Asian Democracy in Focus

Sunday, 28 February 2010 00:00

Written by Ma. Gladys Sta. Rita

BALI, INDONESIA— The Philippines had given the world one of the most memorable lessons in democracy. People Power is very much our own brand of radical, participative democracy that defied the very conventions of government as we have come to know it. But, it had inspired other democratizing nations to rethinking their own brand of peaceful change of government. As the Philippines celebrated the 24th anniversary of People Power, I was in a conference that had put into close scrutiny the very essence of Asian democracy in this age. Personally, it could not have come at a better time for me, as I am a product of the People Power government.

I am writing this piece for THE LOBBYiST in enchanting Bali, Indonesia, where I was invited to speak before the Forum on Indonesian and Asian Democratic Transition and Reform Experiences sponsored by the Institute for Peace and Democracy and International IDEA. In the forum were participants from 8 countries from all over Asia. I was requested to share our country’s experiences in decentralizing the state and economy, together with experts in the field of local governance from Indonesia and other countries. For those unfamiliar with Philippine local autonomy, decentralization in simple terms, is a process of distributing the administrative functions and powers of a central authority (the national government) among several local authorities, in our case, our provincial, municipal, city, and barangay governments. The Philippine decentralization is one of the major legacies of the People Power government.

In the Bali conference, I spoke about how People Power paved the way for the administration of the late President Corazon Aquino, who strongly believed that decentralization was key to restoring democracy. It was a golden opportunity for the nation to replace the highly centralized government of the Marcos era, with one that would effectively alter and empower Local Government Units (LGU) through the passage of the Local Government Code of 1991.

As a matter of course, I bring with me the notable accomplishments of my home province, Bulacan, which I served for almost 2 decades as provincial administrator. My short presentation highlights the stark similarities and interesting differences between the Philippine experience in decentralization, and that of Indonesia—now viewed as two of the most timely examples of democratic transition at work.

The Philippines has taken the high road of decentralization with all its imperfections, as well as inherent liberating provisions, as espoused by the Local Government Code of 1991. In the end, the process empowered local governments in finding new ways and means of maximizing local potential and resources, in a bid to assert their autonomy as political and administrative organizations.

The story of Philippine LGUs had proven that local governments in a working democracy, given the policy environment, authority, and resources, can and will stand up to the challenge of making excellence, professionalism, efficiency, and effectiveness possible in the local frontlines of public service.

Bulacan as a premiere adapter of administrative and fiscal autonomy, together with some other LGUs in the country, also disproves the notion that dependence of local governments on the sustenance from the national government is an unchanging reality of Philippine democracy.

The results of Bulacan’s good governance paradigm are milestone programs in the most critical aspects of governance: revenue-generation, social welfare and services, information technology, human resource management, youth and education, health and nutrition, culture, and cooperative development.

My core message to the Bali conference is simple: For a government borne of one too many people power revolutions, the hopes for a decentralized, but dynamic bureaucracy remains high. Decentralization is a powerful mechanism to effect change and harness the unlimited potential of people participation in governance, while ensuring that local governments deliver quality services to its constituents. And that, it can be replicated.

As the Philippines, Indonesia, and the other democratizing countries exchange democratic models and governance formulas in Bali, one assuring thought ran on and on in my mind. We, Asians, are a people of hope and positive foresight. But in the end, it is my personal belief that there is no form of government or democracy that would work without a true change in the hearts and minds of the people. It is in the realization of ordinary Filipinos, Indonesians, and the citizens of other democratizing countries of Asia and the world, that in their hands rest the latent power to change their lives, their government, their nation, and our planet.

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