Details

Background Information

The Konrad Adenauer Medal of Excellence (KAME) which is an award for best managed local governments in the Philippines is given by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAF) and the Local Government Development Foundation (LOGODEF) every three years or during a term of a local government official. In March 1996, the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the LOGODEF conceptualized and discussed the award system. The Board formalized the program in Board of Trustees Resolution No. 63 dated February 6, 1996 and awarded the First KAME in December 1996. The Konrad Adenauer Medal of Excellence Award is to be conferred to local executives and their local governments whose leadership epitomizes the ideals, which Konrad Adenauer believed in and practiced while in public service. The Senate of the Philippines recognized KAME in Senate Resolution during the First Regular Session of the 10th Congress of the Republic of the Philippines as an important award to promote accountable local government and effective local governance.

KAME is a sister award of the Konrad Adenauer Local Government Award (KALGA) which is an international recognition award for best managed cities in East and Southeast Asian Network for Better Local Governments.

Now on December 2003, at this coming Awarding Ceremonies the KAME is going to be awarded for the third time.

Program

10:00 – 10:10 am

Message by

Mr. Klaus Preschle, KAF-Country Representative</p

10:10 – 10:20 am

The KAME Award Selection Process

Dr. Nestor N. Pilar, Chairman, KAME National Selection Committee</p

10:20 – 10:30 am

Presentation of Awardees

Dr. Clarita R. Carlos, Member, KAME National Selection Committee</p

10:30 – 11:10 am

Awarding of KAME Plaque and Individual Medals

1) Province

Ambassador Herbert Jess with Mr. Klaus Preschle

2) City

Mr. Klaus Preschle with Dr. Colin Durkop

3) Municipality

Mr. Klaus Preschle with Dr. Nestor N. Pilar

4) Barangay

Mr. Klaus Preschle with Dr. Mariano J. Guillermo </p

11:10 – 11:30 am

Special Merit Awards given by Ambassador Herbert Jess and Secretary Jose Lina to

Governor Josefina M. dela Cruz

Vice-Gov. Aurelio S. PLamenco

Mayor Mary Jane Ortega, San Fernando City, La Union</p

11:30 – 12:10 pm

Acceptance Speech by Individual KAME Winners

Gov. Rosette Y.Lerias, Southern Leyte

Mayor Franklin M. Quijano, Iligan City

Mayor Roy M.Loyola, Carmona, Cavite

Bgy. Capt. Calixto T. Melad, Tagga, Tuguegarao City

12:10 – 12:20 pm Reflections on KAME

Mr. Ignacio Rivera, Brgy. Captain, Camp 3, Tuba, Benguet</p

12:20 – 2:00 pm Luncheon Reception

Source: Konrad Adenauer Stiftung

“Kasulong sa Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran, Tatak Bulakenyo” [Filipino]

Talumpati
ng
Kagalang-galang Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Pangulo ng Pilipinas
Sa pagtatapos na programa ng Peace and Development Summit “Kasulong sa Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran, Tatak Bulakenyo”

[Ipinahayag sa Regino Carmeli University Gymnasium, Brgy. Catmon Malolos City, Bulacan, ika 12 ng Nobyembre, 2003]

Maraming salamat.

Maraming salamat, Governor Josie de la Cruz.

‘Yung pagkuwento ni Josie tungkol sa akin, bagay na bagay para sa isang estudyanteng nagke-kuwento tungkol sa kanyang teacher.

Ako’y nagpapasalamat na tayo ay narito lahat. Salamat sa inyong napakainit na pagtanggap sa inyong lingkod at aking mga kasamahan ngayon.

Kasama ko ngayon ang ilan sa aking mga Cabinet member. Ang ating Cabinet officer for regional development sa Region III, si Richard Gordon, ang ating Secretary of Tourism. Nabanggit na ni Josie kanina si Secretary Michael Defensor, siya ‘yung ka-partner nitong ating lilipat na mula sa ating railroad. nandito rin, nandoon siya kasama ng mga media, inaalagaan n’ya, ini-entertain n’ya, ang ating Press Secretary, si Secretary Milt Alingod. At nandito ang isa sa aking tatlong Cabinet member mula sa Bulacan, si Secretary Lito Sarmiento. Nandito rin ang ating Presidential Assistant for North Luzon, si Rene Diaz.

Sabi nga ni Josie, ang dami-dami ko ng appointees mula sa Bulacan. Tatlong Cabinet member, maraming undersecretary, maraming importanteng director, at lately nag-appoint ako ng tatlong Sandiganbayan Justices, sabay-sabay, lahat taga-Bulacan. Si Judge Baldos, si Judge Jurado, at saka si Fiscal de la Cruz. Lahat Bulacan.

