PA as

Governance (1990s the 2000)

The many failed development interventions in the 50s into the 90s spurred the introduction of other development reforms. The “governance” paradigm was introduced and advocated by the United Nations (UN), World Bank (WB), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and other international institutions. The word “governance” suddenly “has become something of a mantra in recent years, uttered by donors, reformers and pundits alike.” (Frechette 2000: 25)

PA as Governance (1990s into the 2000)

From “governance”, the concept of “good governance” has emerged and became prominent in international aid circles around 1989 or 1990. It served as a general guiding principle for donor agencies to demand that recipient governments adhere to proper administrative processes in the handling of development assistance and put in place effective policy instruments towards that end handling of development assistance and put in place effective policy instruments towards that end. (Doornbos 2003) when there is good governance, there is sustainable development..

“Good Governance”

An ADB document (2005) affirmed that good governance is synonymous with sound development management. They then identified some key principles of development which may be considered as elements of good governance. These are: accountability, participation, predictability, and transparency.

Basic Elements of Good

Governance

Key Dimensions Specific Areas of Action

1. Accountability means

making public officials

answerable for government

behavior and responsive to

the entity from which they

derive authority

Establishing criteria to

measure performance of

public officials

Institutionalizing mechanisms

to ensure that standards are

met.

•Public Sector Management

•Public Enterprise

Management

•Public Financial

Management

• Civil Service Reform

2. Participation refers to

enhancing people’s access to

and influence on public policy

processes

Undertaking development for

and by the people

• Participation of beneficiaries

and affected groups

• Interface between

government and the private

sector

• Decentralization of public

and service delivery functions

(empowerment of Local

Governments)

• Cooperation with non

government organization

Key Dimensions and Specific Areas of Actions

Basic Elements of Good

Governance

Key Dimensions Specific Areas of Action

3. Predictability refers to the

existence of laws,

regulations and policies to

regulate society and the fair

and consistent application

of these • Law and

Development

Establishing and sustaining

appropriate legal and

institutional arrangements

Observing and upholding

the rule of law Maintaining

consistency of public

policies

• Legal Frameworks for

Private

Sector Development

4. Transparency refers to

the availability of

Information to the general

public and clear government

rules, regulations, and

decisions

Ensuring access to accurate

and timely information about

the economy and

government policies

• Disclosure of Information

Key Dimensions and Specific Areas of Actions

Source: ADB, 2005

Governance entails a larger scope and has a wider

meaning. Though the term “governance” has been used to refer mostly to “government,” when correctly used, “governance” really goes beyond government. It involves the institutionalization of a system through which citizens, institutions, organizations, and groups in a society articulate their interests, exercise their rights, and mediate their differences in pursuit of the collective good. (ADB 1995 as cited in ADB 2005:

UNDP describes governance as “the exercise of political, economic and administrative authority to manage a nation’s affairs. It embraces all of the methods- good and bad – that societies use to distribute power and manage public resources and problems.” (UNDP 1997: 9)

• Kofi Annan (1997), in his inaugural speech in the 1st International Conference on Governance for Sustainable Growth and Equity in United Nations, New York, in July 28-30, 1997 affirms this when he said that:

“Good governance and sustainable development are indivisible.

That is the lesson of all our efforts and experiences, from Africa to Asia to Latin America. Without good governance – without the rule of law, predictable administration, legitimate power, and responsive regulation -- no amount of funding, no amount of charity will set us on the path to prosperity…We are fully engaged in efforts to improve governance around the world…good governance is indispensable for building peaceful, prosperous and democratic societies.”

• Annan concluded that “good governance is perhaps the single

most important factor in eradicating poverty and promoting development.”

Good Governance

Good governance has eight major characteristics. It

is participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and follows the rule of law. It assures that corruption is minimized, the views of minorities are taken into account and that the voices of the most vulnerable in society are heard in decision-making. It is also responsive to the present and future needs of society.

Source :The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)

Figure 1 Characteristics of good governance

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP

Cariño (2000), in her reflections on the term “governance,” identified actors and factors that pushed for governance. She acknowledges that governance is not the sole responsibility of the government per se but the role of the market and civil society are of equal importance too and should also be recognized.

