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KPI Congress 20th
114
2018
Thai Democracy on the Move

Decentralization in the Philippines has been implemented for over twenty five years

now. We have seen a number of challenges including capacity issues, financial concerns,
inter-local concerns. We have also see the emergence of many good and best practices at

4
the local level s documented by the Galing Pook Program. A number of lessons have been
learned including the key role of leadership at the local level, the importance of ownership of

programs by the local bureaucracy, the need to harness ICT in the design and implementation
of programs and projects, and in harnessing and encouraging people participation. A study

conducted with the assistance of the Asian Development Bank assessing the state of
decentralization in the Philippines concluded that, “on the balance, he effects of decentralization

since 1991 are positive,” due to an enabling policy framework, strong leadership at the local
level, improved access to financial resources, stronger inter-local government partnerships,

wider participation and engagement with civil society institutions, a broader role for the leagues
of local governments. But, there are some emerging questions/issues, including inadequate

local finance, weak local – and national – capacity and unclear and inadequate corporate and
taxing powers of local governments. 5

Indeed decentralization – through devolution – has been implemented in the Philippines
6
for over 25 years now. As mentioned above, there are a number of lessons learned and
directions to be considered within the context of continuing public sector reform. One aspect

is the need to consider deepening the devolution process.

4 Galing Pook is a program started by the Local Government Academy in partnership with
the Asian Institute of Management in 1994. It aimed to document and recognize outstanding
local government innovations at the local level that emerged as a result of decentralization
and devolution The program has been a success and has inspired the replication of many good
and best practices. It is now on its 25th year.
5 Code and a review of the major lessons learned from decentralization, see Brillantes,
For a comprehensive review of the initial years of the implementation of the Local Government
เอกสารประกอบการประชุมกลุ่มย่อยที่ 3 6 be operationalized via a continuum, ranging from deconcentration, to devolution, to regional
Innovations and Excellence. Understanding Local Governments in the Philippines, 2003.
In an earlier work, Brillantes (2003) we suggested that the notion of decentralization can

autonomy, to federalism and finally independence. The continuum is marked by the continuing
transfer of authority to the sub-national levels with deconcentation as the least decentralized
(administrative decentralization) and separation and independence at the other extreme.
Devolution and Federalism are within the continuum with federalism as a deeper modality to
deepen devolution, hence “the next logical step.”