Kaya binabati ko lahat ng mga officials ng Bulacan na naririto ngayon. ‘Yung ating mga congressmen, ang congressman n’yo dito ay si Congressman Willy Alvarado. Siya ay… Inurong n’ya ‘yung kanyang pirma sa impeacment. nandito rin ‘yung aking kaibigan, dating Chief of Staff noong ako ay Vice President, si — kalahating Capampangan — si Congressman Willy Villarama. Narito ‘yung ating napakagandang dalawang mga congresswomen — si Lorna Silverio at saka si Nining Nicolas. At ‘yung ating Congressman sa party list, kinakatawan ang mga magsasaka ng butil, si Congressman Ben Cruz.

Gusto kong batiin ang ating host mayor, si Danny Domingo. Tama si Josie, pag malapit sa Pampanga ang Bulacan, nasisilip lahat ng nabibigay ko sa Pampanga. nasilip ninyo ‘yung San Fernando overpass. Mula sa San Fernando pumunta ako dito sa Bulacan, sa Baliuag. Tuloy, hiningan ako ng overpass para sa Malolos. At gaya nang sabi ni Josie, dumating kaagad, three days after ‘yung engineering team. At sabi ni Danny Domingo sa akin na nagsisimula na ‘yung mobilization.

Binabati ko lahat ng punongbayan ng Bulacan, ang dami-dami n’yong narito. Ako ay nagpapasalamat sa inyong lahat dahil kayo ay narito. At gusto ko ring batiin ‘yung ating mga nag-aalaga ng ating kapayapaan, si General Dominguez, si General Braganza, at saka si General Querol. Romy, ‘di ba Bulacan ka rin? Ah, pero si Vidal Querol, ‘yan, taga-Bulacan ‘yan.

And I would to greet the private sector. Kung nandito lang sana ang pangalan babatiin ko lahat pero nandito ang pangalan ni Rey Simbulan, ang Regional Director ng Luzon PCCI. At ang ating host sa eskwelahang ito. Thank you for receiving me for the second time, Sister Carmeli Catan, ang pangulo ng University of Regina Carmeli. Pagpasok ko nga hinahanap ko ‘yung mga estudyante eh. Nandoon sila. Kumusta kayo lahat. At mga napakaraming mga DepEd dito, binabati ko rin kayo lahat. Mga iba’t-ibang official — ay, magandang hapon sa inyong lahat.

At itong pagpupulong nating ito para sa kapayapaan at kaunlaran ay talagang tatak ng bulakenyo. Ang inyong pagmamahal sa kapayapaan at kaunlaran ay katangiang pinatunayan na ninyo sa maraming makasaysayang pangyayari sa ating bansa kung saan naging mahalagang bahagi ang mga Bulakenyo.

Isa na nga dito, hindi natin makalimutan dahil ito ay isang pinagdidiriwang ng buong bansa, ay ‘yung Malolos Congress na bumuo ng unang Konstitusyon sa buong Asya — ang Malolos Constitution. Dito sa Malolos, dito sa Bulacan ipinakita ng mga Pilipino ang pagpapahalaga at paggalang sa Saligang Batas. Tamang-tama, naalaala natin ‘yon dahil itong pagpapahalaga sa ating saligang batas ay muling napatunayan sa Davide impeachment case, kung saan ang desisyon ng Korte Suprema base sa Konstitusyon ay inayunan at iginalang ng sambayanang Pilipino.

Kailangan talaga mayroon tayong rekonsilyasyon at panibagong pagkakaisa kung gusto nating sumulong ang bansa. Kailangan natin ang kapayapaan kung gusto nating kaunlaran para sa bansa. Para sa katahimikan ng pag-iisip ng taong bayan, dapat patahimikin na natin ang kontrobersiya ng krisis ng impeachement pagkatapos na resolbahan sa paraang maka-saligang batas. Lahat ng mga panig sa alitan ay kumilos na maka-bansa at tayo dapat tayo magkaisa at pasiglahin natin ang ating mga institusyong demokratiko kaysa pahinain pa sila.

Binubuksan ko muli ang sinsero at tahimik na pag-uusap sa lahat ng mga grupong may kinalaman, at inaasahan ko na pakikinggan nila ang panawagan sa maka-prinsipyong rekonsilyasyon. Itong maka-prinsipyong rekonsilyasyon ay talagang panawagan ng ating mga panahon. Hindi lamang ‘yung maka-prinsipyong rekonsilyasyon sa iba’t-ibang panig ng alitan sa nakaraang impeachment crisis kung hindi na rin ‘yung tuluyan rekonsilyasyon na hinahanap natin sa pamamagitan ng mga npa at ‘yung gobyerno, milf doon sa mindanao, ‘yung gobyerno, ‘yung mga importante rin ang rekonsilyasyon sa pamamagitan ng mga pwersa ng Edsa Dos at Edsa Tres. ‘Yan ang napakaimportanteng rekonsilyasyon na dapat habulin natin ngayon.