She then identified the factors or processes that pushed for governance and some of these are: the quest for growth and development, the environmental movement, globalization and consolidating peace. These are practically the same values or virtues found in the UN Charter. Likewise, governance promotes the virtues of decentralization, participation, responsiveness and accountability among others.

Based on a long-standing research program of the World Bank, the Worldwide Governance Indicators capture six key dimensions of governance (Voice & Accountability, Political Stability and Lack of Violence, Government Effectiveness, Regulatory Quality, Rule of law, and Control of Corruption) between 1996 and present

Source Wikipedia Accessed May 25, 2013

The Worldwide Governance Indicators are a compilation of the perceptions of a very diverse group of respondents, collected in large number of survey and other cross-country assessments of governance. Some of these instruments capture the views of firms, individuals, and public officials in the countries being assessed. Others reflect the views of NGOs and aid donors with considerable experience in the countries being assessed, while others are based on the assessments of commercial risk-rating agencies.

Source Wikipedia Accessed May 25, 2013

2008 World Map of the Control of Corruption Index, which measures the degree to which corruption is perceived to exist among businesses, public officials and politicians. Colors range from dark green (90th-100th percentile to light green (75th-90th percentile), yellow (50th-75th percentile), orange (25th-50th percentile), pink (10th-25th percentile) and red (0th-10th percentile). Percentile rank indicates the percentage of countries worldwide that rate below the selected country. Higher values indicate better governance ratings.

Daniel Kaufmann, Aart Kray and Massimo Mastruzzi (2008)

Source Wikipedia Accessed May 25, 2013

The Local Governance Performance Management System (LGPMS) is a self-assessment, management and development tool that enables local governments— provinces, cities and municipalities— to determine their state of performance and state of development, using governance and development indicators. This is being spearheaded by the Department of the Interior and Local Government, through the Bureau of Local Government Supervision, in partnership with major stakeholders, i.e. LGU users, national government agencies, local government leagues, civil society organizations, business community and international development partners.

This is a project which recognizes LGUs with good performance in internal housekeeping, particularly in the areas of local legislation, development planning, resource generation, resource allocation and utilization, customer service, and human resource management and development, as well as, in valuing the fundamental of good governance.

The Seal advances the primacy of performance, accountability, transparency and participation. In the 2011 implementation, assessment focused on sound financial management measured through the absence of an adverse or a disclaimer COA opinion on local; financial transaction and on transparency and accountability measured through the observance of the Full Disclosure Policy.

Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH)

The LGPMS? Governance Aspect

• Administrative Governance - Local Legislation; Development Planning; Revenue Generation; Resource Allocation & Utilization; Customer Service; Human Resource Management & Development

• Social Governance - Health Service; Support to Education; Support to Housing & Basic Utilities; Peace, Security & Disaster Risk Management

• Economic Governance - Support to Agriculture Sector; Support to Fishery Services; Entrepreneurship; Business & Industry Promotion

• Environmental Governance – Forest Ecosystem Management; Freshwater Ecosystem Management; Coastal Ecosystem Management; Urban Ecosystem Management

• Valuing Fundamentals of Good Governance – Transparency; Participation; Financial Accountability

Pangasinan Bags 4 Hall of Fame Awards for Good Governance. The Regional Development Council (RDC) conferred four Hall of Fame (HOF) Awards to the province of Pangasinan for its outstanding performance in various local governance categories for year 2010, 2011 and 2012 during the 1st Quarter Conference of the RDC in Bauang, La Union last March 12, 2013. Province of Pangasinan received one of the following HOF awards: Region I Best Performing LGU in Local Governance, Region I Best Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Implementer, Region I Champion for Best LGU Practice, and Region I Best Project Implementer.

“We will continue reaping awards.”

Pangasinan News March 17, 2013

Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr.

From the above discussion it should be clear that good governance is an ideal which is difficult to achieve in its totality. Very few countries and societies have come close to achieving good governance in its totality. However, to ensure sustainable human development, actions must be taken to work towards this ideal with the aim of making it a reality.

Conclusion

Alex Brillantes, Jr. and Maricel Fernandez Is there a Philippine Public Administration or Better Still, for whom is Public Administration? UP NCPAG June, 2008

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