The Relevance of Participatory

Governance

CSO Conference
2022
Outline of the Presentation

I. Defining Participatory Governance

II. Legal Bases
III. Its Benefits
IV. Ladder of Citizen Participation
I. Defining Participatory Governance

Governance

The process of decision-making and the process by which

decisions are implemented (or not implemented)

• corporate governance
• international governance
• national governance
• local governance

United Nations Economic and Social

Commission for Asia and the Pacific
8 Major Characteristics of Good
Governance

1. Participatory
2. Consensus Oriented
3. Accountable
4. Transparent
5. Responsive
6. Effective and Efficient
7. Equitable and Inclusive
8. Follows the Rule of Law
Citizen Participation

"... implies the involvement of citizens in a wide

range of policy making activities...in order to orient
government programs toward community needs, build
public transport, and encourage a sense of
cohesiveness within neighborhoods"

UN World Public Sector Report 2008

Participatory Governance
Participatory governance involves citizens participation in
decision making, e.g.

• assessing their own needs,

• planning and budgeting,
• monitoring and evaluation, and in the
• implementation of government programs, projects and
activities.
II. Legal Basis of Citizen Participation
The 1987 Constitution is very emphatic in saying

“Sovereignty resides in the people, and all

government authority emanates from them”.

Article 1, 1987 Philippine Constitution, Declaration of

Principles and State Policies
Article II, Philippine Constitution

Section 23. The State shall encourage non-governmental, community-based,

or sectoral organizations that promote the welfare of the nation.
  

Article XIII, Philippine Constitution

Section 15. The State shall respect the role of independent people's
organizations to enable the people to pursue and protect , , ,, their legitimate
and collective interests and aspirations through peaceful and lawful means.

Section 16. The right of the people and their organizations to effective and
reasonable participation at all levels of social, political, and economic
decision-making shall not be abridged.
The Local Government Code of 1991

Section 34. LGUs shall promote the establishment and

operation of people's organizations, NGOs, and the
private sector, to make them active partners in the pursuit
of local autonomy.
III. The Benefits and Potential Impact of Participatory
Governance

Participatory governance can give people a sense that their rights are being
respected, improve their sense of dignity, and make them feel more connected to
others in the community.

It may also result in better governance:

• Greater government responsiveness

• Increased transparency
• Better budget utilization
• Improved public service delivery
Local Government Units perspectives:

• Improved people’s faith and relationships

• Better service prioritization
• Greater chance for politicians to be reelected
• Sense of satisfaction
• Satisfied constituents
The Benefits and Outcomes of
Participatory Governance Outcomes

More responsive
basic services to
people’s needs

More effective
Citizens
Engagement
LGU service delivery
and Civil
Society

Organized and More efficient use

Capacitated of resources
IV. Ladder of
Participation Citizen Power

Degrees of Citizen
Participation

Arnstein’s Ladder (1969)

The eight rungs of participation.

1. Manipulation

Citizens are manipulated to believe they have power over a process when, in
fact, they do not. For instance, they are placed on rubber stamp advisory
committees to "educate" them to support the decisions of power-holders, rather
than allowing citizens to contribute their own ideas.

2. Therapy
Power-holders presume that citizen powerlessness is identical with mental
illness that have to be cured when, in reality, the established institutions and
policies are the real problem. For example, citizens are asked to attend group
therapy sessions not to give them the power to make decisions, but to get them
to support the programs that the people in power have already decided on.
 
4. Informing.
Citizens are informed but are not offered the opportunity to comment or
give feedback.

5. Consultation.
Citizens' opinions and views are solicited, but final decisions are
determined by those conducting the consulting.

6. Placation
Citizens are allowed to actively participate in decision-making, but their
participation is limited and powerholders retain ultimate decision-making
authority. For instance, they may hold a minority of committee seats, but
decisions are made by a majority of power-holders.
6. Partnership.
Power is redistributed between citizens and power holders. Planning and
decision-making responsibilities are shared e.g. through joint committees.

7. Delegation.
Citizens holding a clear majority of seats on committees with delegated
powers to make decisions.

8. Citizen Control.
Citizens handle the entire job of planning, policy making and managing a
programme.
In the final analysis it doesn't really
matter what the political system is...We
don't need perfect political systems; we
need perfect participation.

Cesar Chavez