Ang taumbayan kasi ay kailangan makita ang pwersa nakakapag-kaisa kung hindi ang taong bayan mismo ang magwawatak-watak at hihina sa pagharap sa mga nakakasindak na hamon. Ang mga hamon natin, ang batayang hamon natin ay dalawa — pairalin ang kapayapaan, labanan ang kahirapan. Ang bansa ay kailangang mahilom sa pamamagitan ng pinagkaisang patriyotismo at damdaming tungkulin maging mga lider, maging sambayanan.

Ako sa mga nakaraang krisis, nakaraang krisis ng impeachment, habang tumutulong makahanap ng solusyon sa paraang magpairal ng dignidad ng mga dakilang institusyon ng ating pamahalan, tuloy-tuloy ang ating higit na pansin sa mga serbisyong pang-kalakalan at pang-kabuhayan. Dahil hindi naman pwedeng tumigil ang pagtakbo ng ating bansa porke’t lamang may alitan o hidwaan.

Sinisikap kasi natin magkaroon ng malakas na republika. Salamat na lamang na sa matagal na problema natin ay meron tayong mga nakakamit. Matagal na nating problema ang pagpapasigla ng ating ekonomiya dahil ang pagpasigla ng ekonomiya ay siya ang solusyon sa kahirapan. Kaya kaunlaran ‘yung pinag-uusapan natin sa summit na ito. Mabuti na lamang na sa gitna ng impeachment crisis noon pa tumaas ang ating stock market sa pinakamataas na sigla sa loob ng nakaraang dalawampung buwan. Ibig sabihin noon nandiyan pa rin ang tiwala ng mga nagnenegosyo sa ating bansa. At sa maikling panahon, marami tayong naitaguyod. Itong mga magkakaroon ng bagong buhay at bagong bahay, sila ay bahagi ng naitaguyod nating pinakamalaking housing program at land tenure program sa maralitang taga-lungsod sa buong kasaysayan. Maraming mahihirap, hindi lamang itong mga ladies nating naka-berde sa kanan ko ang nabigyan ng karapatang magkaroon ng bagong tahanan at nabigyang karapatang bilhin ang lupang tinitirikan. At ito ay… Ang dami noon dahil limampung taon, tatlumpung taon na naghihintay. Ang dami ko nang nakitang umiiyak dahil hindi nila naisip na mangyayari ito sa wakas, pero nangyari sa ating administrasyon.

‘Yung bigas, ‘yung isda, ‘yung parating binibili ng mahihirap, hanggang ngayon napapanatili pa rin natin ang presyo ng pagkaing binibili ng mahihirap. At ang koleksiyon ng ating buwis, lumalakas, dahil inayos natin ang sistema ng koleksiyon, kasama na ang lifestyle checks at iba pang mga panlaban sa katiwalian. At dahil na rin sa magandang mga batas na ginawa ng Congress tungkol sa ayos ng ating sistema ng koleksiyon ng buwis. Kaya, congratulations sa ating limang congressman na narito ngayon.

Sabihin man ng mga nagbabatikos, kung ano ang sasabihin nila, ang ating GNP growth rate noong itong taong ito ang pinakamataas na nakamit natin mula noong ating 1997 Asian financial crisis. At sabihin man — kung ano ang sasabihin ng mga nagbabatikos sa atin — dalawampu’t isang ekonomiya sa Asia-Pacific o APEC, sa dalawampu’t isang ekonomiya, ang ating growth itong taon ay pang-anim sa lahat sa dalawampu’t isa. Ibig sabihin nun hambing sa labinglima sa ating mga karatig ekonomiya sa Asia at Pacific ay mas maganda ang ating performance.

Ngunit kahit mas maganda ang ating performance kumpara sa ating mga karatig-bansa at ito ay totoo sa nakalipas na dalawa at kalahating taon ng aking administrasyon, ang mga bansang ito sa aking pagbibisita at pag-uusap ay nagsisimula na muling umahon. Kaya sa pagkakataong ito dapat hindi nila tayong maiwan pag-ahon nila.

Kaya ito ang mga kailangan nating gawin. Maging sa paglaban sa krimen lalo na sa laban sa iligal na droga meron tayong mga importanteng tagumpay. Nagpapasalamat ako sa nalaman ko kanina kay Josie na doon sa Doña Remedios Trinidad magkakaroon ng rehabilitation center para sa ating mga drug addiction victims. Ito ay ngo-initiated, kaya mabuhay ang mga bulakenyong NGO at private sector. Malubha ang problema ng droga kaya ‘yon ay isa sa mga batayan ng performance ng ating mga pulis, chief at police director.

