Shifting Governance Reforms Into High Gear

This article was published in the June 10, 2007 Issue of the Bag-ong Lungsoranon*, page 2.

Focus on Public Accountability

Now that the winning candidates have passed the tough hurdle of winning the elections comes even the more demanding litmus test of public accountability of public performance.

The days when political candidates’ election promises are taken with a grain of salt are over. Promises are not just made to be spoken but complied with.

Barug Pilipino and Dilaab can now grade the elected officials’ performance by measuring the distance between intention and implementation. The elected public officials’ mettle will now be tested in the crucible of performance. Voters expect no excuses or alibis for mediocre service delivery outputs. The pleasure of winning is replaced by the pressure of doing.

Implement Public Score Cards in Each Parish Community

We suggest to Barug Pilipino and Dilaab to prepare and distribute performance score cards to make public before each parish community the performance grades of the winning candidates who come from their respective parishes. All elections are local. The behavior and service delivery of each winning candidate in the various electoral districts must be publicized by billboards posted in each district preferably in each barangay hall. There is no substitute for public transparency.

We further suggest that each parish pastoral council formally communicate in writing to their parochial candidate the sentiments of the parishioners about their elected officials’ accomplishments vis-à-vis their election promises. This should put these officials on their toes in case they are thinking of being reelected. They can run again or run away from future elections.

Public Consultations Before Public Implementation

Our elected public officials have the bad habit of undertaking public projects without prior consultations of the target beneficiaries. This ignoring the people is tantamount to public insultation. The public officials must realize that public opinion “consists of the aggregate of opinions on specific issues.” Mere consultation of the barangay council officials cannot be equated with having consulted the barangay constituencies. It cannot be denied that there are instances when some duly elected public officials divert project funds for personal gain thereby becoming “REPRESENTA-THIEVES”! Close monitoring of public project implementation ensures public accountability. Barug Pilipino and Dilaab can play pivotal roles in this aspect.

Activate Public Accountability

At the end of each calendar year, each mayor or governor must report to the people the status of implementation of the development plan of each Local Government Unit (LGU). Mere recitation of public projects successfully completed should not suffice. An LGU can put up scores of projects without triggering development of the territory under its jurisdiction. There has to be presented to the constituencies of each LGU the officials’ development vision and mission as embodied in their development plan after public consultation.

Development Planning is Essential

This means defining a development direction for the LGU to pursue. If there is no development plan then the LGU is like a boat sailing without an intended port of destination but is merely running around in circles. The development plan must be translated into a development budget. If the LGU has no such plan then such LGU does not really have a development budget but has only a statement of revenues and expenditures without planned direction. Such unwise public spending document can be called a “BADYET”! How can we measure progress in development if there is no defined direction? A budget is a financial translation of a well-thought out development plan. Public officials who do not prepare a development plan and a development budget should be ousted by public recall. Kick the nonperformers out! They are squanderers of hard-earned taxpayers’ money. In God we trust, in politicians naught. Politicians can be naughty.

-LCM

*Bag-ong Lungsoranon is the Diocesan Publication of the Archdiocese of Cebu (Philippines).