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JULES Thesis
JULES Thesis
Discourse Emergence: The case of development discourses on governance in the United Nations
Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan
(MTPDP)
A Thesis
Miriam College
October 2010
Table of Contents
1.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................4
1.2 Statement of the Problem.......................................................................................................................5
1.3 Research Objectives...............................................................................................................................5
1.4 Scope and Limitation.............................................................................................................................6
1.5 Significance of the Study.......................................................................................................................8
1.6 Theoretical Framework..........................................................................................................................9
1.7 Operational Framework.......................................................................................................................12
1.8 Definition of Terms..............................................................................................................................14
1.9 Methodology........................................................................................................................................17
1.10 Abbreviation......................................................................................................................................22
2.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................................25
2.2 National to an International internalization process............................................................................26
2.3 International to a national internalization process...............................................................................33
Chapter 3: The United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) of 1998-2004 and
its governance discourses
3.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................................35
3.2 The United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF).................................................35
3.3 Governance Discourses of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework........................38
3.3.1 Develop a Global Partnership for Development............................................................39
3.3.2 E-Governance................................................................................................................39
3.3.3 Justice and Rule of Law.................................................................................................40
3.3.4 Anti-Corruption..............................................................................................................40
3.3.5 Electoral Systems and Processes...................................................................................41
3.3.6 Human Rights................................................................................................................41
3.3.7 Local Governance..........................................................................................................41
3.3.8 Parliamentary Development..........................................................................................42
3.3.9 Public Administration....................................................................................................42
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Chapter 4: The Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) of 2004-2010 and its
governance discourses
4.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................................46
4.2 The Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP)..............................................................46
4.2.1 The ten-point agenda of the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP). .47
4.2.2 The Five themes of the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP).........48
4.3 The governance discourses of the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan of 2004-2010.........48
4.3.1 Anti-Corruption..............................................................................................................48
4.3.2 Bureaucratic Reforms....................................................................................................49
4.3.3 Responsive foreign policy.............................................................................................49
4.3.4 Constitutional reform.....................................................................................................50
4.3.5 Defensive Reform (Defense against threats to national security)..................................51
4.3.6 Good Governance..........................................................................................................52
4.3.7 Basic need for the Rule of Law.....................................................................................53
4.4 The United Nations Development Assistance Framework of the Philippines of 1998-2004 and the
Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan of 2004-2010.....................................................................53
4.4.1 Linkages.........................................................................................................................54
4.4.2 Alignment and processes...............................................................................................56
4.5 Summary..............................................................................................................................................58
5.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................................59
5.2 The governance discourses of the MTPDP and the UNDAF..............................................................59
5.3 The Emerging governance discourses.................................................................................................61
5.4. Governance discourses Emergence....................................................................................................64
5.5. Other governance discourses in the MTPDP......................................................................................64
5.6 Summary..............................................................................................................................................72
6.1 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................74
6.2 Recommendations................................................................................................................................79
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Table 4 Methodology...........................................................................................................................25
Table 6 Similarities and Differences of the Governance Discourses in UNDAF and MTPDP...........67
Endorsement Sheet
The undersigned have read and examined the thesis of Maria Julia Antonette Luna, Sabrina Monica
Villegas and Grace Sheila Ricio entitled, Discourse Emergence: The case of development discourses on
governance in the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and the Medium-
Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP), and have found the revisions recommended during their
thesis defense are incorporated in their final draft.
__________________________
Adviser
Mr. Joel Lasam
________________________
Coordinator
Ms. Tesa De Vela
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Acknowledgement
To Mr. Sir Joel Lasam, our awe-inspiring thesis adviser, who has tirelessly guided and motivated
us in our journey with unmatched patience and support. He has shared his time, expertise and
enthusiasm for our topic. He has also shared his faith in us that kept us on the right track and fueled us to
To our thesis coordinator, Ms. Tesa De Vela, for sharing her time for consultations and her ideas
that greatly contributed to the making of this thesis. We also greatly appreciate her efforts in reading the
several and voluminous drafts of our thesis, which paved way for the improvements of our topic.
To our panelists, Ms. Pacita Fortin, Ms. Girlie Casimiro, and Ms. Marita Pimintel, for their
critical analysis and constructive comments that refined and gave depth to the content and body of the
thesis.
To Ms. Vene Rallonza, our thesis proposal coordinator, who ignited this thesis with her inspiring
words of encouragement to pursue the topic of governance. If it werent for her direction and tough love,
To our fellow Senior students of the IS Department, both IP and DS track, thank you from the
bottom of hearts for always being there for one another and unrelenting support on us when we were
losing hope at some points of the process. Though we all had little time to spare even for ourselves, we
To our family for understanding the implications of our lack of time to be with them, the constant
times of detachment, and most importantly, the expenditures of our struggles. Thank you for the trust
and not questioning/doubting us when we ask for money. And to Robeart, our money manager, who kept
surveillance and maintained our accounts inside of him; may it rest in peace.
For the thesis proponents, individually, we express to one another our deepest appreciation for
the considerations on each others part. One can never find a perfect thesis mate, nonetheless, we were
able to settle and compensate each others drawback resulting to an unprejudiced, mature and balanced
relationship; A relationship that has experienced friction but remained responsible and professional; a
Above all, we thank most of all, Lord God our Father for keeping us strong despite the troubles,
for granting us the enthusiasm to continue and finish what we have started, for hearing our prayers not
just for the benefit of our thesis but our personal pleas, and enlightening us with His grace. All this we
dedicate to God and to those who have shared this journey with us.
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We dedicate this thesis to those who aspire for the development of good governance in the Philippines
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CHAPTER 1
1.1 Introduction
The interest in observing how United Nations (UN) policies are internalized in an international to
a national level led to the idea of analyzing the relationship of inter-governmental organizations and
national governments. The idea of analyzing the development discourse on governance paved way for
the realization of the thesis and thus became one of the key points in the paper. This study visualizes the
significance of discourses on governance in an international level. In this study, the international level of
analysis will come from the UN. With this thought it lead to the discovery of the United Nations
Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) project and the Medium-term Philippine Development
Analyzing the development discourses on governance in the UNDAF and the MTPDP using
Finnemore and Sikkinks Life Cycle model provided a better understanding of how policy
national government system (in a national level). The process of norm emergence, norm cascade and
norm internalization of the Life Cycle model became the prevailing guide in discerning the process of
Discourse analysis was used as the focal research method to study the discourse emergence
process on governance. This is to see how the UN discourses on governance, which is inherent in the
UNDAF, was/was not inherent in the MTPDP. It is also used to discern the level/degree of importance of
What governance discourses of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework emerged in the
governance discourses
3. To analyze governance discourses of United Nations Development Assistance Framework
(UNDAF) that emerged in the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) of 2004-
This study limits its analysis of international organizations to the United Nations (UN) only. Though
other International Organizations are mentioned in the previous parts of the research paper it is only to
support the body of discussion relating to the United Nations and/or the Philippines and is not explicated
This study is purely concerned with the emergence of UN governance discourses at a national level
(mainly the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan MTPDP). This thesis does not tackle any UN
Resolutions that are not concerned with the creation of the UNDAF project, United Nations General
Assemblys or any type of documents that are outside the United Nations Development Programme
This study does not tackle any other UN development discourses other than the issue of
governance but provides a short discussion of the other discourses present within the United Nations
Development Assistance Framework of the Philippines (UNDAF-RP) and the Medium-Term Philippine
Development Plan (MTPDP) documents. The focus is to determine what governance discourse/s
emerged in the MTPDP and does not tackle the compliance of states in the UNDAF project. This study
is devoted for the means of assessing the internalization of the UN discourses by using Katheryn Sikkink
The thesis proponents did not use any other foreign data sets that are not concerned with the
UNDAF project. The Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan was the only source used for tracing
Table 1
This thesis contributes to the study of discourse analysis and provides a schema of Sikkink and
Finnemores norm emergence stage in the Life cycle model. Basically the life cycle model is an
illustration of how norms originate and how they are internalized at a larger scale. Generally, the
discourses are created to be able to solve or prevent issues and problems from getting worse. This thesis
aims to show that the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) program is
implemented to assist the developing countries in the world. This study aims to provide a clear view of
assessing common discourses in international and national agencies such as the UNDAF and the
Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP). Not long ago, August 30 2010 to be exact, the
Aquino administration pointed out the importance of aligning the Philippine governments programs
with the UNDAF; thus, pointing out the clear importance of this study.
This thesis contributes to the International Politics track because it will assess the effectiveness
of United Nations projects and discerns the relationship of the UN and the Philippines. This avidly
shows a specific thread of the relationship between Inter-Governmental Organizations (IGOs) and
national systems. The thesiss goal is to inform people how development discourses emerge in a national
This study contributes to the course of International Studies through the review of the
This study is intended for students, teachers, scholars and those who are interested about
discourse emergence. This study can be used as simple guideline and can provide an outline of how
This thesis uses Alexander Wendts definition of constructivism. Alexander Wendt is an eminent
social constructivist scholar who, along with other scholars such as Kathryn Sikkink and Martha
Finnemore, established constructivism as one of the major schools of thought in international relations.
He studied political science and philosophy at Macalester College, after which he continued his Ph.D. in
political science at University of Minnesota. Constructivism, according to Wendt, is based on the general
notion that international relations are socially constructed. A basic ideology that concerns constructivism
is that it rejects the basic assumption of neo-realist theory, that the state of anarchy (lack of a higher
authority or government) is a structural condition inherent in the system of states. Constructivist theory
holds that it is possible to change the anarchic nature of the system of states. By using Finnemore and
Sikkinks social constructivism outlook, the possibility to establish a better notion of how the United
Nations (UN) discourses that influences national policymaking can assess the subject matter at hand.
The constructivists notion of explaining stability and social ideas are more prominent than that
of constructing change similar to the creation of the UN resolutions to seek change, encourage aid and
address peace in global issues that the union tackles. For constructivism the notion of ideal capabilities
of states are highlighted than that of its material capabilities. An example of this is the notion of forming
or creating rules, laws, agreements and public policies that can create an ideal or better society that
revolves around the concept of peace. Constructivisms idea of anarchy is that it is inherent; that UN
activities generate norm principles but fail to make it tangible enough for it to materialize the results in
Table 2
Finnemore and Sikkink emphasizes the role of norms and how its role affects political change or
changes in the features of the political landscape, although they are aware that social constructivism
Social constructivism presents the importance of normative and ideational concerns, which is
consistent in international organization. The three issues presented by Finnemore and Sikkink are issues
pertaining to ideational turn, the evolution of norms through the life cycle model and the connection of
The role of the norm/s is to change other features of the political landscape, similar to policy
integrations aim to provide a new view for member states to adopt the UN policy being implied. In the
first stage of a norm, as shown in table one, the characteristics of the norm emergence occurs, that of
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which takes form within norm entrepreneurs with organizational platform. These norm entrepreneurs are
similar to organizational representatives wherein they advertise the norm to their boss and hopefully take
in consideration their ideas advertised for the company. With its motive of promoting the specific norm,
the method of persuasion is used as a mechanism for transmitting the norm to the next stage - which is
Now, in this particular stage other states, international organizations and other networks are
introduced to the specific norm that passed in the first stage, the norm cascading down into the process
of actual implementation. The first two stages are divided by a threshold or tipping point, at which a
critical mass of relevant state actors adopt the norm (Finnemore and Sikkink 1998). The norm is then
scrutinized of its legality, how it can establish a particular notion that might enhance states, International
Organizations or other network's status and esteem in the process of constant socialization and the
presentation of empirical evidences to support the cause for the future adaptation of the norm. This stage
brings about the various debates and also the evolution of the norm by reconstructing the original norm
to adjust to the states interest. The last stage for a norm to pass is the internalization of it. When norms
are internalized by the populace, it brings forth legal power to the norm implemented.
Yet it is rendered difficult to assess whether member states are conforming to the said norms or
not once it has been internalized. Initially, people will no longer bother questioning an implemented
norm's viability for the reason that it is already legal and that it has been deliberated and debated upon
by certain influential institutional bodies such as the UN. Internalized or cascading norms may
eventually become the prevailing standard of appropriateness for complete support of the norm
Description Subjective analysis of the the examination of the Searching for the
of Applied governance discourse development discourse of internalized governance
found in the MTPDP and the UNDAF and the discourses inherent in the
the UNDAF MTPDP (Process of MTPDP and the UNDAF
internalization)
Table 3
By using the lifecycle norm model of Finnemore and Sikkink, the internalization of discourses
are prioritized to be able to leap to the other two steps/processes in which the emergence of the
development discourse of the UNDAF can be traced and how it was emphasized in the UNDAF.
Assessing the internalized governance discourses from the UNDAF to the MTPDP is done in order to
recognize if the emphasis of the UNDAF governance discourse has changed over time. This also
analyzes how the MTPDP of 2004-2010 values the governance discourses found in the UNDAF, to see
whether the concerns of the UNDAF are still an issue and how much it has been emphasized.
Using the lifecycle norm model in reverse form, enables the stages of discourse emergence
discernable and can be visibly traced since the actors, motives and dominant mechanisms of the original
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model is similar to the concepts involved in policy internalization and analysis (Refer to the Review of
Related Literature).
Starting in stage 3, the process of internalization is not carried out. This stage represents only the
discussion on the internalized and already present governance discourses from both the MTPDP and the
UNDAF. Stage 2, norm cascade, is seen as the process of applying the methodology and the theoretical
framework of the thesis whilst the stage 1, whose column in Table 3 is highlighted red and slightly
Common Country Assessment (CCA) it represents a common instrument of the United Nations to
analyze the national development situation of the Philippines and to identify key development issues.
(UN, 2004)
Constructivism it describes the dynamic, contingent and culturally based condition of the social
Constructivism is based on the general notion that international relations are socially constructed (Wendt
1992)
Discourse in general terms, may be understood as an ensemble of assumptions, beliefs, facts, ideas
(including understandings of causal relationships) and norms that construct both common sense and/or
specialized/technical knowledge and which are reproduced through practice. (Eckersley, 2008)
Social Constructivism is defined as an appreciative way in which international institutions create and
Discourse analysis - is the examination of language use by members of a speech community. It involves
looking at both language form and language functions and includes the study of both spoken interaction
Governance it is about rules how rules are made for allocation of values in society and how they are
accountability and the rule of law, in a manner that is effective, efficient and enduring. In translating
these principles into practice, we see the holding of free, fair and frequent elections, representative
legislatures that make laws and provides oversight, and an independent judiciary to interpret those laws.
Millenium Development Goals (MDG) promote poverty reduction, education, maternal health,
gender equality, and aim at combating child mortality, AIDS and other diseases. Set for the year 2015,
the MDGs are an agreed set of goals that can be achieved if all actors work together and do their part.
Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) Based on 2004 2010 MTPDP, its basic
task is to fight poverty by building prosperity for the greatest number of the Filipino people. (NEDA,
2004)
Norms as a broad class of prescriptive statements rules, standards, principles and so forth both
procedural and substantive that are prescriptions for action in situations of choice, carrying a sense of
Policy is a course of action or inaction chosen by public authorities to address a given problem or
Regional Policy - can be defined as the deliberate use of public policy to influence the flow of resources
Social constructivism - is defined as an appreciative way in which international institutions create and
United Nations (UN) The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945 after the
Second World War by 51 countries committed to maintaining international peace and security,
developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards and
United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) The UNDAF is the strategic
programme framework for the UNCT. It describes the collective response of the UNCT to the priorities
in the national development framework - priorities that may have been influenced by the UNCTs
analytical contribution.
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) it emerged in 1965 from the combination of
preceding programmes in the hope of creating an independent instrument for the financing and co
1.9 Methodology
This research primarily focuses on the analysis of governance discourses in the United Nations
Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan
(MTPDP). This is to trace what UNDAF governance discourses emerged in the MTPDP, or if it has
already been a part of the Philippines' policies even before the instigation of UNDAF program.
language use by members of a speech community. It involves looking at both language form and
language functions and includes the study of both spoken interaction and written texts (Demo, 2001).
Discourses are sets of statements that construct objects and an array of subject positions (Parker, 1994).
Foucauldian discourse analysis can be carried out wherever there is meaning (Parker, 1999). In
the Foucauldian discourse analysis guidelines there are four stages present, these are mainly: (1)
Discursive constructions, (2) Discourses, (3) Action Orientation and (4) Positionings. This thesis has put
in use the first three stages of the Foucauldian discourse analysis. The last stage is not used as it does not
necessarily tackle the area of positioning which is described as the availability of the discourses on
individuals which is actually the result of the discourses (if it has brought about good, bad or non-
effective results). This thesis executes an example of a troika that is presenting three stages that are
linked with each other. It also imitates the Theoretical frameworks schema of functioning in a three-way
In this research, discourse analysis is used to identify the emerging, prevailing and contending
governance discourses and its development in the international and national level. For the international
level, the UN and UNDAF are the components for this study, while the UNDAF-RP and the MTPDP are
for the national level. This is done so by thoroughly reading the documents of the UN particularly the
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UNDAF-RP and the MTPDP whose governance discourses are discussed separately. After thoroughly
reading the documents, the proponents have detected patterns of discourse emergence from the
The UNDAF discourse on governance is reviewed thoroughly and undergoes the process of
discourse analysis to learn the emphases of the governance discourses. By reviewing the documents of
UNDAF on governance, certain terms are selected (as already stated above) which then serves as the
categorical basis for estimating the level of importance and presence of governance on both the UN level
All this has aided the process of determining the significance and presence of governance both in
the UNDAF and the MTPDP and illustrate what governance discourses of the UN emerged in the
MTPDP.
Using discourse analysis to support the research of UNDAF and MTPDP 2004-2010 alone may
not be enough to generate a reasonable result to some. Thus other kinds of research were also used in a
smaller scale to satisfy and provide additional ramifications to the question: What governance discourses
of UNDAF were internalized into the MTPDP 2004- 2010? Other kinds of research include: (1)
Exploratory research was made use to unearth the policy discourse and process on governance
brewing within the level of the United Nations that is more or less implemented to its member states
after it has been decided upon. It is a given that governance discourses and processes are no longer a
thing of the past and it is in fact been prevalent in most Programs to alleviate poverty. Descriptive
research is used as a sub-research to further concretize the topic on the United Nations development
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discourse on governance which is inherent in the UNDAF and later on emergent in the UNDAF
receiving member-states. By doing so, this touched the fields of explanatory research. The use of
descriptive and explanatory research was exercised in the practice of reading a hefty pile of sources
divided amongst the thesis proponents. In the latter, the method of juxtaposing a number of references to
locate arguments, while other sources were used to substantiate what was derived from gathering
information.
To show a more comprehensive illustration of the methodology, here is a table providing the
To use a sufficient Mostly online sources Books mainly taken from Aside from
theoretical framework and books. various university libraries meticulously reading
and PDFs books and online
Aside from diligently documents provided by
reading books and online professors, the gathered
documents data from these sources
are put side by side to
derive certain
arguments. This also
shows various possible
P a g e | 25
views on how to
analyze the topic.
After exhausting a wide array of resources and putting some side by side to supplement, or
juxtapose, each other, it was decided to analyze the gathered data by viewing the situation at hand in two
major ways; one is by viewing it on an international level analysis - wherein this study greatly focuses
on the discourse and process of policy-making in the UN on governance which is later on made intrinsic
in the UNDAF, and two, by furthering the international level analysis with the use of a national level
analysis - with the help of the self-made policy of the Philippines, the MTPDP.
The policies and discourses gathered as data sources provide the necessary information to at least
visualize the progress made by the emerged discourses on the national level. This, in turn, is used to
determine the accuracy of the UN's discourse and deciding-body on what the content of a discourse
should be and how it should be beneficial to the policy-receiving nation on its governance.
This comprehensive study of policy process, particularly its discourses, in the international level
makes use of online sources such as PDFs, PowerPoint presentations, Word documents, eBooks, and the
likes as main sources of our data. Books acquired from various libraries such as College Library Media
Center - Miriam College, Br. Fidelis Leddy Learning Resource Center - De La Salle College of Saint
Benilde, Rizal Library - Ateneo de Manila Library and Miguel de Benavides Library - University of
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Santo Tomas were more likely used as guides to the formulation of subjective opinions where certain
parts of the thesis were derived from (i.e.: statement of the problem), the needed facts for our study per
se were nominally discussed, if not nowhere to be found, in the books or libraries. The books utilized
from the libraries, guided the formulation of a more precise and interesting topic and further knowledge
1.10 Abbreviation
EU European Union
IO International Organization
RC Resident Coordinator
UN United Nations
WB World Bank
CHAPTER 2
Review of Related Literature
2.1 Introduction
The review of literature attempts to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge on the
issue of policy integration and to identify a topic area that has yet to be fully explored. Such topic is on
discourse. The first part of the review of literature discusses what is known about policies, particularly in
There are several debates and issues that surround the evolution of policies and its discourses
because the factors that are processed in the national, regional, and international levels vary from one
another given the difference of the situations looming within each level. The manner in which these are
analyzed are as follows: national (domestic issue/s arise to garner attention from those outside its
territory), regional (national issue/s is taken into consideration by a regional bloc or one/more states or
powers, reviewed, evaluated and authenticated via i.e. documentation, or disregarded. If authenticated,
the possibility of a larger international audience arises, i.e. international organizations), international
adequately fit the policy recipients, weighs the benefits and detriments and materialized) back to
regional-national (wherein institutionalized policies in the international level are handed down to an
organizations members). All levels are to be discussed, but the focus is only on each levels inherent
The second part discusses what needs to be further explored. After determining the discourses,
the next step is to identify the governance discourse existing in each level. Programs such as the United
Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and the Medium-Term Philippine Development
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Plan (MTPDP) are used to represent the general ideas of this study. The United Nations responds to the
analysis on the international level, whereas the Philippines, responds to the national level of analysis.
According to Nelson (1997), policy is a course of action or inaction chosen by public authorities
to address a given problem or interrelated set of problems. It is not infallible or an exact science but it
seeks to pursue a definite proposal to improve a certain problem/ set of problems concerning the four
dimensions of policy (legal, economic, social and political). It is a way to inform the government the
concerns of the people and to make certain actions regarding the problem/s. There are different types of
policies such as: national policy, regional policy, foreign policy and development policy. In short, Policy
plays a big role in politics. It affects how a certain actor is involved in implementing the policy which is
the state, the organizations or the issues circulating around a state or around the globe.
Regional policy, according to Weiss (1995), can be defined as the deliberate use of public policy
backward countries. Regional policy results from planning and consulting countries in a particular
region, like the European Union and Association of South-East Asian Nations. According to Duncan, et
al. (2009), foreign policy is used as a means of interaction and cooperation between states, making it a
centralizing force between countries. The states interests are one of the goals that pursues to foreign
policy. Development policy is a policy related to development. It is a policy that adheres to progress,
These policies serve as our guide in explaining the different levels of analysis in policy
integration. In this paper, we are going to show the different policy implementation on a national level,
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regional level and international level, the different factors in creating and the formulation of policy and
The preliminaries of the construction of policies within institutions come about with issues that
infuse inside a particular society wherein such issues are given varying apprehensions by the majority of
the public (agenda setting) and therefore entails the participation and discernment of higher authority
(problem recognition). Reliance on subjective analysis alone is, however, not enough to weigh the
benefits and detriments of a situation hence the need for scientific analysis (documentation). It is here
where the situation is meticulously lain down and scrutinized to provide viable and precise information
which will then be the guiding principle of what sort of policy is best suitable to address the given
situation (policy design). After deliberating on the content of the policy, it is then somewhat tested or
verified on varying groups to see whether the policy is applicable on an actual situation (consultation).
Policies in the process of consultation provide differing approaches. The most feasible and operational
approach to the situation is then opted for (decision making). When the decision has been agreed upon,
the policy is then taken into effect (implementation). From here on, the succeeding phases of the policy
cycle are assessed for feasibility purposes or what have you (evaluation). Subsequently, the
implementations of such policies yield results (output) directly to the situation and to the communal as
well for both are interrelated. After this, the response of the society to the policy is evaluated once again
to see its effectiveness, influence and reaction (impact). Finally, the compliance of the public expresses
their acceptance of the policy which implies that the entire process has come to an accord (outcome)
that is, if the policies goals have been achieved making the entire process a success (evaluation). If the
policy fails to achieve its purpose, then the policy is terminated (policy termination). Policies, however,
are never perfect; as a result it is evaluated to enhance its capacity to serve its purpose better
(improvement) and the cycle repeats itself from the 5th phase onwards.
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Allan (2009) describes two types of policies wherein the first part is composed of the origins of
policies: originated, appealed and imposed policy; the second part is with accordance to subject matter:
General Statement of principles, statement of procedures and specific rules. Following the first parts
typical process of policy a national or a public policy (Allan 2009) creation is a composite of decisions
that government makes a programs it embarks upon or implements to achieve goals, in short it is the
governments decisions and actions designed to deal with the matter at hand.
Approving a national policy requires various negotiations in political bodies weighing the
concerns as well as how it might affect (in the long or short run) its people and its nation. By
negotiating, it assesses the policys applicability. A best example to illustrate the promotion of a national
policy would be the strong commitment of the political government and leadership at all levels to sustain
various interventions made by opposing factors that might disregard the passed policy (Salaam 2001). It
is a fight between those who are in favor of its implementation versus those who are against it, if the
policy is then won over by those who are in favor then the fact of compliance is then tackled.
For example, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) / Human Immunodeficiency Virus
(HIV) Traces ostensibly came about sometime around the 1960s in Africa and have since then spread out
like a plague. The nations concern is then focused on preventing the spread of AIDS/HIVS by creating
policies that adhere to the problem; policies such as informing its citizens about how to prevent it,
promotion of community based comprehensive approach and discarding stigma that fuels the spread of
the disease in order to protect the nation. Salaam (2001) states that the overall goal of the National
Policy on HIV/AIDS is to provide for a framework for leadership and coordination of the National
multi-sectoral response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic; The national government alone cannot fully tackle
the implementation of its national policy, but it also relies on other organizations, coordination of public
and private sectors and faith groups in the nation in order to better implement the nations policy
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(Salaam 2001). Now, since HIV/AIDS spread out in diverse countries the nations policy is then
reviewed and made upon a legal framework to establish a multi-sectoral response to HIV/AIDS to
promote the nations policy of the prevention of further transmission of the disease in a more regional/
or international level.
There are possible tie-ins that may occur when policies that are established by a nation becomes
a regional concern. With the given example of HIV/AIDS in the previous part, the concern of health and
survival isnt the burden of Africa alone to solve. Given the temperament of HIV/AIDS, its extent to
impair the communal is more far-reaching than the borders of continents can restrict. Because of its
epidemic tendencies which can make or break any nation, or institutions for that matter, the alarm to
resolve this issue heightens by giving further discernment to the issues need to be dealt with. Here is
where discourses, agreements and negotiations amplify to ensure the existing national policy created to
achieve longevity and, hopefully possible, the riddance of HIV/AIDS but with negligible alterations to
the policy for it to fit the conditions of other states or nations within the regional bloc which are more
likely to have supplementary concerns at hand than that of the pioneer nation itself.
benefit. The policy-provider benefits in such a way that its need for assistance is intensified: the more
the issue becomes popular, the more help they can acquire from the wide scale attention they garner. On
the one hand, policy-enhancers (i.e: institutions) advocate themselves further by addressing mainstream
concerns making them look good and by doing so indicates that they are a capable union. And lastly,
policy-receivers benefit from this simply because the said policies become preventive measures to
But before the implementation of the adopted policies transpire to other nations/institutions, it
must first be evaluated and examined to see fit that the policy will be adequate enough for a particular
bodys concerns at hand. We can never assume that though concerns of differing nations/institutions are
the same (i.e: health), so are the situations brewing within them. The internal situation is a significant
factor that can greatly affect the process and the outcomes of the entire policy which may either be
beneficial or detrimental. This is where agreements can be conditional depending on what and how it
made.
International policies or institutional policies are national/regional policies that are adopted in a
broader aspect in which they are complied upon by its member states because of the necessity of the
implications of the policy that may affect not just a specific country or region but the whole world. In
Duncan et al., (2009) it is described as a foreign policy adhering to the international system level
3
Institutional policies in the UN are manifested through Programmes wherein they are made in
the response of the continuous evolution of the UNs role of peace keeping/building to a more dynamic
role of encompassing the world with its policy involvements. Programmes such as the UNDAF are
formed after the process of policy cycle and also manifests as a form of interaction of the international
1
NGOs consists of individuals from various countries with a particular goal: business or a particular group adhering to
issues
2
IGOs or Inter-governmental Organizations are groups which consist of states which can be regional or global in scope.
Some IGOs have different purposes some have a variety while some specialize on specific issues such as the WHO and
OPEC.
3
Institutional policies can be voluntary and mandatory. Voluntary policies request or encourage researchers to make their
work Open Access by self-archiving it in the institutional repository: mandatory policies require this. The baseline, voluntary,
rate of self-archiving by researchers to make their work Open Access results in around 15-20% of the research literature
being Open Access.