Kahapon, ang mga pulis ay nakahuli ng ini-smuggle na drogang halagang isang bilyong piso pagkatapos nang masinsinang intelligence operations diyaan sa inyong karatig-bayan, sa Valenzuela. Ito ay napakaimportante. Kasi noong unang tatlong buwan ng ating panibagong paglalaban kontra sa droga pagkatapos ng ating State of the Nation Address ay marami na tayong mga drug bust sa mga drug lord na noong araw ay untouchable. Marami tayong mga pabrikang nasarado ng shabu kaya naging mahal ang shabu sa kalsada. Ngunit ganunpaman, kahit na naging mahal, tumaas nang five times, meron pa rin. Eh, kung nasarado na ang mga pabrika, saan nanggagaling ‘yon? Nanggagaling sa importation, nanggagaling sa smuggling. Kaya doon natin nilagay ang ating detective work. At kahapon doon sa isang pabrika nahuli, nakalagay pala sa ilalim ng sofa, furniture imports kunyari. At doon nga, one billion pesos ang drogang nahanap. Pinakamabisa, pinakamabungang drug bust sa kasaysayan ng ating bansa.

At dito sa Bulacan, alam kong abala kayo sa problema ng droga. Alam ko na ang mga barangay dito sa Bulacan ay hindi magpapaiwan sa kampanyang ito. Nalaman ko na pati ang mga Homeowners Association dito sa Bulacan ay gustong tumulong. Talagang kailangan ko ang inyong tulong. Maganda ‘yan, religious ngo nagtatayo ng drug rehab center. Homeowners Association, private sector sumasama sa paghanap ng mga drug pushers. Maganda ‘yan at dapat tularan ng mga kaparehong asosasyon at ngo sa ibang lugar. Huwaran talaga ang Bulacan.

Sa buong Pilipinas, talagang meron tayong maraming tagumpay tungkol sa kapayapaan. Napahina rin natin ang Abu Sayyaf. Nabasa ko sa peryodiko, isa doon sa mga main leaders ng kidnapping nung Sipadan pa noon panahong year 2000 ay nasugpo ng ating mga sundalo. At puspusang kinakampanya nating madakip ang mga kasapi ng Jemaah Islamiyah, para sa ganun ay masugpo sila bago sila kumalat hanggang dito sa Luzon at Bulacan.

Ang pamahalaan ay nagsisikap na gawin ang lahat ng ito para sa lahat ng Pilipino, dahil gaya nang sabi ng inyong tema ng inyong summit kailangan ang kapayapaan para sa kaunlaran. At ginagawa natin ito lalung-lalo na sa ating mga kabataan, tulad ng kabataan dito sa eskwelahang ito, ‘yung nasa kaliwa ko dahil kayo ang kinabukasan ng ating bansa.

Dito sa Bulacan, nagkaroon nga kayo ng summit, may ilang mga… Si Josie ang kailangang sasagot. Ngunit meron ding ilang nakita ko na may kinalaman ang national government. ‘Yung iba pinag-aaralan — lahat nga pinag-aaralan — pero meron akong tatlong nakita na medyo dapat siguro bigyan na ng anunsiyo ngayon pa man. O, bakit dalawa na lang ito? Ayun. Hindi. Ah, ayun, ayun. Okey. Ano kaya ang uunahin ko dito?

Ah, gusto kong batiin ang bulacan kasi ang gaganda ng mga produkto ninyo, lalong gaganda sa packaging na ginagawang tulong ni Raul Hernandez dito sa Bulacan. At dahil napag-usapan natin ‘yung pangangalakal ng Bulacan, ‘yung North Food Exchange, sabi ni Josie anim na taon na n’yang linalakad kaya talagang kailangan karanasan at panahon para matupad. And may anim na taon, kaya inuutos ko ang TESDA, NEDA, Foreign Affairs — nandito ‘yung anak ni ka Blas Ople. Ay, hi! Si Felix Ople — at ang DOST na tulungan ang probinsiya ng Bulacan para pabilisan, pabilisan ang information component ng North Food Exchange.

Ngayon, alam n’yo ang Bulacan malapit hindi lamang sa aking ama, kungdi sa akin, kundi na rin sa aking ama. At panahon ng aking tatay, parating kinikuwento sa akin ni Mayor De Leon pag nagpupunta ako doon — noong una pang panahon ng aking pagpupunta doon — “ang tatay mo ang nagbigay ng patubig dito sa Bulacan, sa Angat.” eh, ngayon mukhang kailangan nang panibagong trabaho sa Angat. Kaya nalaman ko meron pala noong 1992 pa isang MOU sa pamamagitan ng MWSS at saka Provincial Government of Bulacan kung papano ma-allocate ang tubig ng angat. Eh, dapat naman siguro ang MWSS, 1992 pa ‘yon — ‘yan ang problema pagpalit nang palit ng pangulo eh — mabuti na lang, na-research natin sa pamamagitan nitong summit na ‘to. Kaya inuutusan ko ‘yung MWSS na balikan itong 1992 MOU kasama ng probinsiya ng bulacan at tignan kung papano matupad itong allocation na ito.

