The Philippine Public Administration: Its Evolution in Practice and Discipline

Faculty-Marked Assignment no. 1

PM 201 (Theory and Practice of Public Administration)

Submitted to:
Prof. Juvy Lizette M. Gervacio
Faculty-in-Charge

Submitted by:
Jonathan J. Lumanog, Jr.
2011-46391

UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES OPEN UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES
Master of Public Management

1
 The Philippine Public Administration:
Its Evolution in Practice and Discipline

I. The Philippine Public Administration

Public administration is the cultivation of the human race to organize

society and its capacity to direct it by virtue of laws and regulations. It pushes
communities to achieve a common goal that is public-oriented (Caiden 1982 as
cited in Brillantes and Fernandez, 2008). Studying and learning about public
administration is internationally recognized and given strong interest by national
governments and scholarly experts. This field of study is given great importance
and attention so that the institutionalized body can properly analyze and
understand effective strategies in managing their constituents (Gaylord, 2014). In
the Philippines, administrative principles and political structures were inherited
from the United States during pre- and post-colonial ties with the country
(Hutchcroft, 2000). This statement coincides with that of Cruz (2011) wherein she
stated that “The country’s administrative practices and bureaucratic culture are a
blend of indigenous social forces, implanted norms, and colonial legacies.”
The Philippine public administration as a field of study was officially
introduced in the 1950’s. It showcased the inimitable way of Filipinos in running,
managing, and organizing public service (Sajo, 1993). Raul de Guzman
emphasized the fact that there is indeed a Philippine Public Administration the
same way that it does in America, France and Thailand; but it should also be
known that prior contextualization in the Philippine setting is required for
appropriation of the definition (Gaylord, 2014). The reinforcement of Philippine
public administration as a field of study can be attributed to the establishment of
the Institute of Public Administration at the University of the Philippines by the
Americans in 1952 (Brillantes and Fernandez, 2008). According to Sajo (1993), it
is both a field of study and a government bureaucracy shaped by three major
institutions such as education, politics, and the government. It is influenced by

2
 the technical aspects, the problem of democracy and accountability, the role of
the people, and the issue of indigenization.
The realization of the Philippine public administration’s existence comes
from the presence of administrative structures, institutional processes, and a
system that guides these procedures (Brillantes and Fernandez, 2008).

II. The Evolution of Philippine PA as Practice and Body of Knowledge

The evolution of public administration as a practice and discipline can be

categorized into two major phases namely the traditional and modern phase.
According to Brillantes and Fernandez (2008), the traditional/classical phase
dates back from the 1800s to the 1950s, while the modern phase dates back
from the 1950s up until the present. The Modern phase is subdivided into the
following phases: (1) development administration, (2) new public administration,
(3) new public management and reinventing governance, (4) and public
administration as governance. In the Philippines, these phases tackles areas
such as reorganization, decentralization, and corruption concerns (Brillantes and
Fernandez, 2008).
As stated earlier, the US government had a direct effect that shaped the
Philippine public administration. The traditional phase was heavily influenced due
to the existence of colonialism, but it is a fact that their influence persists until
today. The identity crisis carried on and it paved the way for the modern phase to
take place in the Philippine public administration (Reyes, 2003).
Development Administration focuses on emerging/developing countries.
After World War II, these third world countries struggled to rebuild in terms of
economic, political, and administrative capacity. In the Philippines, it would be
more appropriate for it to be referred to as a nation trying to reestablish its
democratic framework of administration (Brillantes and Fernandez, 2008).
The term New Public Administration emerged from the 1960s to 1970s
and Pilar (1993) recognized its significance in the field of philosophy, content

3
purposes, processes, and techniques. He also emphasized that it corresponds
with the objective of the Philippine government.
The idea of New Public Management and Reinventing Government
emerged from the 1980s to 1990s. Doubts, questions, and queries about
traditional administration strategies took place where organizational reforms were
demanded. It shifted from a client- or customer-oriented to being more “business-
oriented”. Maesschalck (2004) stated that “Similar movements such as
reinventing government and reengineering also emerged around the same time.”
In the Philippine setting, it was about this time when the country is undergoing
massive changes after the People Power Revolution. Sajo (1993) reiterated there
was a shift from an authoritarian to a democratic system during the late 80s. This
was after the late dictator, President Marcos, used the government to seek for
US approval. From his ousting, the challenge was to know how the current
bureaucratic system can be reformed to cater a new government that is based on
democracy rather than a dictatorship. The main challenges then were to balance
the distribution of power, propose a better way in administering government, and
use politics-administration dichotomy to recognize the fact that administration will
always be surrounded by issues in politics (Sajo, 1993).
Public Administration as Governance emerged from 1990s into the 2000s.
The term “governance” was endorsed by the United Nations, World Bank, and
Asian Development Bank. It involves a wider perspective and deeper meaning
mostly refers to government that “involves the institutionalization of a system
through which citizens, institutions, organizations, and groups in a society
articulate their interests, exercise their rights, and mediate their differences in
pursuit of the collective good” (ADB 1995 as cited in Brillantes and Fernandez,
2008). The virtue of governance is geared towards development,
environmentally-sound administration, and globalization. In an administrative
perspective, governance deals with some of the principles of decentralization,
participation, responsiveness, and accountability (Cariño, 2000).

