Bureaucracy and

Public
Management in
Democracy,
Development, and
Governance in the
Philippines
By Ma. Lourdes G. Genato
Rebullida and Cecilia Serrano
Introduction

• Bureaucracy and administration are necessary elements

in the government’s performance
• Understanding Philippine bureaucracy via a system of PA
or Public Management (PM) must take into account the
 State’s ideology and constitution
 Culture, economy, political dynamics
 International factors
Outline

I. Key Concepts and Theories that Influenced Phil.

Bureaucracy and Public Management
II. Phil. Bureaucracy and Public Management through
Time
III. Post EDSA 1 transformations in Phil. bureaucracy and
public management
 I. Overview of Western
Influences on Bureaucracy
and Public Management in
the Philippines
 BUREAUCRACY
From French word “burel” meaning the cloth used
to cover a writing desk and greek word “kratos”
meaning rule (Rule by Officials)
Bureaucracy (Max Webber)
It is a distinctive form of organization that is ideal for
government and is
A structured hierarchy of offices and
of competent and salaried officials,
vested with an impersonal authority and,
by virtue of rules in the conduct of official business,
engaged in carefully defined division of tasks and
rendering rational decisions by application of rules
and the situation.
Bureaucracy (Max Webber)
It is a distinctive organization administered/
managed by the national and local
executive authorities consisting of human
and material resources to achieve the goals
of the state.
 Overview of PA in Phil. Bureaucracy
Phil. Timeline PA Influence/Model
Early years of the Phil. Republic Traditional PA
(1953 Constitution)
Marcos Regime (1970s) Dev’t Admin. (DA)
Post EDSA Revolution (1987 New Public Management
Constitution) (NPM)
 Traditional Public
Administration (TPA)
Tended to be compatible with Webber’s model of
bureaucracy
• Politics and Administration dichotomy distinguished
political from administrative acts and reinforced the
political neutrality and career system of civil service.
 Traditional Public
Administration (TPA)
• Pulled away the bureaucracy, civil service and PM from
the spoils system thru separation of politics from
administration and political neutrality
• PA as a field of study generated knowledge & theories on
practices of government in doing its functions.
 TPA to Modern PA
• Recent innovations in theory and practice redefined the
assumptions and limits of government bureaucracy
• “Era of change” has been stimulated by perceived
inadequacy of traditional bureaucracy and PA to cope
with new scenarios and emergence of competing
paradigms.
 New Public Administration (NPA)
Emerged in the 1970s to
• address the gaps and problems generated by TPA
model and
• as a response to the changing times with its
emphasis on the new norms of equity, access,
responsiveness and participation
 While rule maintenance, efficiency, economy and
effectiveness were continued, the trend was to make
programs responsive, accessible and affordable to the
clientele beneficiaries
Development Administration (DA)
refer to the different theories and approaches for
bureaucracy and PA to achieve development in its
political, economic and social dimensions
 Governance,
Democracy & Decentralization
• Post EDSA 1, the new 1987 Constitution paved the way
for the democratization of the Philippines.
• President Cory Aquino initiated changes in the
bureaucracy towards re-democratization process and
governance framework
Governance,
Democracy & Decentralization
Local Government Code of 1992 also transformed the
bureaucracy through decentralization by devolution to
include involvement of CSOs which changed the power
relationships between the national and local level
 Governance,
Democracy & Decentralization
• Shift from PA to PM and “government” to “governance”
since government is no longer the sole decision-maker
and holder of social and political power
• Shared, instead, with CSOs and the business sector in
terms of policy agenda, advocacy of policies and
legislations as well as implementation.
 Governance,
Democracy & Decentralization
• Caused changes on the structure and behavior of
bureaucracy by enabling participation of civil society and
private businesses in policy implementation and delivery
of services.
• Bureaucracy faced the challenge of having civil society
groups as stakeholders
 New Public Management (NPM)
• Influenced by discourses of Ted Gaebler and
David Osborne, Bureaucracy has to transform to:
Being entrepreneurial
Adopt features of the private business
organizations
Link with the private and other sectors
 New Public Management (NPM)
NPM became the alternative school of thought
• Calls for a public sector reform, public
accountability, empowerment, quality
management and performance of the
bureaucracy
 New Public Management (NPM)
• Bureaucracy has a vital role in policy-making
compared to TPA Model
• Recognizes that bureaucracy is present in all
branches of the government that interact in the
process of policy-making
New Public Management (NPM)
Philippines has been challenged by the NPM as it grappled
with re-democratization and its participation in
globalization processes.
 PHILIPPINE
BUREAUCRACY IN
POLITICAL AND
HISTORICAL CONTEXTS
 Precolonial Philippines
• composed of settlements called barangay,
• each with territorial chief/”datu” who exercised
executive, legislative and judicial authority and is
chosen by tradition, merits, wealth, inheritance
and capacities.
 Spanish Colonization
Spanish colonizers laid down centralized system of
government in ascending levels (e.g. barrios,
pueblos, cabildos and provincias)
ruled by special/privileged persons (usually
Spaniards)
Positions were either sold to the highest bidder or
given by the King as a favor/payment
 Spanish Colonization
Effects of the centralization
Resources and decision-making were
concentrated/centralized in the seat of power
“Hacienda System” shaped the basic social
structure, economy & power structure in Phil.
Politics, bureaucracy and PM