(http://www.openoasis.org/index.php?Itemid=338&id=144&option=com_content&view=article)
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Once an institutional body such as UN embodies a native issue [Africa Aids], in the process of
managing it lies concerns such as decreasing detriments, increasing benefits, preventing further
casualties, and the like. In Carael (2006) for the case of HIV/AIDS, the concerns alongside it are the
prevention of its spreading, informing individuals via education, and producing safety measures to name
some. Such concerns are to be manifested within policies and programmes that the UN creates which
will then be acted upon by its member states. (International Policies- Institutionalized policies to
National Policies) But this course of action will not push thru easily and promptly given that nations
differ from one another in numerous aspects presenting various situations of results wherein when one
nations policy is utilized to deal with a similar or the same concern but is applied to a different nation
will generate erratic outcomes that can either be beneficial, detrimental or zilch.
This difference of nations therefore provides the UN with the task to establish varying courses of
action regardless of the similarities of the nations concerns. Making policies that deal with analogous
matters distinctive per country stipulates more affluent and desirable outcomes hence further reinforcing
the image and viability of the UN. Having said this, nations are then given the benefit of the choice of
ensuing a more fit and precise solution (institutional policy) to an issue at hand instead of pursuing
another nations course of action (foreign policy) which they see as beneficial just because they see it
working out for them and simply assuming that by applying the same course of action to their own
In Schouwstra and Ellman (2006) the conceptual framework in international policies on which a
policy or programme is based is very important, as people with different backgrounds tend to have
different views on a specific policy or programme. When a certain successful policy is being transferred
to, and implemented in, a new country or organization, the intended effects of that policy may well be
P a g e | 37
very different because of those differences. Even when the same words are being used, it is quite
possible that people adhere to their own different definitions of central or main concepts of a policy.
Arab (2008) explains that International organizations like the UN are closely linked to the
institutional theory via policy transfer. Arab also ascertains that there are limitations and
disadvantages to the institutional theory. One of them is the fact that it is unable to predict the outcomes
of policies. It only provides the mere framework, uncovering explanations related to the relationship
between institutions and the policy making process and its result. In Schouwstra and Ellman (2006) a
policy or programme that was successful in one country may not be successful in another country.
Of course garnering compliance of a certain institutional policy is never easy and is faced with
diverse controversies/Debates (Balancing power of small and large states) such as Keohane (Keohane in
Doyle 2004) who argues that small states are those that can be categorized broadly as states effectively
forced to simply adapt to the international system and that have no leverage with which to exert
influence. They are system ineffectual. In Rothstein in Doyle (2004) Robert Rothsteins study of small
states, suggests that small states are more likely to support international organizations because of the
formal equality accorded to all states within such international bodies and also out of hope of enjoying
some form of collective security. Small states would prefer to support policies made by an international
organization but bigger states would still have the means of power credibility in implementing
institutionalized policies. Yet cases such as Africas policy on HIV/AIDS is one of those policies that are
a necessity to further develop preventive measures in spreading the disease, so in both ways
institutional policy issues may vary in content and importance, since it deals with human population,
A specific example for garnering compliance: Viewing a triangular compilation of wine glasses:
once the wine is poured at the very top, the other glasses have no choice but to be affected by the
overflowing liquid of the wine poured at the top. The notion of compliance comes into place.
(2000) Weisband asserts that Regime interactions with member states over the course of time
may instill changes in national values and domestic laws and policies that favor implementation of
standards/Policies. Complying with an institutional policy can also influence a nations policy making
process.
Having used the HIV/AIDS example of policy integration on a national, regional and
international level provides us a fresh analysis on how policies are molded to appropriately match
different concerns of the society given that they have differing situations. Issues raised revolve around
the compliance, effectiveness, integration and manifestation of a policy in different levels. Given that the
notion of a national policy changes over time, the essence of the national policy might lose its original
factor to adhere to other states compliance and implementation. Such as the notion of United Nations
Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) as being a manifestation of a national policy, is then re-
made into a programme of the United Nations (UN) and is introduced as a new project. This Programme
was obviously made as a result of various agendas/problems that member states were facing to better
accommodate the needs of its members. But even before programmes touch the national level, it will not
push through easily without meticulous preparations coming from authoritative figures above it (i.e:
UN) who confer about a particular nation's issue, raised either by its own representative or another
representative of a member-state, and decides what course of action is best suited to respond to it.
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We would like to find out how ideas are internalized at the UN and how are they incorporated at
the national level. As such, our research question is then stated as: What governance discourses of the
United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) emerged into the Medium-Term
CHAPTER 3
The United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) of 1998-2004 and its
governance discourses
3.1 Introduction
This Chapter responds to the first research objective of the thesis which is to provide a
background of United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and its governance
discourses. Basically, this chapter is focused on providing a background of the UNDAF and tackling
only the governance discourses of the program. The first part of this chapter is dedicated to the
discussion of the origins of the UNDAF. It also discusses the linkages of other groups, agencies and
organizations within the United Nations, such as: the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Development Group
(UNDG).
The second part of this chapter focuses on the discussion of the governance discourses found in
the UNDAF. These governance discourses are discourses inherent in the United Nations, in such that
The United Nations (UN) is an international organization bringing together 191 states which
have committed themselves voluntarily to a mutual obligation to safeguard peace and human living
conditions for the peoples of the world. (The United Nations System, 2005:1) As of today, the role of the
United Nations concerns has evolved and manifested itself with universal goals for development for the
As part of the 1997 reform agenda to make the United Nations an effective and efficient
institution for world peace and development in the 21st century, the Secretary-General stressed the
strong inter-linkages between peace and security, poverty reduction and sustainable human development,
and the promotion and respect for human rights. In response to his call for the United Nations to
articulate a coherent vision and strategy that allows for a unified approach towards common
development goals, the Common Country Assessment (CCA) and the United Nations Development
Assistance Framework (UNDAF) guidelines were issued in April 1999. (UN Organization, 2003)
The United Nations Development Assistance Framework is a project that describes what the
United Nations system expects to focus on; why it focuses on these areas; how the expected outcomes
will be achieved and with whom. (CCA and UNDAF Guidelines, 2004:16)
The UNDAF, along with the Common Country Assessment (CCA), is the United Nations Project
that involves the United Nations in issues such as poverty reduction, peace and security, sustainable
development and the promotion and respect for human rights as a strategic tool to enhance cooperation
at a country level. The UNDAF, which originated in 1997 and realized in 1998 has continuously issued
new CCA and UNDAF guidelines based upon the research, in collaboration with the United Nations
Country Team (UNCT), United Nations Development Group (UNDG) and the CCA. Through the
UNDAF, the United Nations can pursue their goals at a country level to better align national priorities
and interests of the international community. The Common Country Assessment acts as the bridge
The UNDAF provides a collective, coherent and integrated United Nations system response to
national priorities and needs, including the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSP) and equivalent
P a g e | 42
national strategies, within the framework of the MDGs and the commitments, goals and targets of the
Millennium Declaration and international conferences, summits, conventions and human rights
instruments of the United Nations system. The UNDAF emerges from the analysis of the CCA and is
the next step in the preparation of United Nations system country programmes and projects of
The UNDAF is expected to have clear descriptions for its areas of cooperation, with the
proposal of the CCA, to which it will collaboratively address the national development priorities and
goal/targets of the country (may include national strategies and PRSPs) and critically analyze the
outcome of the UNDAF for tracing the transparency of the UNs collaboration with nations at a
country level.
The UNDP practically plays a role in the UNDAF as it chairs the UNDG responsible for
reporting to the secretary-general about the progress of the implemented UNDAF project and is one of
the three pillars of the United Nations Chief Executives Board (CEB). The CEB is responsible for
tackling global policy issues whilst the UNDG focus more on realizing the UNDPs goals at a country
level.
The United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) contains various discourses
that are under the five programming principles of the United Nations.
According to UNDAF Guidelines, the UNDAF has five programming principles which are
necessary for effective United Nations-supported country programing. These five programming
principles are: Human-rights based approach (HRBA), Gender equality, Environmental Sustainability,
Capacity development and Results-based management (RBM). It stands as a starting point and guidance
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for the analysis for all stages of the UNDAF that help to identify possible strategies and program
The original guidelines contained 11 guiding principles that were seen as too burdensome by the
stakeholders. Thus the newly revised guidelines now identifies four key elements for country level
performance, 5 inter-related principles that apply to UN supported programming at all times and in all
stages of the UNDAF process and a group of cross-cutting thematic issues to best respond to country
priorities. Principles are different from priorities and goals. For the UNDAF, a principle gives a basis for
reasoning and action, which means a principle in the context of UNDAF, is: (1) Universal, applying
equally to all people in all countries; (2) Based in law, internationally agreed development goals and
treaties, and national laws and commitments; and (3) Relevant to government-UN cooperation
everywhere and always (The Programming Principles and the UNDAF FAQs).
Under the five programing principles, there are numerous discourses tackled by the UNDAF
such as health, education, gender empowerment and so on. The purpose of this chapter is to tackle only
The United Nations tackles various discourses that range from economic to socio-cultural issues
at an international level. To ensure aid to member-states at a country level the UNDAF program is
implemented to work with the national governments. This is to tie national issues with international
issues to alleviate the overlapping of agendas between the UN and the national government. The result
of the governance discourses of the UNDAF is a mixture of the applied UNDAF strategic prioritization.
This process is the product of the established coordination with the strategic areas for cooperation and
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the application of United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG) discourses. To put it simply,
the UNDAF discourses are ranging ideas that are found in the UNDP, the MDG and other bodies that are
related to the framing of governance discourses of the UN (such as the UNDG). The UNDP is one of the
many areas for collaboration in the UNDAF that makes up the various discourses inherent in the
UNDAF.
system includes a commitment to good governance, development and poverty reduction both
nationally and internationally. To address the special needs of the least developed countries
includes the aim for tariff and quota free access for the least developed countries' exports; enhanced
programme of debt relief for heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) and cancellation of official
bilateral debt; and more generous ODA for countries committed to poverty reduction (United Nations,
2008).
3.3.2 E-Governance
The UNDP as the strategic area for cooperation on Governance discourses
(ICTs) to strengthen governance processes. Access to and use of ICTs can provide new and innovative
communication channels that empower people and give voice to those who previously had none, while
allowing them to interact via networks and networking. Access to information is vital for transparency,
accountability, participation and rule of law all hallmarks of democratic governance. It empowers
people to take an active part in political decision-making, including the free and open debate essential to
In the absence of access to justice, people are unable to have their voice heard, exercise their
rights, challenge discrimination or hold decision-makers accountable. Rule of law is the foundation for
both justice and security. Together, rule of law, access to justice and legal empowerment contribute to an
enabling environment for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). They can spur
economic growth and help to create a safe and secure environment for recovery in the aftermath of
3.3.4 Anti-Corruption
The UNDP as the strategic area for cooperation on Governance discourses
Not only does corruption impede development, it strikes at the heart of democracy. It corrodes
rule of law and democratic institutions. It hinders economic development by distorting markets and
damaging private sector integrity. It destroys trust in leaders and in the very principles of democratic
governance. For the poor, women and minorities, corruption means even less access to jobs, justice or
any fair and equal opportunity. To combat corruption, countries are developing national anti-corruption
laws, enforcing international conventions and establishing national integrity bodies for transparency and
accountability. UNDP supports these efforts as a leading provider of anti-corruption technical and
financial support. Moreover, UNDP advances pro-poor policies, increased public participation in
anti-corruption in existing UNDP work and other development processes. (UNDP, 2010)
Elections are a transformative tool for democratic governance and each vote is part of a larger
process the electoral cycle. UNDP offers strategic assistance throughout the electoral cycle, from
designing more effective systems to resolving disputes after the votes are counted. Elections can allow
genuine participation by all citizens, which is crucial to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
Elections are only one aspect of democratic governance, however, and must be accompanied by strong
and diverse institutions that provide equal protection to all people, fair distribution of resources and
UNDP supports 'human rights for development' in more than 100 countries and connects partners
in a global network. This work is about expanding choices and protecting rights and freedoms. This
work is carried out in many areas: policy development, advocacy, training, civic education, developing
national human rights action plans, strengthening human rights institutions, promoting international
human rights instruments. Our justice sector programme promotes the independence, impartiality and
fairness of judges as well as legal literacy, legal aid, pro-poor laws and civic participation in legal and
Important opportunities for poor people, women and minorities to participate in the development
of their communities are to be found in local and regional institutions of governance. A new generation
of democratically-elected local leaders is creating change, acting as catalysts for development and facing
new challenges. UNDP focuses its work in local governance on strengthening the inclusiveness and
4
This mainly explains the relationship of the discourses with the UNDP. Since the UNDAFs strategic areas of cooperation
on governance is in collaboration with the UNDP, the discourse is thus perceived to be a governance discourse of the
UNDAF.
P a g e | 47
accountability of sub-national governments, ensuring they have the capacity to manage the opportunities
Parliaments are pillars of democratic governance, with a critical role in spurring and sustaining
national action towards the Millennium Development Goals. They can be powerful agents of change,
particularly during and after times of crisis. Parliamentary development is a mechanism that benefits the
poor and other disadvantaged groups by increasing their political representation and increasing
"The way in which the public administration operates, provides or restricts information, delivers
services in an equitable or discriminatory manner and provides or prevents opportunities for people's
voice in the policy making debate has a direct impact on the way citizens perceive the degree of
legitimacy of the democratic system." This statement by the UN Secretary-General speaks to the pivotal
role that effective public administration can play in building trust in democracy. By providing citizens
with a critical space for interaction, public administration acts as a bridge between government and
society, and plays a fundamental role in shaping legitimate state-society relationships (UNDP,2010)
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Women are succeeding as politicians, gaining voice through leadership and participation.
Women's impact on policy increases as governance systems become more inclusive, democratic and
violence-free. When women participate in politics, there are benefits for women, men, children,
communities and nations. UNDP strives to ensure that women have a real voice in all governance
institutions so that women can participate equally with men in public dialogue and decision-making.