4
III. How It Helped Shape the Nature of Administration in the Philippines

In conclusion, the Philippine public administration heavily relied on foreign

models. We initially derived from the American literature and government to
academically study it for its application in our own setting. However, it can also
be said the Philippines also benchmarked other countries to improve its
framework of administration. However, as far as the Philippine context is
concerned, there is undeniably a disproportion in the effect of practice, study,
and politics have on the Philippine public administration. There is complexity in
its practice and theory. It can also be attributed due to the instability of who holds
the power in our public office. The Philippines went through numerous war before
it has claimed its autonomy and independence. It underwent a dictatorial
government which destabilized its economy that resulted in unstable growth and
development.
The nature of administration improved after restoration of democracy. The
concept of good governance helped achieved this by making the government
transparent and accountable for the services it renders to the people. It uses
effective policy instruments that is collectively agreed upon by its citizens (Hout,
2004). It is therefore concluded that good governance results in sustainable
growth.
An example is our very own Gawad Kalinga that demonstrates how the
government, business and civil society can work in harmony in delivering service
for the public. It possesses the very core of modern public administration and
good governance (Brillantes and Fernandez 2008 as cited in Gaylord, 2014).
To answer the question, how did the it helped shape the nature of
administration in the Philippines, one must focus on examining the existing
literature, theory, practice, and its application in our own setting. Philippine public
administration needs to be continually studied to properly address the continuing
needs and demands of the Filipino people.

5
References:

Brillantes, A. Jr. and Fernandez, M. (2008) IS THERE A PHILIPPINE PUBLIC

ADMINISTRATION? OR BETTER STILL, FOR WHOM IS PHILIPPINE PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATION? UP National College of Public Administration and
Governance (UP NCPAG) Retrieved from http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/
public/documents/EROPA/UNPAN032064.pdf
Cariño, L. V. (2000) “The Concept of Governance” From Government to Governance.
Quezon City: Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration (EROPA.)
1-16. Retrieved from http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/
eropa/monograph-worldcog-chap1.pdf
Cruz, R. B. (2011). Unraveling Public Administration in Five-Thirteenths of Southeast
Asia. International Review of Public Administration, 16(2), 191. Retrieved from
https://search.proquest.com/docview/920573085?accountid=47253
Gaylord, G. C. (2014). The study of Public Administration in India, the Philippines,
Canada, and Australia: The universal struggle against epistemic colonization,
and toward critical assimilation. Revista De Administração Pública, 48(5), 1073-
1092. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/1643152957?account
id=47253
Hout, W. (2004). Good Governance and the Political Economy of Selectivity. Asia
Research Centre. Retrieved from https://www.murdoch.edu.au/Research-
capabilities/Asia-Research-Centre/_document/working-papers/wp100.pdf
Hutchcroft, P. D. (2000). Colonial masters, national politicos, and provincial lords:
Central authority and local autonomy in the american philippines, 1900-1913.
The Journal of Asian Studies, 59(2), 277-306. Retrieved from
https://search.proquest.com/docview/230385965?accountid=47253
Maesschalck, J. (2004). THE IMPACT OF NEW PUBLIC MANAGEMENT REFORMS
ON PUBLIC SERVANTS’ ETHICS: TOWARDS A THEORY. Retrieved from
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.0033-3298.2004.00403.x
Nestor, P. (1993). “Relevance of New PA in Philippine Public Administration.” In

6
 Philippine Journal of Public Administration. Retrieved from
http://lynchlibrary.pssc.org.ph:8081/bitstream/handle/0/4802/07_The%20Relevan
ce%20of%20the%20New%20PA.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Reyes, Danilo R. 2003 “The Study of Public Administration in Perspective: A Passing
Review of the Development of the Discipline” in Introduction to Public
Administration: A Reader. Retrieved from https://www.scribd.com/document
/362648296/06-The-Study-of-Public-Administration-in-Perspective
Sajo, T. A. (1993). Book Review: Introduction to Public Adminrstration in the Philippines:
A Reader. Philippine Journal of Public Administration, Vol. XXXVII, No. 4.
Retrieved from http://lynchlibrary.pssc.org.ph:8081/bitstream/handle/0/4046/11_
Book%20Review.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y