By Harvey S. Keh

While the election fever heats up in our country, the World Bank-Knowledge Development Centers together with the Ateneo School of Government and the Asian Institute of Management-Center for Development Management recently held a governance forum entitled, Panibagong Paraan for Good Governance 2009. This event brought together leaders from local government units, academic institutions, civil society groups and international agencies to discuss best practices that promote transparency, social accountability and effective delivery of basic services to the people.

During the first day, multi-awarded Mayor Jesse Robredo of Naga City shared with the participants how they are able to promote transparency through their i-Governance program which enables ordinary citizens to easily access information pertaining to how their city budget is used by simply logging on to their website. Robredo also shared how they institutionalized through a city ordinance the formation of a People’s Council which sits in the different committees of the city government. This council serves as a partner in implementing government programs and at the same a watchdog as well to ensure that the local government continues to be held accountable to the people for their actions. Robredo stressed that by getting people involved in governance, they will also co-own the programs and by doing so, they will also continue to support the leader that has empowered them. This way of governing has enabled Robredo and his team to win the past 5 local elections without spending enormous amounts of money or resorting to illegal means. The people’s council model has since been replicated in Quezon City through the efforts of QC Councilor Bolet Banal and Mayor Sonny Belmonte.

Former Mayor Baby Congco of Cabiao, Nueva Ecija and Mayor Florante Gerdan of Sta. Fe, Nueva Vizcaya also shared that the leader who is able to deliver basic services effectively will usually win the elections. Congco, a 3-term mayor in her town, shared that in the past elections, her opponents would spend more than 5 times the usual amount that she would spend and yet she would still come out on top because her constituents easily feel the impact of her programs and projects particularly in education and healthcare. Gerdan, who used to be part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said that he works as if every day is an election day wherein he always goes out of his way to ensure that the important needs of his people are served. Although limited by resources, Congco and Gerdan continues govern effectively by finding private sector partners such as Gawad Kalinga, Ateneo de Manila University and the Zuellig Family Foundation to help them in their projects.

Mayor Fermin Mabulo of San Fernando, Camarines Sur sums it up well as he modifies a famous quote from the movie Spiderman by saying that, “With shared power comes shared responsibility.” Further stressing that good governance thrives when people are empowered and participate in the government’s efforts to ensure public welfare and development. Their experiences all show that an aspiring leader need not have millions of pesos to ensure winning an election. When people see that a leader practices good governance and provides opportunities to get their constituencies involved, it is the people themselves who will work to always ensure that this leader will continue to win the elections.

Be part of Panibagong Paraan 2009 and be updated with our future activities by adding us up at Facebook or sending us an email at panibagongparaan2009@gmail.com.

Harvey S. Keh is Director for Youth Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship at the Ateneo School of Government.

By Harvey S. Keh

WHEN the Philippine Daily Inquirer published a story about the leaders of Kaya Natin! discussing with Senator Mar Roxas the possibility of him taking part in a nomination and primary process (to be conducted by a separate group) to help select a common reform candidate for the 2010 national elections, we received various responses from the public. Some reactions were positive saying that they completely support the move to find a common alternative candidate that would champion good governance and ethical leadership in our country. Others were pessimistic saying that it might be too late in the game to actually conduct this process. While others expressed their disappointment saying that Kaya Natin might be mislead to thinking that Senator Roxas is a reform candidate when in actuality he is not.

How then can we determine whether or not a Presidential candidate is actually a real reform and alternative leader that we can entrust our support to?

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By Harvey S. Keh
Contributor

LAST week, Pampanga Governor Eddie “Among Ed” Panlilio again made the headlines and even the front page of the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) when he broke the news that the reason why he wants his Police Provincial Director relieved from his position is due to the latter’s refusal to cooperate with him in his fight against illegal gambling particularly jueteng in his province.

What even made the news even more alarming was the fact that there are allegations that it was First Son and Pampanga Congressman Mikey Arroyo who was exerting pressure on the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to ensure that the demands of Gov. Panlilio will not be given. If we will recall, in the last 2007 elections, one of Gov. Panlilio’s main opponents was Lilia Pineda who was then a Provincial Board Member and wife of alleged jueteng lord, Bong Pineda.

We all know that despite meager resources and limited amount of time to prepare, Gov. Panlilio through the support of the civil society and church groups was able to win and one of main thrust of his administration was to put an end to jueteng in Pampanga thus, ridding his province of the label, “the Vatican of Jueteng in the Philippines”. Barely a year in office, Gov. Panlilio filed a plunder case against Bong Pineda for his alleged involvement in jueteng operations all over the country.

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By Karla Angelica Pastores

THE first time I met Jesse Robredo, Grace Padaca, and Among Ed Panlilio, I wasn’t star struck. They did not have an air of superiority around them, and they certainly did not walk around waving to everyone and shaking hands with people whose arms are not even extended. To me, they did not look like politicians, let alone award-winning ones.

No, I wasn’t star struck when I met them. I was awestruck.

Over dinner at Club Filipino one June evening last year, I was listening to these three government officials talk about their problems in their provinces and offer solutions and support to each other. They were seated across from each other, engaging themselves in a lively conversation. As I sat there, a young, somewhat inexperienced fresh graduate, I felt very privileged to have met these leaders and be privy to their thoughts and ideas.

Several months and two more exceptional public servants later, my respect and admiration for Mayor Jesse of Naga City, Gov. Grace of Isabela, Among Ed of Pampanga, Gov. Teddy Baguilat of Ifugao and Mayor Sonia Lorenzo of San Isidro, Nueva Ecija have only grown. In my work for Kaya Natin!, I interact with these five people on a regular basis, and like that evening in Club Filipino when they first met, I have the chance to know them as people, not as politicians.

As people, these leaders are as real as they get. They have more right to say that they’re just regular people than television and movie stars have –just regular people who have problems and issues albeit scrutinized by the public eye. At least with celebrities, they’re compensated with more than enough; with government officials like Mayor Jesse and Gov. