Local governments

It is easy to blame the unitary system enshrined in our Constitution for our country’s seemingly intractable problems. It is also easy to blame Imperial Manila for the continuing underdevelopment of most of the country’s other regions. But it is simplistic to prescribe adoption of a Federal system to cure all our ills.

It’s really a lot more complicated. True, local governments should be given more powers and elbow room to do what must be done in their areas. We have tried that approach by granting them wider autonomy under the Local Autonomy Act. But the record of performance thus far had not been too encouraging.

Management of government hospitals deteriorated after the Department of Health devolved this function to local governments. Technical services to farmers also didn’t fare too well after the Department of Agriculture relinquished that responsibility to local governments.

It is not just a question of adequate budgets. It is more about the inadequate ability of many LGU officials to properly govern… many are clueless on how to govern. This is why the late Secretary Jesse Robredo devised a scorecard to help LGU leaders and give them an incentive to govern well.

The scorecard helps select the LGUs that will be recognized by a Seal of Good Housekeeping and be eligible for fund support on their development projects through the Performance Challenge Fund. Only those showing exemplary performance can get the Seal of Good Housekeeping.

The scorecard generates information about how local governments perform in specific areas. It enables local governments to determine their capabilities and limitations in the delivery of essential public services.

Jesse Robredo recognized the problem of local governance, didn’t think the situation was hopeless and did something to start the long process of upgrading the quality of local governance. But, yes, it takes time. And then Jesse died and successors weren’t as interested.

On the part of the private sector, the Zuellig Foundation has a program that focused on improving the ability of local governments to deliver health care services that will improve quality of maternal and child health. Mayors and local health workers attended seminars and their field performance measured. Participating municipalities have benefited greatly.

But the work has barely started and should cover more areas. On the whole, too many LGUs are simply horrible. For instance, local governments in Dinagat Island and Surigao allowed the massive environmental damage by mining companies to happen. These are reasons enough to take away any local government role in natural resources development.

Indeed, in the case of Dinagat Island, the shocking state of the mine sites is the result of a local government dominated by just one family who has managed to get cult-like obedience from the people. Not only was the environment abused, so were the people.

I would be very careful in assuming that we are ready for a Federal system. I would hesitate to give more powers to local political warlords who are already enriching themselves in office while failing to deliver essential public services their people need.

I believe a successful federal government can happen once our LGUs have the capacity and competence as well as the heart to handle more authority and more resources. As it is, the systems of patronage in most LGUs dominate politics on the local level.

Many of our LGUs are poorly positioned for greater responsibility. Patronage politics enable entrenched political dynasties to influence the outcomes of elections, making public office a family business.

On a more practical perspective, only two or at most three of the potential Federal regions are financially capable. How can a Federal system work if most of the other regions are incapable of earning enough revenues to sustain themselves? Massive fund transfers from the NCR, as is happening now under the unitary system, will have to continue. What’s the use?

I am keeping an open mind that Federalism may eventually be the way to go. But I have serious questions about our readiness for it now. It is not likely to deliver on our expectations any time soon. It may also exacerbate our inability to think of ourselves as Filipinos rather than as Ilocanos, Cebuanos, Tagalogs, etc.

I am always bothered by simplistic notions that a single prescription on the form of government will wipe out our maladies. In the end, it is still a question of people, whether our leaders are equipped to govern wisely and are predisposed to govern in the best interest of the people.

Then there are the practical questions. What form of Federalism? Which model? What do we want to achieve by it? Is it devolution? Is it progress for Mindanao? Is it inclusive growth and reduction of poverty? Are those objectives impossible to achieve under our present unitary form?

I agree with the observation of Vice President Leni Robredo that “for too long, only the biggest urban centers of the Philippines enjoyed continuous wealth, while rural communities and smaller provinces lagged behind. Truly, it’s time to change this.”

But is Federalism the only way the Philippines can save itself? Is the Philippines ready for Federalism? Can the Constitutional Assembly be trusted to act in the people’s best interests? Can’t we achieve the goals we have in mind by a more intelligent devolution of powers and resources in a reinvigorated Local Autonomy Act?

Tinkering with the Constitution is pretty dangerous specially at a time when the country is sharply divided. And to be frank about it, most Filipinos are neither informed nor are interested enough about Federalism to intelligently consider shifting to it.

Systems, whether Federal or Unitary, are just ways by which we can organize our government. What we need is an honest effort to improve governance coupled with some tweaking of the Local Autonomy Act to achieve what some of us want a shift to Federalism to bring.

In the end, even if we shift to a Federal form of government, nothing good will come out of it unless we elect leaders who are competent, incorruptible and totally dedicated to delivering the kind of public service we can only dream of now. That’s more difficult than amending the Constitution.

In time we may be ready for a Federal system. But the hard work to get there has only just begun.