Though a gender equality strategy, UNDP seeks to eliminate gender biases in national and international
development; incorporate gender awareness into policies, programmes and institutional reforms; involve
men to end gender inequality; and develop gender-sensitive tools to monitor progress and ensure
Good governance promotes equity, participation, pluralism, transparency, accountability and the
rule of law, in a manner that is effective, efficient and enduring. In translating these principles into
practice, we see the holding of free, fair and frequent elections, representative legislatures that make
laws and provide oversight, and an independent judiciary to interpret those laws. The greatest threats to
good governance come from corruption, violence and poverty, all of which undermine transparency,
3.4 Summary
This chapter discussed the origins of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework
(UNDAF). It was inspired by the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and is focused on
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implementing international discourses at a country level. The UNDAF aims to link similar issues from
national and international areas to avoid the overlapping of agendas and to form stronger relationships
between international organizations and national governments. Along with the creation of the UNDAF
was the Common Country Assessment (CCA) which collaboratively addresses national development
priorities and goal/targets of a country. It acts as the bridge that interlinks discourses, such as
governance, of the UNDAF with a specific country. The CCA is generally the group that is in charge of
data gathering, whilst the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) is responsible for the planning and
organizing of the CCAs gathered data. Then the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) steps in
and observes/scrutinizes the gathered data, in this case, the discourses. This is because the UNDG is the
final step towards the implementation of the UNDAF. The UNDG is responsible for the implementation
of the UNDAF and informs the United Nations through the Secretary-General.
After a brief discussion on the origins of the UNDAF, various governance discourses are
presented, as a result of the process explained in the first paragraph. These governance discourses were
found in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP). The UNDP serves as the strategic area for cooperation when it
comes to issues on governance, whilst the MDGs serve as the inspiration for the creation of the
As a result the discourses of the UNDAF on governance are as follows: Global partnership for
development, E-governance, Justice and the Rule of Law, Anti-Corruption, Electoral system and
processes, Human Rights, Local governance, Parliamentary development, Public administration and
Women Empowerment.
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In connection with the thesiss theoretical framework, this chapter symbolizes the third stage the
Life Cycle model which is the internalization representing the main internalized discourse of the
UNDAF.
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CHAPTER 4
The Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) of 2004-2010 and its governance
discourses
4.1 Introduction
This chapter is focuses on the origins of the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan
(MTPDP). A brief background of the MTPDP is discussed along with the governance discourses present
in the program. The various governance discourses present in this chapter are associated with the current
situation of the Philippine society, therefore a reflection of how the current administration, 2004-2010 to
be exact, tackles the issues on governance. The United Nations Development Assistance Framework of
the Philippines (UNDAF-RP) is also elaborated in this chapter. The UNDAF-RP symbolizes the linkage
of the United Nations and the Government of the Philippines showing an international and national level
of cooperation. This chapter is similar to the process of norm cascade of the Life Cycle Model wherein
the MTPDP and the UNDAF-RP present the linkage of the United Nations discourses and country-level
discourses. The last part of this chapter discusses the alignment and process of the linkage of both the
The Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) originated as early as 1993 during
the time of former President Fidel V. Ramos. He proposed it during his second State of the Nation
Address on July 26, 1993. It was part of his strategic framework called Philippines 2000, wherein he
wanted to accomplish 3 things: 1) to restore political and civic stability; 2) to open the economy,
meaning to dismantle monopolies and cartels burdening the public interest; and 3) to address the
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problem of corruption and criminality. Guided by the principles of people empowerment and global
excellence, it proposes specific policies and programs to stimulate economic activity and mobilize the
The succeeding administrations took into account this plan and included national priority goals
to ensure a stable and working environment for the Filipino people. The Estrada Administration also
took part into materializing the MTPDP during his rule in 1999-2004. In such that the Arroyo
administration continued to implement the MTPDP by incorporating new issues that are inherent in the
4.2.1 The ten-point agenda of the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP)
The Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) of 2004-2010 is under the Arroyo
Administration that focuses on fighting poverty by building prosperity for the Filipino people. The plan
is a legacy of the Arroyo Administration that comprises major policies and programs to win the war
against poverty. This plan is similar to the previous MTPDP plans of the Estrada and the Ramos
administration but with an elaborated discussion on the issues present and inherent in the Philippines.
Its basic tasks is in the form of a Ten-point Agenda which comprises of: (1) creation of six to ten
million jobs, (2) education for all, (3) budget balance, (4) decentralization of development through
network of transport and digital infrastructure, (5) power and water supply throughout the country, (6)
decongestion of Metro Manila, (7) development of Clark and Subic as service and logistics center in the
region, (8) automated elections, (9) peace to Mindanao and all insurgency areas, and (10) just closure of
These agendas are embodied by the themes, which corresponds as the discourses present in MTPDP
2004-2010.
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4.2.2 The Five themes of the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP)
There are five themes in the MTPDP namely: (1) Economic Growth and Job Creation, (2)
Energy, (3) Social Justice and Basic Needs, (4) Educational and Youth Opportunity, and (5) Anti-
corruption and Good Governance. Each theme embodies several other factors which are the main focus
of this project. These five themes is relatable to that of the UNDAFs five principles or five discourse
rule in which only five important areas for discussion are chosen and tackled.
4.3 The governance discourses of the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan of 2004-2010
4.3.1 Anti-Corruption
Graft and corruption is increasingly viewed as a threat to the sustained growth and development
of the country. Corruption distorts access to services for the poor, results in governments poor
performance and, consequently, low public confidence in government. The culture of corruption in the
country breeds the vicious cycles of poverty and underdevelopment. Progress has been made in the last
three years to enhance transparency and accountability in the public sector as well the effectiveness of
sanctions against corrupt behavior, although there is still a lot yet to be done (MTPDP, 04-10:Ch21).
Anti-corruption through good government is one of the key reform packages that President
of free enterprise, the way to fight poverty is to create jobs. To create jobs, the country has to attract
investments, and to attract investments, it has to focus on strategic measures to bring in more
investments and to make the domestic environment more globally competitive (MTPDP 04-10:Ch21).
The independence, capacities and integrity of government institutions are not enough to provide
quality and efficient public services. Regulatory capture works as powerful brakes on various
government initiatives, eroding their effectiveness and sustainability. The bureaucracy is largely
perceived to be beholden to vested interests which interfere in the bureaucracys functioning, rendering
it unable to perform its functions and undertake its programs unhampered. The entrenched system of
patronage and payback in the political landscape is the source of such particularistic interests. (MTPDP
04-10:Ch22)
The MTPDP has come up with institutional improvements by conducting an enhanced strategic
review of the operations of all departments of the Executive branch and their units to abolish the
overlapping of programs. This is in accordance with their Scrap and build policy that will enhance the
The Philippines faces eight realities that characterize its international and regional environment
to which it has to respond in order to achieve its development goals. (1) Reality is that the United States,
China and Japan, and their relationship with one another, are the determining influence in the security
situation and economic evolution of East Asia, (2) more Philippine foreign policy decisions have to be
made in the context of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), (3) the international
Islamic community will become more and more important to the Philippines, (4) the coming years will
see the redefinition of the role of multilateral and interregional organizations in promoting common
interests, (5) the defense of the nations sovereignty, and the protection of its environment and natural
resources can be carried out to the extent that it gets others to respect the Philippine rights over its
maritime territory, (6)the countrys economic growth will continue to require direct foreign investment,
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(7) a country like the Philippines can benefit most quickly from international tourism and (8) overseas
Filipinos will continue to play a critical role in the countrys economic and social stability. (MTPDP 05-
20:Ch24)
These eight realities that the Philippines face are addressed in the MTPDP of 2004-2010. The
strengthening of US, China and Japan is a strategy to enhance the Philippines relation with the three
countries. The arroyo administration emphasizes on the role of the ASEAN as an instrument for security
in the region and improving the relations with the Islamic community is a plan for advancing close
relation with the people of Mindanao. The MTPDP also addresses the Arroyos administrations take on
tourism and emphasizes its role as the main attraction for foreign investment. Amendments on the
amendment of the Foreign Service Act, the Migrant Workers Act, the Passport Law, and the Overseas
Absentee Voting Law to protect the interest of the Filipino people are pushed forth within the MTPDP.
The national government remains highly centralized, slow and unresponsive to the needs of the
people in the rural areas and cultural communities. Although local governments are supposed to enjoy
local autonomy under the 1987 Constitution and the Local Government Code, they are in fact controlled
in many ways by the national government on which many of them have become habitually dependent
for guidance and resources. This inhibits local initiative and resourcefulness to effect progress and
The MTPDP aims to alleviate the delays in legislation and policy-making by fusing the powers
of the executive and legislative in a unicameral parliamentary system which is accompanied by political
reforms. The plan to shift the current government system into a federal type of system is believed to be,
within the Arroyo administration, a strategy for progress and development. The plan to change
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restrictive constitutional provisions on national economy is believed to attract foreign investors that
would create jobs. Reviewing the constitutional preference on Filipinos will be done in order to define
national patrimony and promote long term ventures of foreigners for more opportunities for
development.
Defensive Reform refers to the defensive mechanisms of the Philippines in enforcing peace and
The ongoing insurgency and other internal security threats have had a negative impact on the
Philippine economy. The resolution of these threats to internal security will significantly improve the
security environment that will foster a climate conducive to economic growth. (MTPDP 04-10:ch23)
The Philippines is a nation that centers its goal towards reaching peace and prosperity. Though it
has not been involved in any dangerous disputes with other nations, securing the nation is a must for
alleviating the people of fear. The Philippines has launched various projects for an enhanced defensive
The MTPDP plans to implement the following: (1) the Philippine defense reform program (PDR)
which will provide a comprehensive lasting reform agenda between the Armed Forces of the Philippines
(AFP) and the Department of National Defense (DND), (2) Upgrading the Capability of the AFP to
enhance their capability to fight the growing threats of terrorism and (3) supporting peace process by the
AFPs initiative on monitoring terrorist groups to establish an environment free from fear and a
Good governance can be seen as occurring when there exists an effective political framework
that is conducive to private economic action, the efficiency of stable regimes, the triumph of the rule of
law, the presence of an efficient state administration adapted to the roles that government can actually
perform, and a vigorous and dynamic civil society independent of the state (Governance Indicators in
Like many developing societies, the Philippines continues to experience various problems and
challenges in its political, economic and social affairs. While the political system has maintained strong
adherence to democracy even with a passing episode of authoritarianism during the Marcos era, conflict
and tension in the political and economic life persist. (MTPDP, 04-10:10)
In the past few decades, efforts to identify what constitutes good governance have been taking
place in order to identify the domains that establish the term. It is because a definition for good
governance is difficult to obtain. In the typology devised by the UNDP (1997a:9-10), four types of good
governance have been suggested, namely, Economic governance, which covers processes of policy-
making and decision-making that directly or indirectly affect a countrys economic activities or it
relationships with other economies; Political governance, which refers to decision and policy processes
and implementation of a legitimate and authoritative state representing, among others, the the interests
of a pluralist polity that allow citizens to freely elect their representatives; Administrative governance,
accountable and open public sector and Systemic governance which encompasses the processes and
structures of society that guide political and socio-economic relationships to protect cultural and
religious beliefs and values, and to create and maintain an environment of health, freedom, security and
with the opportunity to exercise personal capabilities that lead to a better life for all people
In addressing court delays and clogged court dockets, the courts with the cooperation of lawyers
shall support the Speedy Trial Act of 1998, and the mandatory continuous trial system, especially in
criminal cases. The government shall also create more courts. This can be achieved by creating more
first and second level courts, at the same time hiring competent and highly qualified individuals to the
4.4 The United Nations Development Assistance Framework of the Philippines of 1998-2004 and
the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan of 2004-2010
The Philippines is one of the original member-states of the United Nations, which became
official when the UN Charter had been ratified by China, France, the Soviet Union, the United
Kingdom, the United States, and by a majority of other signatories including the Philippines (United
Nations, 2010).
The Philippines was selected as one of the 11 pilot countries to formulate the UNDAF (1998
2004), which is based on the CCA of the Philippines. The CCA represents an independent assessment by
the UN system of the development situation and critical issues facing a country, particularly in light of
the declarations, goals and plans of action agreed upon at the series of global conferences convened by
the UN in the 1990s. Once the CCA is finalized, the UN Country Team, in close cooperation with the
host government and other key partners, drafts the UNDAF. The UNDAF is the UN's business plan for
its work at the country level. It identifies common objectives, strategies for development assistance and
a timeframe for follow-up activities shared by all resident UN agencies. UNFPA provides population
data, technical assistance and policy guidance in the development of CCAs and UNDAFs, and works to
P a g e | 59
ensure that population and reproductive health issues are integrated into both planning frameworks.
(UNFPA, 2010)
Currently, the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in the Philippines is composed of 17
Country Offices of UN agencies and programmes which include the Bretton Woods Institutionsthe
World Bank (WB), the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the International Monetary Fund
4.4.1 Linkages
The United Nations Development Assistance Framework of the Philippines (UNDAF-RP) and
the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) are closely linked together by the Common
Country Assessment (CCA) and the United Nations Country Team (UNCT). Guided by the theoretical
framework of the thesis, this section shows the process of norm cascade wherein the CCA and the
UNCT become the linkage of the UNDAF, the UNDAF-RP and the MTPDP. After the internalization of
governance discourses from the main UNDAF to the UNDAF-RP the process of how the governance
The concept of the UNCT originated in 1977, when the General Assembly (GA) established the
concept of a single official, i.e. Resident Coordinator (RC), to coordinate operational activities within
the UN System (GA Resolution 32/197). Over the years the concept has evolved, and the key role of the
UNCT for the effective and efficient functioning of the UN System at the country level has been noted
in all GA Resolutions on the Comprehensive Policy Review since 1992 (GA Resolutions 47/199,
The UNCT members vary within each country. The main task of the UNCT is to plan the
UNDAF and must include the following: (1) road map, (2) country analysis, (3) strategic planning, and
(4) monitoring and evaluation. The UNCT is responsible for the planning of a comprehensive UNDAF
for their country that will be in line with their national priorities.
UNCT and partners review existing analytical processes and products to see how well they meet
minimum quality standards. The aim is not to criticize what exists, but to work with national
stakeholders to highlight gaps where UNCT support can bring added depth and quality of analysis,
taking into account, in particular, the situation of excluded and vulnerable groups, as well as human
rights treaties and instruments. The UNCT and partners draw on the broadest set of data, analytical
products and processes, including from national and international civil society organizations, as well as
The Common Country Assessment (CCA) is the common instrument of the United Nations
system to analyze the national development situation and identify key development issues with a focus
on the MDGs and the other commitments, goals and targets of the Millennium Declaration and
international conferences, summits, conventions and human rights instruments of the UN system (CCA
The CCA is tasked to gather information and indicators consistent with national development
priorities to establish and identify trends, data gaps and constraints in capacity of national statistical
systems based on available quantitative and qualitative data and information; the assessment reviews the
trends in relation to the progress or regression of development indicators. It identifies emergency and
The CCA process involved systematic issues analysis, in order to identify strategic areas of cooperation.
