Decentralization

in the Philippines
Eddie Dorotan, MD, MPA
Former Mayor, Irosin, Sorsogon
Executive Director, Galing Pook Foundation
Convenor, Global Public Innovations Network
 Basic Facts
• 94M people in 7,100 islands (300,000 sq km)
• 1.9% pop growth rate
• MMR: 99/100,000 live births
• IMR: 18/1,000 live births
• LE: 72 yrs
• Literacy : 92%
• 7% unemployment rate
• GDP growth rate: 6.6%
• GDP/Capita: $4,100
• 26.5% below poverty line
• 44.8% Gini Index
 Government
Republican form
Executive, Legislative (Bicameral), Judiciary
Local Government Units
• 80 provinces
• 143 cities
• 1491 municipalities
• 42,028 villages/ barangays
 Decentralization Push
Post-Marcos Dictatorship/ People Power Revolution
Local Autonomy
• “self-governing”
• The granting of more powers, authority, responsibilities
and resources by the national government to local
government units in order to be self-reliant and active
partners
Decentralization
• transfer of power and authority from central institution
to lower or local levels of a government system
 3 forms of decentralization
Devolution
• transfer of power and authority from the national
government to local government units (LGUs); political
and territorial
Deconcentration
• transfer of power, authority or responsibility or the
discretion to plan, decide and manage from central to
local levels; administrative and sectoral
Debureaucratization
• transfer of some public functions and responsibilities,
which government may perform, to private entities or
NGOs
 Aims of the
Local Government Code 1991
• Purpose: transform LGUs into self-reliant
communities and active partners in nation-
building by giving them more powers,
authority, responsibilities and resources
• Hopes to achieve economic development at
the regional and local levels by giving LCE
more freedom in carrying out their programs
that are suitable in their areas
 Devolved functions to LGUs
1. Agricultural extension
2. Community based forestry
3. Field health and hospital services
4. Public works
5. School building program
6. Social welfare services
7. Tourism
8. Telecommunications
9. Housing
10. Others like investment support
 Devolved Regulatory Powers
1. Reclassification of agricultural lands
2. Enforcement of environmental laws
3. Inspection of food products and quarantine
4. Enforcement of national building code
5. Operation of tricycles
6. Processing and approval of subdivision plans
7. Establishment of cockpits
 Share of LGUs in the
Proceeds of National Taxes
Allotment of Internal Revenue: 30-40%
Percentage of internal revenue allocated to
LGUs:
• Provinces : 23%
• Cities: 23%
• Municipalities: 34%
• Barangays: 20%
 Participatory Governance
Local special bodies
• Local development councils
• Local health boards
• Local school boards
• Peace and order councils
• Others ( nutrition, agriculture, economic, etc,
bidding committees, etc)
Recall and Referendum and consultations
 Corporate Powers of LGUs
• Acquire and convey real or personal property
• Enter into contracts
• Operate and manage of economic enterprises
• Generate revenues
• Apply for credit and loans, float bonds
• Secure grants and donations
 2 decades of devolution
Local Government Performance Mx System (107 indicators)
• Governance –legislation, transparency, citizen participation
• Administration – devt planning, revenue generation,
resource allocation and utilization, financial accountability,
customer service, human resource mx
• Social services – health/nutrition, education, housing/basic
utilities, peace/security and disaster preparedness
• Economic development – agricultural/fisheries devt,
entreprenuership, business and industry promotion
• Environmental development – natural resource
management, waste management, pollution control
High administrative capacities, variable productivities,
improving MDG attainment
 2 decades of devolution
Galing Pook (Excellent Places)
Awarded 270 innovative best practice programs
from 160 LGUs since 1994
• Performance/results/impact
• Citizen participation
• Replicability/Transferability
• Sustainability
• Innovation
 Survey on Local Governance
(2010, Social Weather Station)
• +44 Good Net Satisfaction rating
• +18 Net local economic optimism score
• 58% say local govt system
transparent/understandable
 Survey on Local Governance
(2010, Social Weather Station)
• Very Good ratings (Net Satisfaction score of +50
and above) on 5 issues: Repair and cleanliness of
the public market, Implementing educational
programs, Promoting sports programs,
Maintenance of health centers, and Lighting of
streets.
• Good ratings (Net Satisfaction score of +30 to
+49) on 4 issues: Providing information regarding
getting permits, licenses or paying of taxes,
Protecting the environment, Collecting garbage,
and Managing traffic/ flow of vehicles
 Survey on Local Governance
• Moderate ratings (Net Satisfaction score of +10 to +29)
on 13 issues: Consulting the people, Collecting taxes,
Providing legal services, Setting up of monitoring
systems for development projects and programs with
NGO/PO participation, Implementing development
plans with effective citizen participation, Efforts to
create and collect additional income or funds for the
city/municipal government, Repair of bad roads and
drainage, Fighting crime, Promoting business, Making
information regarding revenues, expenditures and
operations of the city/municipal government easily
available to citizens, Helping the poor, Promoting
tourism, and Providing assistance in farming needs.
 Survey on Local Governance
• Neutral ratings (Net Satisfaction score of +9 to
-9) on 4 issues: Fighting drug addiction,
Solving the squatter problem, Developing
housing programs, and Developing jobs.
• Poor rating (Net Satisfaction score of -10 to -
29) on the issue of Eradicating graft and
corruption.
 Survey on Local Governance
• Trust in local government officials and institutions
enjoy strong public trust: it is a very good Net Trust
rating of +66 for the Mayor and +54 for the Barangay
Council, a good +47 for the City/Municipal Council and
+42 for the Police in the city/municipality, and a
moderate +25 for the non-government organization or
NGOs and +17 for the business associations in the
city/municipality.
• The local government employees obtained a very good
Net Satisfaction rating of +50, with higher satisfaction
coming from Mindanao and Balance Luzon.
 Challenges
• Patronage, money politics, fiefdoms
• Inefficient, politically influenced civil service
• Dependence of local governments on national
government
 Building an Archipelago
of Good Governance
• Reform the electoral system
• Decentralize more powers, responsibilities and
resources to local governments
• Professionalize the civil service
• Mobilize the citizenry to demand good
governance