After a year from the current administration’s PDP 2017-2022, two main indicators have shown the country made improvements namely: World Governance Index (WGI) on Regulatory Quality, and the Open Budget Index (OBI). Current regulatory reforms for ease of doing business such as Project Repeal may have boosted the country’s percentile rank. On the other hand, the recent OBI score has exceeded its target (64/100 vs. 67/100), landing the Philippines as 1st among Asian countries in terms of budget transparency, which means citizens are provided with substantial budget information.

In terms of specific subsector outcomes, the following have been achieved:

  • On achieving seamless service delivery. Various government agencies launched portals and online systems to digitize processes which lessened human intervention and fast-tracked the delivery of frontline services. These include the electronic business process and licensing system, the Philippine Business Data Bank, the TradeNet platform, the National Government Portal, One-Stop Shop for OFWs and NEDA’s Public Investment Program Online.
  • On enhancing administrative governance. Budgetary reforms have been implemented such as the shift to Program Expenditure Classification approach and the rollout of the Budget and Treasury Management Portal.
  • On empowering and engaging with citizenry. Accomplishments include the creation of the Office of Participatory Governance via Executive Order (EO) No. 9, s. 2017; and the institutionalization of citizens’ hotlines such as Hotline 8888, 1349 (labor-related issues) and 911 (for emergencies).
  • On reducing corruption. The Ombudsman is continuously implementing its programs on reducing corruption such as promoting public awareness, implementing prevention measures and strengthening deterrence mechanisms. At the Executive level, EO 43, s.2017 created the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission.
  • On strengthening the civil service. Various capacity building and civil service programs are being conducted such as CSC’s Program to Institutionalize Meritocracy and Excellence in Human Resource Management and DAP’s Public Management Development Program.

Despite having legislated landmark reforms, priority bills for the sector are still pending in both Houses of Congress. Thus, advocacy activities must be carried out to fast-track the passage of legislations and keep citizens fully engaged and informed of the government’s development agenda. It is also important to ensure proper and timely implementation of ongoing and planned programs and projects to improve efficiency and productivity in delivering government services despite political dynamics.

Further, the government must:

  • Strengthen and improve the implementation of anti-corruption initiatives.
  • Ease and further streamline government transactions and processes.
  • Ensure the passage of the Budget Reform Act to improve administrative governance.
  • Intensify the full implementation of the following programs by 2019 to engage and empower citizens: National Government Portal (NGP), national identification (ID) system, Freedom of Information, and Citizens’ Hotline.
  • Implement a three-tiered approach in strengthening and professionalizing the civil service: continuously build the capacity and competencies of civil servants; improve existing performance management systems; and put up mechanisms in managing appointees.

To fill in the gaps of programs mentioned above, the following strategies are recommended:

CHALLENGES RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES IMPLEMENTING AGENCIES
People-centered, innovative, clean, efficient, effective, and inclusive delivery of public goods and services
  • Lack of cost-benefit analysis on existing programs
  • Slow passage of priority legislations
  • Conduct impact evaluation studies of continuing programs.
  • Conduct advocacy activities.
 All agencies
  • Lack of sustainable follow-up and follow-through in the implementation of programs
  • Lack of visibility on the progress of programs
  • Implement a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for Performance and Project Roadmaps of Cabinet Clusters.
 Office of the Cabinet Secretary
Corruption reduced
  • Lack of coordination among institutional mechanisms on anti-corruption
  • Persistence of corruption in the bureaucracy
  

  • Intensify anti-corruption efforts.

 

 Ombudsman
Seamless service delivery achieved
  • Lack of whole-of-government approach to programs
  • Poor access to technology in remote areas
  • Low-level knowledge on technologies
  • Enhance coordinating mechanisms.
  • Continue investment in technologies.

 

 All agencies
  • Administrative burden in payment of government services
  • Establish e-payment platform systems.
 DOF
  • Lack of proof of identity of individuals, particularly the marginalized
  • Establish the national ID system.
 NEDA – Philippine Statistics Authority
Administrative governance enhanced
  • Full implementation of the National Rightsizing Program
  • Conduct of 2019 National and Local Elections
  • Possible change in government type
  • Craft change management plans.
 All agencies
  • Shift to PREXC-based approach
  • Disconnect in performance management systems (e.g., CESPES and SPMS)
  • Upgrade SPMS and RBPMS.
 DBM
Citizenry fully engaged and empowered
  • Low impact of anti-corruption efforts
  • Low involvement and interest of citizens on participatory governance
  • Institutionalize Citizen Participatory Audits.
 COA
  • Low functionality of Local Development Councils (LDCs) and the use of LDCs as a political mechanism
  • Level of difficulty of metrics in the Seal of Good Local Governance (e.g., too easy)
  • Strengthen LDCs.
  • Scale up LGU performance metrics.

 

 DILG
Civil service strengthened
  • Lack of competencies in planning, programming, among others
  • Provide capacity-building interventions.
 All agencies
  • Disconnect in the spectrum of capacity building for the public sector

 

  • Lack of standard competencies across government levels

 

 

 

 

  • Employability of K-12 graduates
  

  • Mainstream AmBisyon Natin 2040 and culture-sensitive governance in capacity building.

 

  • Integrate new and relevant concepts in existing training programs.
  • Link programs with academic institutions and the LGA.
  • Continuously improve the capacity-building modules/methods.

 

  • Ensure availability of Qualification Standards that are compliant with K-12 competencies.
 CSC, CESB

 

See complete Socioeconomic Report here.