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การประชุมวิชาการสถาบันพระปกเกล้า 113
ครั้งที่ 20 ประจำาปี 2561
ประชาธิปไตยไทย: ก้าวย่างเพื่อการพัฒนา

The following have been among the assumed advantages of decentralization. The
process decongests government at the center. It frees national leaders from onerous details

and unnecessary involvement in local issues. It facilitates coordination and expedites action

at the local level. It increases the people’s understanding and support of social and economic
development activities. It fosters social and economic betterment at the local level more
realistic and lasting. It localizes the implementation of programs and projects by providing

accurate description of problems by being close to data sources. It increases popular capacity

to ensure responsibility and accountability. It improves delivery of services by allowing careful
considerations of local needs. It encourages invention and innovation. Decentralization is also
a capacity building strategy as it trains people in the art (and science) of self-government And

finally, within the context of democratization, decentralization promotes geographical equity,

broadens he base of participation and contributes to national development and unity, This
is especially true for societies marked by diversity, be they geographic, ethnic, linguistic and
even religious. The Indonesians have an excellent motto to address differences and diversity:

Bhinekka Tungal Ika. Unity in Diversity. Decentralization can be a powerful instrument to

address this.

Decentralization in the Philippines

In 1991, the Philippines enacted a law that drastically transformed the nature of the

relationship between the national and local governments. Republic Act 7160, otherwise known

as the Local Government Code was passed. The Code had five major features: it transferred the
responsibility and authority for the delivery of basic services to the local governments, including
certain regulatory powers. It increased the financial resources available to local governments

by increasing their share of the internal revenue allotment from a 11% to 40%. It provided

mechanisms for local governments to be more entrepreneurial by encouraging public-private
partnerships and ventures such as contracting out, build-operate-transfer, bond floats, and he
like. Finally, the Code widened the base for citizen participation by allocating specific seats

in the various local development councils for non-governmental organizations and people’s

organizations, including sectoral representation in the local legislative bodies. This goes right
into the heart of democratizing governance at the local level.