The CCA will form a part of the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), an exercise to
Inside the UNDP is the United Nations Development Group (UNDG), which was established in
1997 by the United Nations Secretary General to monitor and align the United Nations projects of
specialized agencies and Subsidiary organs. The United Nations Office of Project Service (UNOPS) and
the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) have a similar purpose. It
implements the 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), guides the United Nations development
system and activities at a country level and promotes a better strategic coordination and cooperation
within the United Nations system. The UNDP, the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) and the
Basically the UNDG is responsible for the implementation of the UNDAF and is responsible for
reporting to the CEB and the secretary-general about the progress and results of the UNDAF. The
UNDG also hold the data with regards to CCA documents and UNCT findings.
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United Nations
CCA/ UNCT
UNDG
UNDAF-RP
Figure 1
Figure 1 illustrates the alignment of the UNDAF and MTPDPs linkage. The United Nations
discourses are transferred to the CCA and the UNCT that coordinates with countries at a national level.
This is to show the process of how international discourses are coordinated with countries at a national
level. Thus, familiarizing the national government of the UNs programs, policies, and in this case,
discourses.
After the CCAs information gathering process and the UNCTs planning process of the UNDAF
discourses it is then passed on to the UNDG. The UNDG implements the UNDAF to member-states of
the UN. After the UNDAFs implementation, the observation of reflecting discourses from an
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international to a national level is administered. Thus, the thesiss aim is to observe if the discourses of
4.5 Summary
This chapter discussed about the origins of the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan
(MTPDP). It was in 1993 when the first MTPDP was established under Fidel V. Ramoss administration.
It has then become one of the development programs used by government officials to carry out means in
providing aid and reducing poverty within the Philippines. The MTPDP of 2004-2010 is under the
Arroyo administration that emphasizes the issues on (1) Economic Growth and Job Creation, (2) Energy,
(3) Social Justice and Basic Needs, (4) Educational and Youth Opportunity, and (5) Anti-corruption and
Good Governance. The governance discourses of the MTPDP are also presented in this chapter wherein
each discourse presents an interesting description on the current setting of the Philippine society.
This chapter presented the linkage of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework
(UNDAF) and the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP). By the CCA and the UNCT,
both development programs are inter-related and share common discourses on governance. The United
Nations Development Assistance Framework in the Philippines (UNDAF-RP) is a symbol of the linkage
between the UN and the national government as it is a commitment to become part of the UNDAF.
This chapter, in accordance with the thesiss theoretical framework, presents the Life Cycle
models second stage of norm cascading. This chapter focused on the linkages of discourses present in
CHAPTER 5
The United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) governance discourse
internalized in the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan of 2004-2010
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5.1 Introduction
The agenda of governance has become a trend in various nations in the new millennium.
democratic principles and ideals and, consequently, its respect for basic freedoms and human rights.
This chapter is dedicated to the discussion of the applied theoretical and methodological scheme
of the thesis: Foucauldian discourse analysis and the Life cycle model of Katheryn Sikkink and Martha
Finnemore. The three sections of this chapter follow the troika method inherent in the thesis. Tackling
the emergence of the governance discourses is presented in this chapter along with the use of the
This section is focused on the emergence of the governance discourses in the MTPDP and the
UNDAF. Figure 5 represents the overall discourses that appeared in both programs.
Justice and the Rule of Law Basic Need: The Rule of Law Appeared with similar terms
(UNDP,2010) (MTPDP, 04-10: Ch17, p190) (elaborated in section 5.3)
Develop a global partnership for Bureaucratic reform Appeared with diverse terms
development (MTPDP,04-10: Ch22, p255)
(UNDP, 2008)
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Table 5
The colored block represents that both the UNDAF and the MTPDP tackled issues with regards
to governance. The uncolored blocks, on the other hand, represent the emerging discourses in the
UNDAF and the MTPDP. It is evident that both have mentioned good governance, despite already
having the term governance in the respective plans. As for the general concluding remarks of the table,
the term Appeared refers to the materialization of the discourses in the UNDAF and the MTPDP whilst
Appeared with similar terms corresponds to discourses appearing in both the MTPDP and the UNDAF
with similar terms used. Appeared with diverse terms refers to the appearance of the discourse but
having an individual meaning of its own in the UNDAF or in the MTPDP. This section is further
elaborated in the next section wherein these discourses that emerged from the UNDAF to the MTPDP
are expounded by adding the definition of both programs to check whether both definitions are
This section represents the governance discourses that are present in the MTPDP and the UNDAF, along
with the definition of both discourses. The reason behind this section and the formation of table 6 is to provide
P a g e | 66
an overview of the similarities and differences of the governance discourses definition in both programs. This is
to check whether the aim of the UNDAF governance discourse parallels/correlates with that of the MTPDPs.
Justice and Rule of law is the foundation for Basic In addressing court delays and Substantiv
the Rule of both justice and security. Needs: Rule clogged court dockets, the courts e
Law Together, rule of law, access to of law with the cooperation of lawyers shall emergence
justice and legal empowerment support the Speedy Trial Act of
1998, and the mandatory continuous
contribute to an enabling
trial system, especially in criminal
environment for achieving the cases. The government shall also
Millennium Development Goals create more courts. This can be
(MDGs). They can spur economic achieved by creating more first and
growth and help to create a safe second level courts, at the same time
and secure environment for hiring competent and highly
recovery in the aftermath of qualified individuals to the Bench.
conflict or disaster. (UNDP, 2010) (MTPDP 04-10: Ch17, p193)
Governance Is described as the system of Governance Is described as the fight for Descriptiv
values, policies and institutions corruption and the adaptation of e
by which a society manages its dynamic rules to enable an Emergence
economic, political and social efficient state administration that
affairs through interactions can function independently well
within and among the state, civil for the state. (MTPDP, 04-10)
society and private sector.
(UNDP,2010 )
Table 6
Table 6 represents the emerged governance discourses in both the United Nations Development
Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP). It was
pointed out in chapters 3 and 4 that the UNDAFs aim is to alleviate the overlapping of agendas on
similar issues that the global community faces. This table clearly represents how and what discourses
emergence in the MTPDP. It is evident that there are UNDAF discourses with similar purposes and
priorities in the MTPDP such as the rule of law, good governance and the Anti-corruption discourse.
As for the remarks of Table 6, descriptive and substantive types of emergence are used.
Descriptive emergence can be defined as a way in which both the UNDAF and the MTPDPs description
of a said discourse is similar in meaning. Substantive emergence, on the other hand, refers to the
In the UNDAF, governance is described as the system of values, policies and institutions by
which a society manages its economic, political and social affairs through interactions within and among
the state, civil society and private sector. Whilst in the MTPDP governance is described as the fight for
corruption and the adaptation of dynamic rules to enable an efficient state administration that can
This figure is an imitation of the Life Cycle models first stage of norm emergence. Basically the
reason why the governance discourse is shaded is because it serves as the proof that both UNDAF and
the MTPDP tackle governance discourses. The three other discourses, Anti-corruption, good governance
and the rule of law are the main governance discourses that were present in both the MTPDP and the
UNDAF.
There is a substantive emergence in the UNDAF discourse on the rule of law and the MTPDPs
discourse on the rule of law. It is evident that the UNDAF rule of law is destined for a general scale
rather than that of the MTPDPs specific notion on the subject. The UNDAF discourse on the Rule of
Law basically covers the general aspect of the issue on justice by creating a secure environment for legal
empowerment, whilst the MTPDP covers a more nationally grounded foundation on the discourse by
specifically addressing the issues needed to be resolved in order to establish the secure environment that
The discourse on Anti-corruption on both the MTPDP and the UNDAF have descriptive
emergence. The UNDAF describes as Anti-corruption as the destroyer of the principles of democratic
governance and an impeding factor on the rule of law, democratic institution and the establishment of
The MTPDP describes anti-corruption as a threat to sustainable growth and development of the
country, it distorts access to services for the poor, results in governments poor performance and,
consequently, low public confidence in government (MTPDP04-10: Ch21, p248). Both discourses have
The reason why the Anti-corruption discourse was separated with the good governance discourse
is to emphasize that the anti-corruption discourse was linked with the good governance discourse
The good governance of the UNDAF is defined as the promotion of equality, transparency and
accountability of a government. The UNDAF acknowledges the threats of corruption, violence and
poverty in the creation of a stable environment for peace and security. A creation for a dynamic society
is believed to be the key for a working and efficient environment, thus the need for good governance in
any political system. It is obvious that the direct definition of Good governance in the MTPDP is not
used because the MTPDP does not describe good governance but only mentions it as a part of the
strategy for anti-corruption and good governance. Therefore the use of the governance indicators of the
The MTPDP describes the good governance discourse as occurring when there exists an effective
political framework that is conducive to private economic action, the efficiency of stable regimes, the
triumph of the rule of law, the presence of an efficient state administration adapted to the roles that
government can actually perform, and a vigorous and dynamic civil society independent of the state
(Governance Indicators in the Philippine, 99-01:15 as cited in Hirst, 2000:14). In a way both discourses
are in the same level of analysis when it comes similarities on the definition.
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Figure 2
Figure 2 is the combination of section 5.2 and 5.3. This figure, to some extent, reflects the
process on how United Nations governance discourses are internalized in the MTPDP. More
importantly, it is also an imitation, a combination of the schematic format of this thesis and the
methodology OR a combination of the methodology and the theoretical and operational framework, of
the theoretical frameworks use of the Life Cycle model of Katheryn Sikkink and Martha Finnemore.
Basically, the Third chapter of the thesis is a representation of the United Nations discourses on
governance. The fourth chapter corresponds to the thesis representation of the linkage between the
United Nations Development Assistance Framework and the MTPDPs governance discourses, the Life
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cycle models norm cascading process and the Foucauldian discourse analysis discourses. Lastly, the
fifth chapter represents the internalized governance discourses of the UNDAF in the MTPDP, the Life
cycle models norm emergence and the Foucauldian discourse analysis Action orientation.
The United Nations governance discourses are represented in the UNDAF (See chapter 3). The
UNDAF governance discourses are then observed scrutinized and implemented within the CCA and the
UNCT which serve as the linkage of the UN and the national government. Principally the CCA and the
UNCT represent the bridge between international organization (such as the UN) and the national
government (such as the Philippines). The UNDP becomes the uniting organization of the United
Nations to the Philippine government. The UNDAF-RP (See chapter 4) symbolizes the result of the
coordination between the United Nations and the Philippine government in combating parallel issues.
The MTPDP of the Government of the Philippines (GOP) represents the emergence of discourses of the
thesis. This stage is basically concerned about what governance discourses of the UNDAF were
Table 7 on the other hand represents the other discourses of the MTPDP and the UNDAF along with their
respective definitions. Both discourses in the UNDAF and the MTPDP in table seven do not share common
larger process the electoral cycle. people in the rural areas and cultural
UNDP offers strategic assistance communities. Although local
throughout the electoral cycle, from governments are supposed to enjoy
designing more effective systems to local autonomy under the 1987
resolving disputes after the votes are Constitution and the Local
counted. Elections can allow genuine Government Code, they are in fact
participation by all citizens, which is controlled in many ways by the
crucial to achieving the Millennium national government on which many
Development Goals. Elections are of them have become habitually
only one aspect of democratic dependent for guidance and
governance, however, and must be resources. This inhibits local
accompanied by strong and diverse initiative and resourcefulness to
institutions that provide equal effect progress and development
protection to all people, fair within their territories and
distribution of resources and access communities. (MTPDP 04-10:Ch25)
to political power. (UNDP, 2010)
Human Rights UNDP supports 'human Defensive The ongoing insurgency and
rights for development' in more than reform other internal security threats have
100 countries and connects partners had a negative impact on the
in a global network. This work is Philippine economy. The resolution
about expanding choices and of these threats to internal security
protecting rights and freedoms. This will significantly improve the
work is carried out in many areas: security environment that will foster
policy development, advocacy, a climate conducive to economic
training, civic education, developing growth. (MTPDP 04-10:ch23)
national human rights action plans,
strengthening human rights
institutions, promoting international
human rights instruments. Our
justice sector programme promotes
the independence, impartiality and
fairness of judges as well as legal
literacy, legal aid, pro-poor laws and
civic participation in legal and
judicial reform (UNDP, 2010)
Table 7
The other governance discourses of the MTPDP, which are bureaucratic reforms, responsive
foreign policy, constitutional reforms and defensive reforms, are believed to be inherent within the
MTPDP and an original discourse of the national government. since this thesis focus only on the
internalized governance discourses of the MTPDP, this section is devoted to the governance discourses
of the MTPDP that were not a part of the governance discourses of the UNDAF. These MTPDP
governance discourses are believed to be discourses inherent within the Philippine society.
Despite previous efforts to trim the bureaucracy, the government is still weighed down by
unclear delineation and overlapping of functions. This results in high transaction costs internalized by
government, business, nongovernment organizations and the general public as a result of poor
coordination in policy and program implementation, weak sector management and wastage of resources.
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The perception of a bloated bureaucracy lays not only in the distribution of government
employees in terms of national vis--vis the local government units (LGUs), but also its maintenance
cost. Neighboring Asian countries have higher government personnel ratios, but they deploy greater
number of civil servants to local areas and frontline services. The other issue is more of efficiency and
That is why bureaucratic reforms in the Philippines are improved to reinforce the efficiency on public
service and improvements public services. The need for an efficient bureaucracy symbolizes the nations
The Philippines faces eight realities that characterize its international and regional environment
to which it has to respond in order to achieve its development goals. (MTPDP 04-10: ch24, p269) These
eight realities are (1) Reality is that the United States, China and Japan, and their relationship with one
another, are the determining influence in the security situation and economic evolution of East Asia, (2)
more Philippine foreign policy decisions have to be made in the context of the Association of South East
Asian Nations (ASEAN), (3) the international Islamic community will become more and more important
to the Philippines, (4) the coming years will see the redefinition of the role of multilateral and
interregional organizations in promoting common interests, (5) the defense of the nations sovereignty,
and the protection of its environment and natural resources can be carried out to the extent that it gets
others to respect the Philippine rights over its maritime territory, (6)the countrys economic growth will
continue to require direct foreign investment, (7) a country like the Philippines can benefit most quickly
from international tourism and (8) overseas Filipinos will continue to play a critical role in the countrys
The formation of the eight goals for a responsive foreign policy presents the Arroyo
administrations interest to take part in the shaping of the countrys foreign policy.