Tapos ‘yung pangatlo. Merong Bayabas Dam Project, sa DRT na naman. Ano ba itong DRT? At merong… Kasi nga may problema kayo ng patubig at merong rekomendasyon na gumawa ako ng Executive Committee na siya ang mag-o-oversee ng build-operate-and-transfer implementation ng Bayabas Dam. Gumawa raw ako ng Inter-Agency Committee. Hindi ako naniniwala sa committee eh. Naniniwala ako sa isang tao lamang dapat nag-o-oversee o isang kagawaran. Kaya itong Memorandum Order na sinasabing “create an inter-agency committee to oversee the build-operate-and-transfer implementation of the Bayabas dam.” papalitan ko itong Memorandum Order. Sasabihin ko “Authorizing the Governor of Bulacan to oversee the B-O-T transfer.”

Importante talaga na tayo ay nagkakasama para matugunan itong mga pangangailangan. Madali mag-usap ng prinsipyo at saka theory eh. Madali magbatikos kung ano ang masamang ginagawa o pangit na ginagawa o mali. Pero mahirap ang magpatupad — execution. At ‘yang execution ay nanggagaling sa karanasan, sa alam natin kung saan-saan ang mga papeles naghahanap, ‘yan ang tinatawag na bahagi ng learning curve. At ang masasabi natin, itong ginanap natin sa ating summit na ito, ‘yan ay isang malaking tutulong sa tagumpay para maunawaan natin ang kailangang gawin para sa pangunahing lalawigan ng Bulacan, na siya rin kung kayo ay maunlad, maunlad ang buong Pilipinas.

Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat.

Source: Official Gazette

BANAT NI BATUIGAS – Bening Batuigas

HINDI na tayo dapat magtaka ng purihin ni Interior Secretary Joey Lina si Bulacan Governor Josie de la Cruz dahil sa kanyang exemplary performance sa land use bunga sa pagposte nito ng pinakamataas na approved Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUP) sa bansa. Mula maupo kasi bilang governor ng Bulacan si De la Cruz noong 1998, eh samu’t saring parangal na ang nakamtan niya at mukhang wala siyang balak na ibsan ang kasipagan niya tungo sa ikaunlad pa ng kanyang pronbinsiya. Noong isang buwan lang, tumanggap din si De la Cruz ng award sa ginanap na Gawad Parangal for the Most Outstanding Governor ng Pilipinas sa 7th Social Welfare and Development Forum Association of Provincial, City and Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer of the Philippines. Ang ilan pa niyang awards ay ang Most Outstanding LGU in Population Development, Gawad Galing Pook for Reinventing Public Service, Lingkod Bayan Award from the Civil Service at ang Huwarang Pilipino Award mula sa Philippine Broadcasting Service and Bureau of Broadcast, he-he-he! Mauubusan ’ata ako ng espasyo sa sobrang haba ng accomplishment ni De la Cruz.

Kahit abo’t langit na nga ang nagawa niya sa Bulacan, eh hindi pa rin nagpapahinga si De la Cruz. Tumulak siya sa Mexico nitong linggong ito para isulong pa ang pagiging modelo ng Bulacan sa e-governance kasi malaki ang paniwala niya sa importansiya ng information technology para sa ikaunlad ng lugar niya. Sa totoo lang, umaabot na sa 33 probinsiya sa 18 bansa ang dumalaw sa Bulacan para tunghayan ang sistemang pinapairal nila sa IT program. Magsasalita rin si De la Cruz sa 5th Global Forum on Reinventing Government sa Mexico kung saan idi-discuss din sa gaganaping forum ang anim na salient points on good governance tulad ng government that cost less; quality government; professional government; digital government; deregulated government at honest and transparent government. Sana maiuwi ni De la Cruz ang marami pang teknolohiya para sa ikaunlad pa ng Bulacan, di ba mga suki?

Inamin ni De la Cruz na ang computerization ng probinsiya ay ang isang critical step hindi lamang para sa transparency, efficiency at effectiveness ng administration niya kundi para na rin sa sustainability for various reforms. Sinisiguro lang ng gobernadora na ang lahat ng investment na pumapasok sa Bulacan ay para pampasaayos ng kabuhayan ng mga Bulakenyo. Nasa tamang landas si Gob, di ba mga suki? Gusto rin ni Dela Cruz na ipamahagi ito sa iba pang interesadong probinsiya pero sa kasunduan na kilalanin nilang ang Bulacan nga ang original source at may-ari ng softwares. O kayong mga taga-ibang planeta… este taga-ibang probinsiya diyan, ano pa ang hinihintay n’yo?

Kaya lang may casualty din pagdating dito sa IT program ng Bulacan. Mula kasi sa 1,810 empleyado eh naging 1,752 na lang noong sumunod na taon bunga sa ginawang major reorganization ni De la Cruz. May maapektuhan talaga subalit ang kainaman niyan ’yaong mga best and brightest and matitira. ‘Ika nga tulad sa commercial sa TV, ang hirit ng taga-Bulacan sa ngayon kay De la Cruz ay: Isa pa nga!