 Spanish Colonization
• Shaped the values, norms, beliefs and
practices of the Filipinos
• characterized and shaped the bureaucratic
and administrative behavior of Philippine
Politics & PM with positive and negative
effects.
Malolos Republic (1898)
• The Philippines’ first experience in establishing a popular,
representative and democratic government with
separate branches.
• During this period, Mabini distinguished appointive
positions from those filled by competitive examination
American Colonial Period
• Retained the centralized political and
administrative system while adding new
departments.
• Introduced modern bureaucracy characterized by
a system of accountability for public resources
and the posts of property officers and auditors
American Colonial Period
• Bureaucracy was engaged in the delivery of
services mostly related to education.
• Philippines became independent on July 1946 as
a democratic and republican state with the
Constitution crafted in 1935 after WWII & the
Japanese occupation.
American Colonial Period
Crucial issues of Phil. Bureaucracy and PM of
the time:
Structure of the bureaucracy
Presidential style
Independence & Democratization:
Structuring the Bureaucracy
In this democratic phase:
Norms of merit, political neutrality, public service
and public trust were introduced in the ranks of
the civil service
Each branch of government had a bureaucracy to
perform their functions including the local
government.
Structuring the Bureaucracy
Bureaucracy was:
centralized and the leadership of the electoral
president focused on policy implementation
helped in drafting laws and policies but not in an
active way of shaping policy agenda.
Structuring the Bureaucracy
The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has been
reorganized and they looked into:
Creation of personnel offices and officer positions
Managed performance rating and promotion
system
Ensured observance of public service ethics
 Presidential Style
• Generally, presidents could avail of the items of
casual employees for their appointees
CSC heavily constraining the “Spoils System”
• Some civil servants did not practice political
neutrality and engaged in electoral campaign &
relationships with politicians
leading to widespread perception of graft and
corruption
 Work of the bureaucracy depended on
the president’s programs and agenda:
Administration Agenda
Magsaysay > suppression of communist insurgencies
Garcia > started the “Midnight” appointments
> “Filipino First policy”
Macapagal > held off appointment of his own qualified men to
allow incumbents to finish their term.
Marcos > Did not require civil service eligibility for casual
workers and qualified appointees in positions;
> Focused on rice sufficiency, infrastructure and
other development-oriented programs
 Marcos’ Authoritarian Regime
• Sept. 21, 1992 ushered his authoritarian regime
with his declaration of Martial Law
 Bringing the executive and legislative powers under his
control
 Bureaucracy was used in full power for the purposes of
the regime (Politicization of bureaucracy)
2 scenarios that had implications on
the roles and performance of the
bureaucracy:
1. Implementation of development programs along
the track of Marcos’ political agenda and personal
interest (Duplicity)
2. Growth of socio-political movements in the
countryside against the regime who initiated
models for alternative development that challenged
the bureaucracy’s performance under the regime
 Marcos’ Authoritarian Regime
• Bureaucracy lost its political neutrality and was
dominated, coopted and subservient to the
regime
• Process of regionalization began to resolve red
tape and respond to the New Administration
norms of equity, access, responsiveness and
participation.
 Factors for Marcos’ Downfall
• National public debt incurred on behalf of his
cronies and in the name of development
• Failure of the bureaucracy in reaching people in
far-flung areas and only served the interests of
the privileged class
• Human rights violation
 Cory Aquino Administration
• Restored liberal democratic traditions of the 3
branches of government
• Purged civil servants but lead to claims of errors
on removing deserving employees and retaining
those undeserving.
 Cory Aquino Administration
• 1992 Local Government Code established political
decentralization/devolution which changed the
power relations of the national and local
governments.
 Cory Aquino Administration
• Governance and NPM was initiated for the Phil.
Bureaucracy and PM system in order to cope
with:
the re-democratization (post EDSA 1) as well as
the effects of globalization in the international
level.
 Cory Aquino Administration
• Legitimized the participation of Civil Society in
decision-making bodies and processes
• Civil society groups was able to:
 empowered the people for the development and
achieved more than the government in various ways.
 offered the new government and the bureaucracy with
new perspectives and approaches through their
alternative development strategies
• Became a challenge for the bureaucracy
 Ramos Administration
• From 1990s to present, the bureaucracy faced the
challenges of the state’s commitments to various
international initiatives
• It was burdened with new legislations containing
new concepts and approaches with some
advocated by civil society groups
 Estrada Administration
Bureaucracy focused on pro-poor policies
and programs but was cut short due to
EDSA 2.
 Arroyo Administration
• Bureaucracy pushed for public sector reform
and new PM
by streamlining and reengineering the line
departments, agencies and other programs for
development and governance.
• With devolution in its place, it adjusted to the new
roles and functions vis a vis local governments in
service delivery and policy implementation.
CHALLENGES TO
PHILIPPINE
BUREAUCRACY
Since 1986, the capacities of bureaucracy and PM
system have been challenged by global and national
imperatives for democracy, development and
governance.
 Challenges to Philippine Bureaucracy

