who has the power to accommodate or ban an NGO in local special bodies may influence NGO involvement.
Examples of these are:
Development type NGO's are sometimes perceived as too left of center or too reformist.
Profit – oriented NGO's are preferred because their orientation towards investments can bring in revenues for the LGU.
NGO's are rarely present in lower income LGU's such as fourth, fifth or sixth class municipalities.
Reflections on Decentralization and Democracy in the Philippines
Philippines has constitutionalized the role of NGO's in governance.The state recognizes the principle the vital role that NGO's play in different phases of the policy process.
Significant legislations in environmental management have provided for the creation of local bodies that are accommodating of NGO's and peoples organizations.
Conclusions
Effective governance requires that LGU's recognize other actors as partners of development.
The extent of decentralization depends on how much power is devolved and shared by the state with the non – state players.
Devolution is shaped by how much responsibility the local players are willing to take.
Summary Created by
FILBERT ANTHONY BAUTISTA MEJORADA
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