Source: PhilStar Global

2002

For a petite woman, Bulacan governor Josefina dela Cruz packs a lot of dynamism and passion, not to mention, sense.

Unlike the traditional politicians who want their constituents to be heard only come election time, Governor dela Cruz is feedback-crazy.

“Ang hirap sa politico, napapaligiran kami ng mga sipsip. Hindi tuloy namin nalalaman kung ano ang tama. (Our problem as politicians is that we are surrounded by people who always want to please us. We have no way of knowing what’s right.),” she says.

These people, she says, understandably have their own vested interests and agendas. They isolate the politicians from their constituency, and render policy making a hit-or-miss affair.

“We wanted something more scientific… The sentiment of those who speak is not necessarily the sentiment of those who choose to be quiet. So our dilemma is, how do we know what the people really want?” she argues.

Under the Constituent Responsive Governance Project, the Bulacan provincial government used the survey research method to get a truly representative citizen’s feedback on projects. By doing so, chances for costly mistakes are minimized.

Four programs and projects were pre-tested: the health insurance program, solid waste disposal, feedback on real property tax billing statement, and the acceptability of a community radio. In each case, the provincial government found that the surveys lessened the chance for mistakes.

A case in point is health insurance. The survey showed only 35% of Bulacan households were aware of what health insurance was all about yet some were still not insured. This showed the need for a health insurance system in the province. However, respondents were concerned about the premiums they have to shell out every month and the extent of coverage for the beneficiaries. Thus, they were also polled on the price they were willing to pay for health insurance.

Based on these findings, the provincial government launched on February 24, 2000 the “Medicare Para sa Masa, Kalusugan Mo Katulong Ako” program. The local government, however, chose not to heed one of the findings in the survey: for the province to set up its own health insurance system instead of getting Philhealth,the national healthcare provider.

Two years after the program was launched, the provincial government realized the high cost it is paying for Philhealth premiums. The governor now regrets the decision to go on with the program against the findings of the survey.

Another poll was on the acceptability of the community radio station. Through pre-testing, the provincial government found out that while most Bulakeños get their information from the radio, they tune in to stations that have music, as well as news and information. This enabled the provincial government to change the station’s programming to suit its constituency’s tastes and lifestyles.

Through the survey research method, Bulacan has placed project planning into a higher plane, one that sets aside political interests.

“Surveys make decisions apolitical,” Governor dela Cruz says. Proof that it is not politically costly, she says, is the fact that “I’m still here.”

This program is recognized as one of the Ten Outstanding Programs in the 2002 Galing Pook Awards.

Source: Galing Pook

The Senate and leading academic institutions honored recently the first winners of the newly launched Local Government Leadership Award during ceremonies that coincided with the celebration of the Senate’s 86th anniversary.

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr., acknowledged as the father of the Local Government Code, said the award honors and recognizes local leaders and the exemplary role they have played in local governance within the last 11 years of decentralization.

The winners of the first LGL Award were Bulacan Gov. Josefina de la Cruz, most outstanding governor; Mayors Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City and Franklin Quijano of Iligan City, most outstanding city mayors; and Concepcion (Iloilo) Mayor Raul Banias, most outstanding municipal mayor.

De la Cruz finished management engineering, cum laude, and psychology, magna cum laude, both at the Ateneo de Manila. During her term as Bulacan governor, she won the Konrad Adenauer Local Government Award (1999), Most Outstanding Local Government Unit in Population Development (1999), Gawad Galing Pook Award for Reinventing Public Service (2000) and Lingkod ng Bayan (2000).

Osmeña, younger brother of Sen. Sergio Osmeña III, is also a recipient of several national awards for tourism, street children programs, computerization, countryside development and anti-drug programs.

Quijano, the son of a mechanic and a public school teacher, was a consistent honor student during his school days. He finished Economics, cum laude at the University of San Carlos in Cebu City. As Iligan City mayor, he transformed the city with his numerous projects, including the integrated bus terminal, road widening, overpass and drainage improvement and urban poor housing. Under his term, marginalized sectors were organized and federated, and livelihood and agriculture were given added attention.

Banias is on his second term as mayor of Concepcion, Iloilo. After finishing his studies in medicine, he volunteered in a medical outreach program in Concepcion and that started his career as a public servant. He won as No. 1 councilor of the town in 1992 in his very first stint in politics although he ran as independent. He won unopposed as vice mayor in 1995.

The winners were given P100,000 each. Senate President Franklin Drilon sweetened the award by announcing that they, along with their fellow finalists in the search would have added benefits via the Priority Area Development Fund of senators.

As directed by Drilon, each of the four governor finalists would get P2 million worth of projects; each of the five city mayor finalists, P1 million in projects; and each of the 10 municipal mayor finalists, P500,000.