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Constitutional reforms on the other hand are issues regarding the lack of the national
governments responses to the Filipino people. The current 1987 constitution used in the Philippines
limits the ownership of land to foreign individuals, an issue that concerns the Arroyo administration. To
enable reforms within the Philippines economy and in other areas for development the need for
Defensive reforms in the Philippines are an issue that addresses the internal security threats that
the nation is facing. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Abu sayyaf terrorist groups
continue to threaten the southern part of the Philippines. Such a threat poses a burden for the Arroyo
administration to promote a peaceful and secure environment for the Filipino people. Thus the creation
of the Defensive reform discourse in the MTPDP presents the Arroyo administrations plans on
alleviating threats to national security and also certain technological enhancements to fight terrorism.
5.6 Summary
This chapter is all about the application of the thesis theoretical and methodological methods in
order to answer the question raised in chapter 2. The first section tackled the internalized governance
discourses present in the UNDAF and the MTPDP. In the Foucauldian discourse analysiss first stage,
which is discursive construction, the governance discourses on good governance, the rule of law and
anti-corruption of both the MTPDP and the UNDAF were present. These discourses represent the united
nations discourses on governance. Now as for the second part of this chapter, it focused more on the
emergence of the discourses, namely showing the process of norm cascading of the Life cycle model.
The three governance discourses that were both in the MTPDP and the UNDAF were defined. This is to
know whether both governance discourses present tackled similar issues, or were described similarly or
contradictory. The third part of this paper then focused on the governance discourses that emerged from
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the UNDAF to the MTPDP. This shows the process of how the discourses on governance in the UNDAF
and the MTPDP emerged in the MTPDP. Last but not the least, is the discussion of the other governance
discourses that were not found nor had no common grounds with the UNDAF which are: Bureaucratic
reforms, responsive foreign policy, constitutional reforms and defensive reforms. These discourses are
believed to be national discourses inherent within the Philippines. So as to say these are considered as
discourses that were not a result of the UNDAF governance discourse spillover, but in fact an original
To conclude this chapter, the governance discourses that appeared in both the UNDP and the
MTPDP are Anti-corruption, good governance and the rule of law. These governance discourses
represent a type of emergence that was discussed in section 5.4. Two of the discourses, mainly the Anti-
corruption and good governance had a form of descriptive emergence wherein the description of the
discourses were similar in the MTPDP and the UNDAF. Whilst the substantive emergence, basically the
rule of law, refers to the emergence of the discourse but with an individual/ distinctive meaning in both
CHAPTER 6
Conclusions and Recommendations
6.1 Conclusion
The interest on studying how international policies are internalized at a national scale led to the
discovery of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and the Medium-Term
Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP). Moreover, this interest led to the need to understand its
components, or the building blocs of such policies. The thesis proponents were interested in learning
how international organizations (such as the United Nations) affect national policy making at a country-
level, in this case the Philippines. On the latter, to dig deeper in the policy domain and determine,
understand, and juxtapose the set of governance discourses of the international, UNDAF, and the
national level, MTPDP, to discern the emergence of the discourse. This interest became the main theme
of the thesis, which is the process of discourse internalization. There were various international
organizations to choose from, but from the thesis proponents individual research results, the United
Nations embodied the perfect area for studying internalized development discourses at a country level.
Almost every country is a member of the United Nations, therefore the best structure for analyzing its
influence on its member-states. Choosing a country to discern whether the development discourses of
the United Nations has affected its national policy making was the subsequent action taken by the thesis
proponents. It is evident that there are various countries that were members of the United Nations yet the
thesis proponents chose the Philippines as the country to be examined. The reason behind it was to have
easy access to general information and to also conduct a precise research on the subject matter at hand.
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Another reason was to contribute to the Philippine societies policy making analysis and to serve
as a guide for scholars, students etc. for discourse emergence. It also helps discern how the United
Nations influence national policy making at a national level, in this case the Philippines.
There were also various cases in which the thesis proponents were curious on how the United
Nations affect policy making in other countries and to judge whether the Philippines is aligned with the
United Nations global discourses. Yet, the thesis proponent decided on only tackling the governance
discourses that emerged in the United Nations. The thesis proponents decided not to tackle compliance
issue concerning the UNDAF and the effects of the UNDAF governance discourses.
The UNDAF program was a great example of the United Nations involvement in policy making
at a country level that coordinated with the CCA and the UNCT. The MTPDP, on the other hand, was a
great example of a national development program concerned with Philippine development. Thus the two
programs were used as the thesiss main guiding principle on discourse internalization.
The MTPDP and the UNDAF are concerned with various discourses that range from socio-
economic to political issues. Since there were a lot of issues, narrowing down the issue tackled to
governance discourse made the thesis more instructive and possible to accomplish.
Another great discovery that led to the idea of tracing discourse emergence was inspired by
Katheryn Sikkink and Martha Finnemores Life cycle model. This theoretical model showed the process
of how norms emerge, in such that it was used as a guiding framework for the thesiss approach on
discourse internalization. Foucauldian discourse analysis was also applied, wherein the three stages of
The Chapter 3 of the thesis focused on the origins of the UNDAF program and the discussion of
its governance discourses. The UNDAF served as a guide in associating international discourses at a
country level. This program was launched in 11 countries in 1998 to aid developing member-states of
the United Nations. This program also contained various discourses that were related to the five inherent
principles of the UNDAF that were concerned with: Environmental sustainability, Human Rights,
Gender Equality, Capacity development and Result-s based management. These five principles were the
main theme of the UNDAF. Yet, these five principles are altered as they undergo the CCA and the
UNCT. The Common Country Assessment (CCA) was established with the UNDAF and serves as the
head for gathering data. The CCA is responsible in coordinating with the national government in order to
prioritize similar issues inherent in the United Nations and the national government. This is to eliminate
the overlapping of agendas of both countries and merging them into one discourse. The United Nations
Country Team (UNCT) is responsible for the planning of the UNDAF. In short, the CCA and the UNCT
work together in order to create the guiding principles of the UNDAF which is then implemented by the
As for the governance discourses of the UNDAF, they were found scattered in different organs
that were concerned with governance. But, to narrow down the governance discourses used in this paper,
the thesis proponents used the strategic areas for collaboration that was inherent in the UNDAF program
to determine the United Nations organ responsible for the governance discourses. The United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) was the United Nations agency that was concerned with the global
issues on Governance, thus the governance discourses of the UNDAF are believed to be function with
the UNDPs governance discourses. Besides that the UNDP was also the strategic area that collaborated
with issues on governance therefore resulting into the governance discourses of the UNDAF.
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Thus the governance discourses found in the UNDAF are as follows: develop a global
partnership for development, e-governance, justice and rule of law, anti-corruption, electoral systems
and processes, human rights, local governance, parliamentary development, public administration,
Chapter 4 of the thesis focused more on the discussion on the origins of the MTPDP. The
MTPDP of the arroyo administration was established in 2004 and ended in 2010. The MTPDP is an old
program of the government that dates back in 1993 of the Ramoss Administration. Basically, the
MTPDP proved to have similarities with the United Nations UNDAF program thus used as the guide for
discourse emergence.
The governance discourses of the MTPDP are as follows: anti-corruption, bureaucratic reforms,
responsive foreign policy, constitutional reform, defensive reform, good governance and the rule of law.
These discourses are concerned with the political endeavors of the Philippine society.
Another factor inherent in this chapter is the discussion of the United Nations Development
Assistance Framework of the Philippines (UNDAF-RP). The UNDAF-RP symbolizes the linkage
between the United Nations and the Government of the Philippines. This program is the UNDAF
applied in Philippine setting. The purpose of the UNDAF-RP is to show the linkage or bond of the
Philippine government (national level) with the United Nations (international level) in discerning the
development discourses inherent in both programs. This chapter also discusses the process of norm
cascading of the Life cycle model wherein the CCA and the MTPDP become the factors in determining
Chapter 5 discusses the application of the Methodology and the theoretical framework of the
thesis which are: Foucauldian discourse analysis and the Life cycle model. This chapter was divided into
four sections wherein the first section presents a list of the discourses within the UNDAF and the
MTPDP with concluding remarks. The governance discourses that were found in both programs that
were deemed to have descriptive and substantive emergence are as follows: anti-corruption, good
governance and the rule of law. These discourses were then elaborated in section 5.3. The emerging
governance discourses described the similarities/ differences of the governance discourses in both the
MTPDP and the UNDAF. This section generally described the definitions of the three discourses.
Section 5.4 tackled the emergence of the governance discourses wherein figure 2 represents the linkage
of the United Nations and the government of the Philippines. This section elaborated on the application
of the prior sections (section 5.2 and 5.3). Thus, concluding that the three governance discourses were
the result of a somewhat minimal/ substantive spillover of the United Nations influence on policy
making in the Philippines. Section 5.4 on the other hand explains that the other MTPDP governance
discourses which are bureaucratic reforms, responsive foreign policy, constitutional reform and
defensive reform are original discourses of the Philippines and were not a result of the influence of the
Therefore the governance discourses of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework
that emerged in the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan are: anti-corruption, good governance
and the rule of law. These governance discourses emerged in the form of descriptive and substantive
emergence.
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6.2 Recommendations
The thesis proponents would like to recommend an extensive view on the United Nations
understand the current structure policy of the Aquino Administration. It was announced not too long ago,
August 30 2010 to be precise, that the Aquino Administration plans to build on the development
discourses of the UNDAF to promote development within the Filipino community. The thesis
proponents also recommend the study of the upcoming Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan
(MTPDP) of the Aquino Administration so as to learn more about how the current administrations
The thesis proponent would also like to recommend the study on why certain development
discourses are internalized not only in the UNDAF and the MTPDP but in other international and
national programs.
Last but not the least, the thesis proponents would like to recommend an extensive study on the
process of how international discourses are internalized on a national scale by governments. The thesis
2. An extensive review of the discourses of the UNDAF and how it affects the Philippines
4. An extensive review on the process of how internalization takes place from international to
national organizations.
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Addendum (Appendix)
UNDAF as a whole has no definite discourse; however, the discourses found within the UNDAF
certainly follow the discourses within the Human Development Reports (HDRs) and the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP). It is safe to say that these two documents are where the UNDAF gets
or bases its discourses from. The discourses to be discussed are included in the Human Development
Indicators (HD Indicators) for the HDRs from 1998-2004, and the general discourses inside the Focus
The discourses on Governance of both the HDRs and the UNDP have been separated from the General
Discourses. Since it is the main focus of this thesis, it requires a more comprehensive discussion. (See
The Human Development Report has a main chapter on Agenda for Action which is constantly
present in the HDRs annual reports regardless of the theme. It contains steps and recommendations on
what to do or how to deal with the issues presented within the themes of the HDRs. As for the Human
Development Indicators, there are also elements that prevail in every annual thematic report such as the
Human Development Index (HDI), Gender-related development index, and the Gender empowerment
measure (GEM). Other indicators emerge only in a particular HDR due to the theme it focuses on for a
specific epoch. Some indicators are also present from the year 1998 to 2004; however, these indicators
undergo changes from time to time. One example would be an indicator such as the Human Poverty
Profile and Index (HD Indicators 1998). This was changed and divided into two: Human Poverty in
developing countries, and Human poverty in industrialized countries, Eastern Europe, and the CIS in the
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HD Indicators 1999. This is one indicator out of many others which will be seen repeatedly all
throughout seven HDRs but only with varying terms. Another case in the HD Indicators that has already
been shown by the first example is the division of one particular indicator to several other indicators in
succeeding HDRs. Another example on this would be the HD Indicator 1998 Trends in economic
performance wherein in the HD Indicator 1999, it was transformed into a two-part indicator Economic
Performance, and Macroeconomic Structure. For other cases, there are some indicators whose terms
have been merged such as Energy and the Environment of the 2001 HD Indicators which, in the 2000
HD Indicators, were separated and specified into Energy use, Environmental profile, and Managing the
environment. Others are altered either by changing, adding or deducting word/s from it (i.e. from
1. Having said this, the HDR discourses vary from the HDRs annual theme. For the year 1998, the
HDR discourses focus on the Consumption for Human Development with chapters on State of
global village unequal and unbalanced, and Unequal human impacts of environmental damage.
The HD Indicators corresponding to this are quite broad having 47 indicators under it (refer to
Human Development Reports table on Appendix page for a list of HDR general discourses and
Human Development Indicators). It can also be seen by referring to the table that some indicators
are repeatedly mentioned. This is because such indicators vary from categories from where the
data is gatheredeither from all countries, developing countries, industrial countries or regions.
2. Some indicators which have not been included in the 1999 HD Indicators are: Regional
Child survival and development, Profile of people in work, Access to information and
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3. For the HDR 1999, the theme is Globalization with a Human Face with discourses that revolve
around Human development in the age of globalization, New technologies and the global race
for knowledge, The invisible heartcare the global economy, and National responses to make
globalization work for human development. For its corresponding indicators, its number
narrowed down from 47 to 30. Aside from this there are also changes and additions to the
indicators. In the 1998 HD Indicators, it only has Human poverty profile and index, for the 1999
HD Indicators, it is divided into Human poverty in developing countries and Human poverty in
industrialized countries, Eastern Europe, and the CIS. The same also goes with the 1998 HD
Indicator Trends in economic performance wherein it is also divided into two: Economic
performance and Macroeconomic structure. As well as in the 1998 HD Indicator on Aid flows
which is split into Aid flows from DAC member countries and Aid and debt by recipient country
in the 1999 HD Indicators. The 1998 HD Indicators includes Military expenditure and resource
use imbalance in one indicator alone, in the 1999 HD Indicators, there is only Resource use
imbalance. Other changes in the list of 1999 HD Indicators include Food security and nutrition
(only Food security indicator in 1998 HD Indicators), Personal distress (Social stress and social
education in 1998 HD Indicators), Gender gaps in economic activity, and Gender gaps in
political participation (both equivalent to Womens participation in economic and political life of
1998 HD Indicators). Additional indicators include Progress in survival, Job security, Crime,
Gender gaps in work burden and time allocation, and Basic indicators for other UN member
countries.
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4. With this, we can see that the 1999 HDR became gender sensitive not only focusing on women
for their indicators. We can also see that some 1998 HD Indicators have been expanded into two
5. In the HDR of 2000, the theme is about Human rights and human development, alongside
Struggles for human freedoms, Rights empowering people in the fight against poverty, Using
indicators for human rights accountability and Promoting rights in human development. The
corresponding HD Indicators to this have little difference from the 1999 HD Indicators. Some of
these minor difference include a change in terms for instance, Human poverty in OECD, Eastern
Europe and the CIS which, in the 1999 HD Indicators is Human poverty in industrialized
countries, Eastern Europe and the CIS. Others include Education profile (which follows the 1998
information flows (which follows the 1998 HD Indicator Access to information and
communications), Resource flows, and Resources use (both drawn from the 1999 HD Indicator
Indicators), Gender and economic activity (Gender gaps in economic activity in 1999 HD
Indicators), Gender, work burden and time allocation (Gender gaps in work burden and time
allocation in 1999 HD Indicators), and Womens political participation (which follows the 1998
Indicators).