• With Political decentralization thru Devolution, a

percentage of civil service personnel moved from
national agencies to LGUs
• The Local Government Code caused a decrease in
personnel at the national level and increase in the local
level
• The Attrition Law abolished positions that have become
vacant causing a decrease in personnel.
 Challenges to Philippine Bureaucracy
• Competencies at local government levels need upgrading
to carry out their devolved functions
• Civil service also needed adjustments in their training on
the recent concepts and norms of NPM
• Despite recognition of performance through awards, the
lack of funds for salary upgrading and career
development
 Challenges to Philippine Bureaucracy
• Bureaucracy has threatened personnel motivation and
efficiency as well as induced graft and corruption.
• Problems from devolution with the local officials
oriented towards maximizing votes and lack technical
expertise for development policies and programs
• CSC continues to face political interference.
Government Response to
Challenges in Philippine
Bureaucracy
 The Civil Service
& Capability Building
• Government provided training programs to address
issues of professionalism and competencies.
• National departments provided staff training and
technical assistance to local government despite
inadequate funds
• NGOs included government personnel in their training
programs
Bureaucracy’s competencies are still perceived as
inadequate to cope with new legislation and
innovative paradigms and development
management.
 Reengineering
• Downsizing and reengineering have taken place at
national-level offices but some departments have yet
to fully work-out the process at their regional offices
• Reengineering plan of the Department of Budget and
Management aimed at restructuring the bureaucracy
with rationalization of compensation, human
resource development system and other support.
 Other institutional reforms are aimed at curbing
corruption and unethical practices
 Privatization & NPM
• Formed part of the reengineering process for government
bureaucracy and public sector reform.
 Policy by the disposition of government’s non-
performing assets to deal with numerous government
corporations and the huge debt incurred by the Marcos’
Regime
 Public Enterprise Reform called for the abolition,
merger, retention or privatization of government
corporations.
 New Public Management
• Impact of globalization lead to the shift towards new PM
strategies and methods:
• Total Quality Management was introduced in national
and local government agencies aimed at
 developing awareness among workforce,
 quality production of social goods and services,
 quality client service orientation,
 people empowerment, among others.
The successful cases proved that public sector
organizations and government bureaucracy can
achieve improved performance using innovations
in NPM.
 The National-Local
Government Interface
• The national government devolved powers and
responsibilities to LGUs to bring development
closer to the people and be appropriate to local
needs and resources. These are:
 basic services
 some regulatory powers and licensing
 The National-Local
Government Interface
• For programs and policies, the national
government enjoined different stakeholders to
participate in decision making and policy
implementation.
• Bureaucracy harnessed multisectoral
participation, render technical assistance to local
government and became an enabler.
 The National-Local
Government Interface
• At the LGU level, civil society groups are
mandated to be members of the local council,
committees and boards.
• International funding organizations and donors
also participate by providing financial and
technical assistance to national and local level.
References

• Genato Rebullida, M. G., & Serrano, C. (2006). Bureaucracy and Public

Management in Democracy, Development, and Governance in the Philippines.
Philippine Politics and Governance: An Introduction, 217 - 248.