Dela Cruz’s fellow finalists were Governors Isagani Amatong of Zamboanga del Norte, Bartolome Marasigan of Oriental Mindoro, and Leonardo Roman of Bataan.

The fellow finalists of Quijano and Osmeña were Mayors Santiago Barcelona of Escalante City, Albert Raymund Garcia of Balanga City, and Randolph Ting of Tuguegarao City. — Efren Danao

Source: PhilStar Global

PUBLIC ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS A LOCAL GOVERNANCE
STRATEGY IN DECENTRALIZING POLITY
－EXEMPLARY INITIATIVES FROM THE PHILIPPINES－

by: Aser B. JAVIER

Public Entrepreneurship as Strategy for Decentralizing Polity

(page 25)

The choice or selection of the three case sites as the setting for the study is justified. All three local government units（LGUs）have achieved Hall of Fame status in the Innovations and Excellence in Local Governance（Gawad Galing Pook Awards）sponsored by the Ford Foundation, meaning they have been awarded for exemplary local governance for five  consecutive years. Only seven LGUs have achieved Hall of Fame status since the establishment of Galing Pook Awards in 1993, with a total of 136 LGUs awarded. The Hall of Famers are two provincial governments（Bulacan and Davao, four city governments（Marikina City, Puerto Princesa City, Naga City and San Carlos City）and one municipality（Irosin) . The three LGUs are also ideal for public entrepreneurship research because, as nationally recognized exemplary local governance performers, they have instituted a variety of programs that support public entrepreneurship. They also have a common agenda incorporating and sustaining developmental and political gains for wider avenues of administrative reforms, creativity and innovations in governance and increased peoples’ participation.

Energizing the Bureaucracy in the Provincial Government of Bulacan

Bulacan was the site of the drafting and ratification of the famous 1935 Philippines constitution. More than its historical pride, the province of Bulacan became famous in local government circles when it ventured into entreprenurship programs even before the 1991 Local Government Code, under the stewardship of a private sector executive, Roberto Pagdanganan. Pagdanganan was challenged by the prevailing situation in the province where a few elite controlled the state of governance and there were poor investments, inadequate infrastructure and generally negative attitude towards the bureaucracy. Pagdanganan was given the electorates confidence based on his Five Point Development Agenda－(1） sustainable economic development, cooperatives as the centerpiece program,（2）peace and order, (3）youth, cultural and historical development,（4）effective delivery of health and social services ; and   （5） instituting reforms in the bureaucracy.

The Five Point Agenda’ s major component was reforms in the bureaucracy. Josefina dela Cruz was Pagdanganan’ s vice-governor and member of the group responsible for the initial attempts at reforming the bureaucracy. The reigns of power were handed-over by the people of Bulacan to dela Cruz as governor from 1998 to present.

The Five Point Agenda continued by dela Cruz pursued the concept of reinventing the bureaucracy of the provincial government. From an outsiders’ perspective, the idea of a decentralized polity based on energizing the bureaucracy is not strategically new, but such activity is crucial to Bulacan because she believes in putting her ‘home’ in order first. Before she can accomplish more, she must be backed-up by an efficient and effective bureaucracy.

The Energizing the Bureaucracy program is a re-organization program that aims to increase the level of workforce productivity in the long-term and match the needs and priorities of the provincial government in the short-term. It is the third attempt at reorganization in the province and the only one among the three initiatives that was completed. Governor dela Cruz created a Management Evaluation Group tasked of assessing the employee’ s performance, duplication of functions and the general organization structure of the province. The output was used by the newly created Reorganization Committee（with a mandate from Executive Order No.7）for a planned two-pronged reorganization program－streamlining and capacity building. It combines the downsizing of personnel and streamlining of administrative processes and at the same time providing the training of personnel for improving job responsibilities.

The streamlining of positions resulted to a relatively lean workforce number of 1,737 as of June 30, 2001 compared to 2,052 as of December 31, 1995. The streamlining has resulted in the abolition of 315 positions since 1995. Consultation with various offices were made by the re-organization team and those whose performance evaluation were below the standards set by their office supervisors were either retired, transferred to another office, or contracts were not renewed or terminated from the service. Those personnel affected were personally met by the governor and consequently downgraded the heated emotions. As a result of this simple managerial initiative of the governor, possible legal cases were avoided. The re-organization also opened up opportunities for competent personnel to rise in the hierarchy through transfer, promotion and direct competition for available positions. Previously, promotion can happen only when there is either death or resignation of employees or through the creation of new positions out of patronage. As Governor dela Cruz puts it, lets bring in good people to the bureaucracy because of their qualifications and merit instead of patronage. Likewise an employee handbook was conceptualized to inform employees and remind them of their responsibilities. Whereas previously, employees look at their jobs from how they have been structured through their own experiences in the bureaucracy, now, a standard governs their actions on top of the minimum output required of their positions.