6. The theme of the 2001 HDR is Making New Technologies Work for Human Development with
transformations creating the new age, Managing the risks of technological change, and Global
initiatives to create technologies for human development. On the contrary to the 2000 HD
Indicators, the 2001 HD Indicators changed significantly in content. First off, terms have again
been altered but the idea still remains. For example, Human and income poverty (developing
countries), Human and income poverty (OECD countries, Eastern Europe, and the CIS) which,
in the 2000 HD Indicators are Human poverty in developing countries, and Human poverty in
OECD, Eastern Europe, and the CIS Commitment to health: access, services and resources,
Leading global health crises and challenges (which used to be the Health profile HD Indicator of
2000), Survival: progress and setbacks (which, in the 2000 HD Indicators, is Progress in
Survival), Commitment to education: public spending, Literacy and enrolment (both under on
indicator in the 2000 HD Indicators education profile), Energy and the environment (which had
three parts in the prior HD Indicators which are: Energy use, Environment profile, and Managing
the environment), Victims of Crime (which used to be just Crime in the 2000 HD Indicators),
Gender inequality in education (Gender and education in 2000 HD Indicators), Gender inequality
in economic activity (Gender and economic activity in 2000 HD Indicators), and Status of major
international human rights instruments (Status of selected international human rights instruments
in 1998-1999 HD Indicators). The 2001 list of HD Indicators has the most indicators added to it.
Some of these are: HDI trends, Inequality in income or consumption, The structure of trade,
Unemployment in OECD countries, Refugees and armaments, and Status of fundamental labour
rights conventions. There is also a change on the Basic indicators for other UN member countries
wherein, unlike previous HD Indicators, it provides a list of these basic indicators inclusive of:
Total population, Total fertility rate, Life expectancy at birth, Infant mortality rate, Under-five
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mortality rate, Adults living with HIV/AIDS, Adult literacy rate, Combined primary, secondary
and tertiary gross enrolment ratio, GDP per capita, Under-nourished people, and Population
7. As for the 2002 HDR, the focus is on Deepening Democracy in a Fragmented World with
chapters on The state and progress on human development, and Democratizing security to
prevent conflict and build peace. There are minute changes in the HD Indicators corresponding
to the 2002 HDR. Such changes are addition of Central Europe to the indicator Human and
income poverty (OECD countries, Central & Eastern Europe, and the CIS), the resurgence of
Gender, work burden and allocation which was not included in the 2001 HD Indicators but are
found in previous HD Indicators, and the addition of Technology: diffusion and creation as an
indicator.
8. The 2003 HDRs theme is Millennium Development Goals: A compact among nations to end
poverty with chapters on The Millennium Development Goals, Priority challenges in meeting the
Goals, Overcoming structural barriers to growthto achieve the Goals, Public policies to
improve peoples health and education, Private finance and provisions of health, education and
water, Public policies to ensure environmental sustainability, and Mobilizing grass-roots support
for the Goals. Its corresponding HD Indicators are exactly the same as those of the 2002 HD
Indicators.
9. Lastly is the 2004 HDR whose theme is Cultural Liberty in Todays Diverse World with chapters
on Cultural liberty and human development, Challenges for cultural liberty, Confronting
movements for cultural domination, and Globalization and cultural choice. There are some
modifications in its corresponding HD Indicators such as the addition of Water, sanitation and
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nutritional status, Human development indices: a regional perspective (which somewhat follows
the idea of the 1998 HD Indicator Regional aggregates of human development indicators),
Rich country responsibilities: aid, Rich country responsibilities: debt relief and trade (both new
faces for the usual Aid flow indicators in prior HD Indicators) and minor additions to the Basic
indicators for other UN member countries namely: Net primary enrolment ratio (MDG), and HIV
2. United Nations Development Programme general discourses and its corresponding Focus
Areas
For this section, there are no particular epochs/timelines like that of the Human Development
Reports. It does, however, still follow the same format of discussion wherein the discourses on
Governance has been separated from the rest of the general discourses.
1. There are four main general discourses of the UNDP. The first general discourse is Poverty
Reduction whose focus areas include: MDG Strategies, Poverty Assessment and Monitoring,
Gender and Poverty, Inclusive Development, Development Cooperation and Finance, Trade
Intellectual Property and Migration, Participatory Local Development, and Private Sector. The
second general discourse is Crisis Prevention and Recovery with the focus areas of: Armed
Violence Prevention, Mine Action, Small Arms and Light Weapons Control, Conflict Prevention,
Equality, Natural Disaster, Rule of Law, Justice and Security, and State building. Environment
and Energy, which is the third general discourse, include focus areas such as Frameworks and
Land Management, Biodiversity, and Chemicals Management. Lastly, the fourth general
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discourse is HIV/AIDS with focus areas such as: Development planning and mainstreaming,
Governance of AIDS responses, Gender, human rights and sexual diversity, and UNDP-Global
Fund Partnership.
According to the UNDAF Guidelines, the UNDAF has five programming principles which are necessary
for effective UN-supported country programing. These five programming principles are: Human-rights
based approach (HRBA), Gender equality, Environmental Sustainability, Capacity development and
It stands as a starting point and guidance for the analysis for all stages of the UNDAF that help to
identify possible strategies and program responses. (The Programming Principles and the UNDAF
FAQs)
The original guidelines contained 11 guiding principles that were seen as too cumbersome for use with
stakeholders. Revised guidelines now identify 4 key elements for country level performance, 5 inter-
related principles that apply to UN supported programming at all time and in all stages of the UNDAF
process and a group of cross-cutting thematic issues to best respond to country priorities. Principles are
different from priorities and goals. For the UNDAF, a principle gives a basis for reasoning and action,
which means a principle in the context of UNDAF, is: (1) Universal, applying equally to all people in all
countries; (2) Based in law, internationally agreed development goals and treaties, and national laws and
commitments; and (3) Relevant to government-UN cooperation everywhere and always (The
These five programming principles are divided into two categories: (1) the three normative principles -
human rights and HRBA, gender equality, and environmental sustainability, and (2) the two enabling
The three normative principles are reinforcing and offer ways to connect international norms and
standards and agreed development goals to the development process, while the two enabling principles
offer means to make the normative principles operational in the UNDAF. They help to demonstrate
effectiveness and accountability for the use of UN system resources (UNDG Guidance Note, 2010).
Source: UNDG
FIGURE 2
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Figure 2 shows how the three principles are interlinked with one another. Human rights, HRBA and
gender equality share a basis in the norms and standards of international human rights treaties and
instruments, and other international agreements, such as the Millennium Declaration and the Beijing
which national governments commit to achieving specific environmental goals. They define standards,
procedures and other requirements for effective implementation. Influential MEAs include: The
There is widespread acceptance that the fulfillment of human rights and the achievement of gender
equality require environmental sustainability, and vice versa. The major MEAs contain an article
stemming from principle 1012 of the Rio Declaration related to the political right to information and
public participation, and the civil right of access to judicial and administrative proceedings, including
redress and remedy. Procedural rights constitute a strong linkage between the three frameworks, and
Areas where the three circles intersect in figure 2, including the shared underlying principles, bring
added focus to the quality of the development process and to important areas for UNDAF results, for
example: (a) access to quality goods and services, and control of resources, particularly for vulnerable
and excluded groups, including women and girls; (b) Increased environmental and human rights
protection, including the protection of womens human rights; and (c) The empowerment of women,
girls and marginalized and excluded groups in decision- making processes affecting their lives.
The middle of figure 2 shows the shared underlying principles of each programming principle, which
are: (1) emphasis on Accountability, (2) focus on Public participation, inclusion and access to, and
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demands for, information, and (3) relevance of Equality and non-discrimination (UNDG Guidance Note,
2010).
Source
FIGURE 3
The three normative principles are the "what" factor of the UNDAF. After manifesting the linkages
between the three, the "how" part is the next step to take. Capacity assessment and development
provides just that. UNCT-supported capacity assessment can help to elaborate on the capacity gaps of
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stakeholders that were highlighted by the three normative principles. It can also be applied, starting from
the foundation of normative principles, to other national frameworks such as poverty reduction strategies
(PRS), joint assistance strategies (JAS), or sector-wide approaches (SWAPs). (UNDG Guidance Note,
2010) Joint Assistance Strategies (JAS) operationalizes the national development framework and forms
an agreement between government and donors on the modalities for achieving the national priorities.
and coordinated by the government, adopting common approaches across the sector, and progressing
towards the use of government procedures for planning, monitoring, reporting and evaluation. It often
includes basket funding or sector budget support mechanisms. (How to Prepare an UNDAF Part II,
2010)
In combination with the three normative principles (above), capacity gaps identified during analysis and
planning can be categorized according to the different points of entry and core issues in the capacity
assessment methodology. Strategies and results help to close the distance between desired capacities and
existing ones. This process will seek answers to the following key questions such as: What are the
desired future capacities? What are the capacity targets? What are the current capacity levels?
The next step to after determining what the principles are and how to see the concerns that come with it,
it is time to make it operational, made possible by results-based management (RBM) and shown in
Figure 4.
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Source
FIGURE 4
The RBM helps to ensure accountability by offering a process and structure to formulate results and to
manage for their achievement. It focuses time and resources on the achievement of UNDAF results,
planned together with stakeholders, and on the basis of the country analysis. The application of RBM
requires: engagement with stakeholders, joint formulation of SMART results to address capacity gaps,
arranging resources to achieve the desired outcomes, and mechanisms and processes for regular
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monitoring and reporting about performance. Performance information, lessons, and good practices are
used with stakeholders for decision-making about the overall strategic direction of the UNDAF; they
should feed into national RBM systems, and they should be put to use in the next UNDAF process. The
shared underlying principles require: (a) Disaggregated and gender-sensitive indicators; and (b) Process
Though the UNDAF has these general discourses denoted as programming principles, such discourses
may vary on a national level with the use of thematic issues. This will be shown more elaborately on
Chapter 4, which contains the analysis of the UNDAF in a national level. Different thematic issues may
be important to a particular country situation, and are relevant to each step in the UNDAF process.
Thematic issues identified in both the UNDAF guidelines and guidance note on the programming
principles are those for which there are Chief Executives Board (CEB) or United Nations Development
Group (UNDG)-approved guidelines. There are a much wider range of potential issues that could affect
a countrys development situation. But the focus on issues for which there are UNDG frameworks and
tools enables support for training and technical assistance and necessary oversight. It can be expected
that the list of other thematic issues will change over time.
The Process of the UNDAF through the Common Country Assessment (CCA)
The Common Country Assessment (CCA) is the common instrument of the United Nations
system to analyze the national development situation and identify key development issues with a focus
on the MDGs and the other commitments, goals and targets of the Millennium Declaration and
international conferences, summits, conventions and human rights instruments of the UN system (CCA
The CCA is tasked to gather information and indicators consistent with national development
priorities to establish and identify trends, data gaps and constraints in capacity of national statistical
systems based on available quantitative and qualitative data and information; the assessment reviews the
trends in relation to the progress or regression of development indicators. It identifies emergency and
The CCA process involved systematic issues analysis, in order to identify strategic areas of
cooperation. The CCA will form a part of the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), an
TAB 1: CCA
TAB 3: UNDAF
Figure X
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Figure x is a similar example of the inverted triangle of the thesiss theoretical framework. CCA
represents the internalized discourse while the National priorities represent the process of discourse
cascade which will later on eventually become an emerging discourse within the UNDAF. The CCA
documents tab(refer to figure x tab 1), in accordance with the Millennium development (MD) and
Millennium development goals (MDGS) represents the internalized discourses of the international
community, the present discourse in a general perspective. These discourses will later on cascade on to
the national priorities tab (refer to figure x tab 2) which will compare the first tabs discourses,
coordinate it with national goals and priorities and eliminate the overlapping discourses present. This
would later on result to tab 3, the UNDAF where the emergence of the processed discourse are
presented.
Short-listing
areas of
cooperation
Figure Y
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In figure Y, it is clear that the use of an inverted triangle is similar to the thesiss use of inversion
in the theoretical framework. The plan to gather information is a general concept in which various
research datas are gathered, we can refer to this stage as the internalization process akin to the thesiss
theoretical framework. Because of the variety of substance present, gathering the right amount of
information and narrowing down the scope and limitation of the discourses is a must in order to proceed
to the next step, which is norm cascade, or in this case discourse cascade. The analysis process in figure
X can be referred to as the process of the discourse cascade, the process of how the discourses are
filtered and later on emerge as a different or somewhat similar discourse. This process is to eliminate
any dual existence of discourses so as to reduce the overlapping of discourses, see figure X for more
information.
To avoid existing programs or projects, it is within the CCA system to analyse common issues
that poses similar core problem areas. To better analyse the situation in where there are inter-related
agendas and issues present in the country and in the United Nations Project, the use of analytical tools
such as a conceptual framework and causality tree analysis are used by the CCA for a comprehensive
Increased
Manifestation Low Girls
HIV/AIDS Enrolment Rate
prevalence
Immediate Causes
Underlying causes
Core
Root Causes
Problem Areas
Gender Discrimination
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In Figure Z it is clear that the two present triangles consist of two very different agendas. The
first triangle refers to causes of the problem in which Manifestation, Immediate causes, Underlying
causes and Root causes are found to be within the triangle. While the second triangle, labelled as
connecting casual trees present a rather clear process of discourse cascade. Both triangles are CCA
processes in filtering or creating the discourse emergence within various UNDAF projects. Figure Z
shows how inter-related issues are merged to become a new discourse that covers the inter-related
issues narrowing it to a discourse. This then leads us to the process of norm emergence, or discourse
emergence.
In response to the Secretary-Generals call for the United Nations involvement in peace and
security, poverty reduction and sustainable human development and the promotion and respect for
human rights, the Common Country Assessment (CCA) and the United Nations Development Assistance
Framework (UNDAF) were adopted and became the strategic planning tools of the United Nations for
The UNDAF is a project that describes what the United Nations system expects to focus on;
why it focuses on these areas; how the expected outcomes will be achieved and with whom. (CCA and
UNDAF Guidelines, 2004:16) The UNDAF provides a collective, coherent and integrated United
Nations system response to national priorities and needs, including PRSPs and equivalent national
strategies, within the framework of the MDGs and the commitments, goals and targets of the
Millennium Declaration and international conferences, summits, conventions and human rights
instruments of the United Nations system. The UNDAF emerges from the analyses of the CCA and is
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the next step in the preparation of United Nations system country programmes and projects of
The UNDAF is expected to have clear descriptions for its areas of cooperation, with the proposal
of the CCA, to which it will collaboratively address the national development priorities and goal/targets
of the country (may include national strategies and PRSPs) and critically analyze the outcome of the
UNDAF for tracing the transparency of the UNs collaboration with nations at a country level.
