Research to follow?

Judging from recent pronouncements from Malacañang regarding the recommendation or tentative appointment of former and now returning Secretary Rafael Lotilla to the DOE, it would seem that some people are in a rush to push their candidate forward without doing the necessary legal research or background checks.

The Malacañang Press Office itself has stated that Lotilla’s possible return to the DOE will be dependent on provisions/restrictions of law because a certain Republic Act does not allow the appointment of individuals who are or have been employed in companies covered or regulated by departments or agencies to which said candidate will be joining. The law requires a two-year cool off of sorts or disassociation with their employers before joining government. Why announce the nomination/appointment before doing due diligence and legal research?

What’s strange about this is that no less than Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez reportedly issued a directive last week that all nominations and recommendations must undergo thorough screening in order to avoid those unqualified from slipping through the gatekeepers at the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) and the office of the Executive Secretary. In fairness to the ES, there are certain things above his pay grade.

Rodriguez remains a notch or two lower in the food chain or snake pit that is Malacañang. He has not taken over the position of presidential confidant or Malacañang’s Rasputin because he is not a member of kamaganak Inc. and does not have the gift of a political snake charmer and is relatively a newcomer who has yet to firm up his political capital and alliances. In other words, he neither has the right bloodline nor controls a political party like two politicians above him in the food chain. At the end of the day, the Executive Secretary still has to do the bidding of those above him. As for the need for proper research for whatever purpose, I am reminded of the statement: “We are a nation of ‘prototypes and test pilots.’ We are so good at tests but never follow through.” Words to that effect were shared to us on AGENDA by then undersecretary of agriculture Fermin Adriano and boy, was he right. But that summation does not only apply to Philippine agriculture.

In recent interviews, many guests have shared the same view or outcome related to K-12, Dengvaxia, ROTC and many other plans and programs of the national government as well as those in the legislative department.

For instance, various individuals and government officials have called for the review of the government’s K-12 program to determine what needs improvement, what should be deleted, etc. Everyone had an opinion about it but when I asked if any of them or any official body with competency has done the necessary research of tracking on the program, nobody knew of any proper research that was done parallel to the implementation of the K-12 program.

When people decide to have children, they constantly observe the child’s progress based on certain metrics such as height, weight, mental or psychological performance and many others. Those metrics are part of the standards set in raising children, observing the performance or compliance of the child to the metrics forms part of observed facts that fall into data or “research” that determines the conclusion on whether a child is healthy or if the metrics are achievable.

For K-12, the metrics are supposed to be all part of the program and the general course of education. “Research” would tell us the impact on the performance, outcome of students in terms of success or failures, and if the students benefitted in terms of progression to collegiate courses, immediate employment based on tracks or none of the above. But four years later, no one seems to have a definitive study to rely on.

The same thing with Dengvaxia, the anti-dengue vaccine that was used to inoculate some 700,000 students, which became controversial primarily because of media hype, and suspended its use by panicky health officials and politicians. What is strange, and contributes to millions of wasted funds and lost opportunities, is the fact that there is also no definitive study that determines whether the vaccine is good or bad, what is the health status of the children or individuals who were inoculated with Dengvaxia and how effective the vaccine was in terms of the chosen or “test population.”

Most health leaders I know are wary about talking of Dengvaxia due to their trauma of being bullied, sullied or hated on social media but no one ever dared to push the science and the facts in the faces of their critics. Because of that, we have lost a potentially beneficial vaccine that is now officially “licensed for use in countries like Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia,” according to Dr. Rontgene Solante who is one of the country’s leading infectious disease experts.

As for the proposed revival of the ROTC, it seems that those pushing for it simply want to pull the old dusty box out of storage and implement the 1930s version of military drills and discipline instead of doing research on the cost and benefit of the ROTC, what needs to be done to make the program relevant and how to make it cost effective and popular. Forcing people by legislation or coercion may get the program moving but a rolling coffin still contains a corpse. Create something better, more attuned to today’s available technology, environmental and social challenges and make sure that those required to undergo the program has participation and something to “take home” aside from sunburn, resentment and lost rest time.

Without a doubt, Filipinos have excelled in developing products, solutions and programs but in terms of prototypes and pilot studies evolving into full-blown government or commercial programs that benefit all, well, we get a big fat “F” or failing mark because we never bother to follow through, much less do the research afterwards.