Also, as part of the accompanying strategies for the reorganization, management cell groups were organized with five members in each department to discuss cases, values and guidelines. The group discussions center on problem resolution or discussion of management values vital to the organization. This project is part of the long-term vision of changing the culture of government personnel and in making Bulacan a center for the development of a culture of excellence（Bulacan, Pandayan ng Kultura ng Kahusayan).

Also part of the reorganization program is the drive for administrative efficiency, which was done partly through the abandonment of some obsolete systems and procedures through their computerization programs. Full computerization of strategic operations was envisioned as part of energizing the bureaucracy. Government systems/operations such as personnel records, real property tax records, records management and payroll management systems are major processes that are being computerized for ease of storage and of course, efficiency. Personnel information record or  Civil Service 201 files are slowly being computerized enabling the Human Resource Office to determine offhand the administrative（e.g. personnel benefits, leave credits, etc.）and technical information needs（e.g. training）of employees. The province of Bulacan was one of the pioneers among the LGUs in the Philippines to computerize its administrative operations.

In terms of revenue generation, delinquent taxpayers are easily identified in the real property tax database. As a result of the information accessibility, new programs to enhance collection of real property taxes were made. An education campaign aimed at increased awareness on the value of taxation is also currently being made in schools, business and the municipalities. These efforts have resulted in the increase in revenue collection in terms of real property tax. In 1998, it has even exceeded targets by 18%.

Governor dela Cruz believes that as part of the decentralization of powers to the local government, part of her authority should also be delegated to the people to empower them. Governor dela Cruz’ idea was to separate her functions as a strategic decision-maker from daily operational management. In this manner, the strategy utilized by the governor is to band together the department heads to form her management core group aside from the outside networks from the academe that provide for the validation of ideas. Since they are now considered leaders with specific functions as management executives, they are also on their toes as they ‘hobnob’ with reputable persons from the academe as part of Governor dela Cruz management circle. They do not function as de-facto leaders without accountability, which usually characterize local level politics in the Philippines. The new initiative is a far cry from the traditional top-down decision-making, centralized hierarchy that characterized the management of the province then.

Further, the creation of a special project office under the Office of the Governor signaled the provincial government’ s intention to pursue vigorously innovative projects outside the stringent rules of the bureaucracy. As Governor dela Cruz said,“I am not happy with the status quo.” The special projects office function as an academy and provides the necessary inputs to the governor and the departments. The inputs are based on citizens polling and feedback mechanisms through surveys that they implement under the tutelage of the Asian Institute of Management（AIM）consultants.

The LGU perspective of public entrepreneurship viewed from the context of energizing the bureaucracy follows the trend of the new management bandwagon in local governance. Concurrently, however, the community perceives public entrepreneurship as assistance to business and industry, poverty alleviation and administrative reforms executed by the LGU. The difference in the perspective of the LGUs and the community lies in the fact that the role of the LGU in the community may not be sufficient enough to completely saturate the community with information or that the LGU has not been able to fulfill all the demands of the public. The strategy of prioritizing reforms in the bureaucracy has dwindled the notion of public entrepreneurship as a concept known only among and within the local government actors.

As a means to enact public entrepreneurship programs, the development agenda played major roles primarily hinging on energizing the bureaucracy program. The creation of the special project office under the office of the governor is a step toward veering away from the restrictive boundaries of bureaucracy. The support of the legislative council through the resolutions and ordinances were main pillars used as legal instrument to back public entrepreneurship programs.

While the province has ventured into reforms, some challenges were also identified. The measures to quantify the results of the reorganization in terms of personnel productivity and an evaluation  of the energizing the bureaucracy program are still management challenges. Also, to quell the ‘political color that might have been painted’as a result of the reorganization, a simple evaluation mechanism and program reporting is a logical necessity. In addition, it has been noted that locally-sourced income has decreased from 30.13% share in 1999 to 15.40% in 2000 despite the initiatives of enhancing real property taxation through the computerization efforts. These are political and management challenges that need to be hurdled by the province.

The principles of public entrepreneurship in Bulacan however, have not gone unnoticed. Bulacan has garnered the distinction of excellence in local governance through the many awards they have received, both international and national. They have become a Hall of Famer in the Gawad Galing Pook awards for exemplary governance for winning three consecutive awards. They were also a recipient of the 1999 Konrad Adenauer Local Governance Award, the Gawad Pamana ng Lahi Award for outstanding local governance for 1996 and 1997 and recently were recognized by the Human Development Network for having the highest HDIs in the Philippines.

Source: Forum of International Development Studies, 21 (Mar. 2002) PUBLIC ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS A LOCAL GOVERNANCE STRATEGY IN DECENTRALIZING POLITY －EXEMPLARY INITIATIVES FROM THE PHILIPPINES－ by: Aser B. JAVIER