Governance and human dignity
THE only way for any economy to work is for government to provide a healthy environment for business, where they can compete fairly among themselves and not with government. This is how the world’s most progressive economies work. This is how Makati’s economy works.
What should be government’s priority – and I speak of both the national government and the local governments – is to redeem the people’s dignity by ensuring that all of them receive their rightful share of the prosperity of a progressive economy.
A government that despises its people neglects their health and their education. A government whose core value is dignity ensures that every child grows up in good health and with good education so they will become productive, progressive, even prosperous members of society.
This is how prosperity is shared in civilized societies around the world. This is how prosperity is shared in Makati.
Thirty one years after the 1986 EDSA Revolution brought new leadership to Makati, more students are staying in school, fewer residents worry about getting sick, and an increasing number are now finding it easier to land jobs in the thousands of companies and business establishments that call Makati their home.
Our programs have had an impact on the standard of living of Makati families.
If you are, for example, a minimum wage earner but you have a Yellow Card that takes care of your medical bills and you don’t have to worry about tuition fees, school supplies, and uniforms during the opening of classes, you run up savings for the family.
Since 1987, Makati’s annual revenue has remained on an upward trend, and the city has never incurred a budget deficit even during the Asian financial crisis. Over the past three decades, Makati’s annual collection has grown at an average growth rate of 18.2 percent. The city has also consistently posted a budget surplus each year without resorting to hefty tax increases. This year, Makati even exceeded its own target as early as October, and met in November the higher revenue target set by the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF), an agency of the Department of Finance (DOF).
What we did in Makati shows that if the government stands by solid principles, earns the trust of the stakeholders, manages its resources efficiently, and more importantly earns the support of the people, we can overcome any challenge.
There are, of course, those who question Makati’s emphasis on social programs.
Let me emphasize that social programs are not charity. They are a right of citizens.
Good health and good education are the two essential aspects of a civilized society. Social programs are an investment, not an expense.
We really do not need to balance the interest of one sector over the other. We are one community with a shared interest in making our community safe, competitive, and socially balanced.
We need to maintain Makati’s competitive advantage, and always be alert to other opportunities for growth.
We also need to ensure that the benefits of growth are felt by the people in terms of employment, economic opportunities, and quality public services, especially in health and education.
By focusing on restoring and respecting the dignity of every citizen, we recognize the primacy of human rights as the core of governance. When we speak of human rights we speak of rights that go beyond the rights of man. Human rights encompass civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights.
When we speak of human rights as the core of good governance, we speak not solely about the right to life and the right to due process, but also the right to be free from hunger, to have access to health care and education. As an advocate of human rights, I have always endeavored to reflect the value of these rights in my programs as Makati mayor. These programs are being continued and enhanced by the present Makati leadership. This is a reflection of our deep and sincere respect for the dignity of our residents.
Respect human rights and you give people back their dignity.