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Identify Challenges
UNDAF UN Agency 1
Non-UN
Outcome 1 Country
Partner
Analysis Programme
Contributions
Output 2
Cause 1
UN Agency 2 UN Agency 2
Country Country
UNDAF Programme Programme
Outcome 2 Outcome Output
Cause 2
Figure A
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Figure B
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Figure A and B refers to the structure of how the process of the UNDAF takes place, with
relation to the CCA, and how it collaborates with other agencies to assist nations in tackling the major
issues, as proposed by the CCA document, present in the UNDAF project. This shows how the UNDAF
incorporates its discourses, through the CCA, and is then implemented in nations that are part of the UN
Most of the ideas incorporated in the UNDAF were inspired by the 5Human Development
Reports (HDR). The ideas behind Economic Growth and Equity, Human Development, Human Rights
and Human Resource Development, Environment and Sustainable Development, and Governance and
Development Management as discourses in the United Nations originated from the HDR which was
founded in 1990 by 6Mahbub ul Haq, a Pakistani economist. The concept of the HDR is to help
formulate a way for expanding human capabilities and create an environment for nations to reach their
full potential. Other scholars as well, expanded the notion of human capabilities which included the idea
of peoples freedom for a broader range of creativity. Furthermore, it brings people closer to their
responsibilities and decision-making in their lives without the hindrance of the environment they live in.
Scholars such as 7Amartya Sen probed the idea of human capabilities and provided a list of issue and
themes he considered to be central to human development which are: 8Social progress, Economics,
6
Dr. Mahbub ul Haq is the founder of the Human Development Reports. He was known as the person who revolutionized the
idea of a people centered development paradigm that greatly prioritized human beings in reaching a nations full potential. He
argues that the goal of development is not only to expand and earn great amounts of income but to also create an environment
with more choices for people.
7
Amartya Sen is an Indian Economist who won a Nobel Prize Award for his contributions in the field of welfare economics.
He has garnered several awards and published several books in the fields of economics, philosophy, decision theory, social
choice theory, welfare economics, theory of measurement, development economics, public health, gender studies, moral and
political philosophy, and the economics of peace and war.
8
These ideas would then later on evolve and become discourses to be taken into consideration by the United Nations.
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The Human Development Report was acquired by the Philippines in 1994. It slowly came to be
in 1992 when Professor Solita Collas-Monsod and then Resident Representative of the United Nations
practitioners who held meetings and discussions. Later on, the Human Development Network in the
Philippines (HDN-RP) put in to action the major findings and conclusions of the first Philippine Human
Development Report. And has still been an incessant publication until today.
Since the relationship between the UNDP, the PHDR and the UNDAF-RP is quite conspicuous,
we assume that the definition of the following categories, which are present in the UNDAF RP 1998
2004, follow the same definition of the 1994 PHDR. In this section, only three categories are thoroughly
discussed while the segment on Governance and Development Management is separated seeing that,
Governance being the focal subject matter of this thesis, needs a more comprehensive elaboration and
lengthy consideration. Both elements, UNDAF-RP and PHDR, fall within the same timeline which
makes it consequently viable to say that the definition of these interlinked agencies working for
In the 1994 PHDR, equity is rather insubstantial in view of the fact that: 1) there is an
inequality in the allocation of income, 2) economic growth is most focused on highly urban areas, 3)
growth of poverty increases in the already high numbered poor and 4) the socio-economic elite has a
political dominance over the local administration these, to name some of the several factors that
contribute to inequity, are interfering with the process of development of the society and its economic
growth. Though it is acknowledgeable that there has been economic growth during the early 90s in
the Philippines, this growth is most likely to take place in highly developed/urbanized areas only.
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This process, though beneficial for some, barely benefits the poor - the ones who need to be
According to the 1994 PHDR, Human Development is the process of enabling people to
have wider choices. It means expanding those capabilities that enable them to live a full life as human
beings. Its most important dimensions are a persons physical survival, health, level of knowledge,
livelihood or income, and political freedom. These are the minimum basic needs that must be
It is mentioned in the 1994 PHDR that the environment suffers either in economic growth or
in failure of the Philippines. How is this so? The economy of the Philippines grows by the
unsustainable extraction and use of resources. For example, the extractions of resources such as
timber accelerated during the post-war years to the early 1970s. For all that, only nominal
regeneration efforts were made therefore narrowing the quantity of immediate renewable resources.
In turn, the renewable resources industry limited its contribution to the economy (PHDR, 1994:85-6)
These categories which originated from the general HDR, but which is defined by the PHDR 1994
in this thesis, are also existent in the UNDAF as mentioned at the beginning of this section. The
succeeding passages will further flesh out the semblance of the PHDR and the UNDAF-RP 1998 2004,
which also provides a view on the difference of both in terms of approach and content.
Following the UNDP PHDRs arrangement of discourses, the UNDAF-RP 1998 2004 has four
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Areas of Cooperation
The four Strategic Areas of Cooperation inclusive of the 12 Priority Areas for UN Collaboration,
the five Cross-Cutting themes, and each priority areas agency conveyors within parenthesis are as
Strategic Area of Cooperation No. 2. Human Development, Human Rights and Human Resource
Development
Education (UNESCO)
Food security and nutrition (FAO)
Child labour (ILO)
Empowerment of women (UNICEF)
Reproductive health (UNFPA)
Indigenous peoples empowerment (ILO)
Peace building (UNDP/Resident Coordinator)
HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
As specified in the UNDAF-RP 1998, the first strategic area covers four priority groups pursuing
social equity in the growth process. The second also entails four priority groups focusing on capacity
building, justice and human development as building blocks for peoples wellbeing. The third seeks a
balance between population, resources and environment as they relate to two priority groups, with a
view toward sustainable human development. Effective peoples participation and responsive local
government as essential components of national development are emphasised in the fourth priority set,
while the fifth concentrates inter-agency efforts in Mindanao. These are in turn affected by five cross-
cutting themes that all 12Working Groups will build into their discussions and work plans. (Philippine
The notion behind Governance and development management as a discourse was inspired by the
Human Development Reports (HDR) of The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The
Human Development Reports on Governance have contributed in generating the ideas behind the
Governance discourse by obtaining general data on nation states political structures and situations.
The UNDPs focus on Democratic Governance: Human Rights, Electoral systems and
Processes, Anti-corruption, Access to Justice and Rule of Law, Access to Information and E-
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Empowerment have all been manifested and evolved in a similar arrangement within the UNDAF
for realizing common development goals at a country level prompting a relationship between the
international organization such as the United Nations with the national government of a country.
Every year the Human Development Reports change themes of important issues in accordance
with world issues. The theme of the HDR of 1998 is centered upon human development and its
1998 and is also known to have had a great impact in policy focus of governments and institutions. It
highly values the importance of human development as a source of communication for better policy
dialogue between IGOs and local governments and has successfully manifested itself as a trend in
1998 for industrial, Developing and Least-develop countries around the world. Human development
discourses focuses on strengthening partnerships and political momentum of the local government
with international organizations, such as the United Nations, therefore a source for ideas for the
UNDAF and the CCA. Generally, the creation of the UNDAF for pilot countries is mostly based in
their National Human Development Reports, the CCA Documents and other national sources. After
consulting with the CCA, the general discourses of the UNDAF are altered to fit the concerns of the
specific country in order for them to obtain a better outcome for development.
Relevance of an Indicator
something. It could be a measure, a gauge, guide, index, marker or benchmark, among others. A
P a g e | 112
governance indicator, then, would serve as a measure or yardstick that suggest or reflect the state
of governance in a society or a country, and may be narrowed down to specific areas or concerns
of governance, such as electoral systems, corruption, human rights, public service delivery, civil
society and gender equality among others. (Governance Indicators in the Philippines, 99-01:21
Figure C
Figure C depicts the process of how indicators contribute to help reflect on the state of
To a little more than 41% of the respondent agencies, the most important objective of governance
indicators is to establish benchmarks, objectives, targets, and goals in the development context. To
another 24%, the rationale for government indicators is to assist with improving governance capacities
and pro-poor policy-making. A handful, about 16%, feel that governance indicators are necessary to
monitor and evaluate governance programs and projects; and another 8% see these as important for
providing information to users on business investment, allocation of public funds, civil society advocacy
or academic research.(RARGISUP:2)
The United Nations (UN) has moved towards a new responsive mode of programme for
governance and has incorporated it in projects collaborating with nation states such as the RP-UNDAF.
The goal towards transparency of opportunities for women candidates, a more proper and transparent
approach to governance, process of targeting women and children in local government programs, Budget
allocation patterns for measuring the spending of government in the economy, Social allocation ratio,
Social priority ratio, Human priority ratio, Social priority ratio and Human development priority
computed at provincial levels are the indicators of the issues inside the Governance discourse of the RP-
UNDAF.
The aspiration for gender equity in the government is a step in womens participation in politics.
Research shows that most of the implicit measures of gender inequalities are those embedded in
relations of power and in hierarchies and are more difficult to measure. (Patel, V, 2010) Therefore a
transparent way for Gender empowerment has been incorporated in the Governance discourse of the RP-
UNDAF as an indicator for promoting womens participation in politics in the Philippines. The
increasing participation of women in elections in the Philippines has encouraged not only the IGOs but
also the local government to promote more opportunities for women. Reports such as a 16% increase in
womens participation in politics in 1992 and womens occupancy of 28.8% in the national bureaucracy
promote a new level of advocacy for policy changes. Thus with the inducement of the Gender
empowerment measure (GEM) in the UNDAF Philippines, it will continuously promote Gender equity
and womens participation in politics that will help the careers of aspiring future women leaders of the
country. Its role as an indicator for measuring the governance discourses incorporated in the Medium-
term Philippine development plan (MTPDP) will be vital in assessing the promulgation of the idea of
The idea of observing Budget allocation patterns in the UNDAF is clearly traced in the Human
Development Report of 2000 on the Strategic use of civil and political rights and legal instrument in
empowering poor people chapter. The planning of a better pattern for budget allocation is discussed to
be a way for alleviating nations with poor people and promoting a more capable government that can
cater and adjust to societys continuous effort for development. In fact, as early as 1990s there were
major shifts in budget priorities and the need to cut in spending on inefficient projects. Countries such as
the Philippines were on of the many states to experience the fast-pace of economic growth that was
incompatible with its traditional approaches. A plan for a more enabling framework for improved
macroeconomic policy gave way for the realization of tracing the Budget Allocation patterns of
This is a traditional way of solving basic disputes within the government and its people, for the
transparency of budget allocating will empower the people for active participation in politics and policy
making, lessening peoples prejudices of their government being corrupt and promote better allocation
for basic social services for the needs of the people. The people are given a method for them to
transparently participate and have a say on the plans of the government for the country. As early as 1994,
the discourse on the reduction of Poverty and underdevelopment was being formulated in the Philippine
Human Development Report (PHDR) of 1994. The direction of government policies and the magnitude
of its spending have a critical and pervasive influence on the economy and on the human development
conditions (PHDR, 1994:32). The Governments development strategy shapes the extent of foreign and
domestic investments, the allocation of industry and agriculture and the employment effects of economic
growth. An elaboration and construction of a better budget allocation pattern in the Philippine
The Social allocation ratio and Social priority ratio indicators are mentioned as well in the 2000
HDR to promote governments in investing in useful and important programs/projects that will help
control the expenditures of the government and lean towards a more transparent allocation of budget for
basic social services. This will help the United Nations human development approach for promoting an
environment of people making their own choices not hindered by basic needs to enhance peoples
Social Allocation Ratio of the Philippines is way below the norm of 32-35 percent found by UNDP (RP-
UNDAF, 1998-2004: XIII) As early as 1994 the labor force participation rates in the Philippines has
shown an alarming high rate of unemployment and a very high rate of underemployment.
Underemployment is against the UNs goal of promoting human development and thus by promoting a
better system for social allocation and social priority ratio of the Philippine government, it will lessen
the alarming rate of underemployment in the Philippines and will help stabilize its economy and build its
potential.
The human priority ratio notion has always been induced in the HDR reports for it has emphasized
the importance of human participation in the realization of the United Nations idea on a more capable
society. It is up to the government to realize this goal in terms of educating and building on human
resource. Boosting their knowledge with education, providing basic needs such as clean air, clean supply
of water and energy will promote the ideal environment for building human capacity/resource. The
P a g e | 116
PHDR of 1994 discusses the capacity of the human capital to generate the needed budget income for the
government to proceed with its development plans, programs and other social priorities of the country.
Human capital is acquired in society. If there is a healthier society then healthy humans tend to learn
faster and would likely be more active in participating in society. (PHDR, 1994:53) 10% is only half the
UNDP norm of 20 percent. Notwithstanding the fact that the country meets the target for the social
priority ratio, its human priority ratio remains low because the amount it spends on social services in
general is on the low side. (RP-UNDAF, 1998-2004: XIV) In short generating a better society is up to a
society where the people are healthy and will help contribute to the alleviation of poverty and
Social Priority Ratio and Human Development Priority computed at provincial levels
Last but not the least is the Social Priority ratio and Human Development Priority computed at
provincial levels indicator for the Governance discourse. In order for a government to succeed in its
plans for equal allocation of sources the help of provincial municipalities will bring them within reach of
the people. This will be the way for the government to strategize approaches for better distribution of
budget and learn more of the concerns that people have in every municipality. This will also help them
prioritize areas which are in dire need of assistance. In the PHDR of 1994, the discourse on peoples
participation in politics and democratization became the central issue in the Philippines. The
affectability of peoples participation can only be traced if it influences the government of the
Philippines. The electoral process and decentralization process were the mechanisms of contemporary
relevance discussed in the PHDR and expounding on the need for prioritizing human development
computed at provincial levels would help promote the success of equal allocation of sources and create
In particular, the average human development priority ratio is only half of the recommended 20%
ratio If we relate the provincial figures for the HDI and local government social sector expenditures, a
wide scope for improving budget allocation for the social sector at the provincial level would be needed
to increase HDI and to narrow the HDI gap between provinces (RP-UNDAF, 1998-2004: XIV)
Thus with the incorporation of all of these indicators that are of great concern, piecing them
together resulted into the Governance discourse incorporated in the UNDAF. The UNDAFs
collaboration with the Philippines will help promote a better approach for Governance. The Philippine
societys future challenges will affect the nature and process of how the UNDAF would be framed and
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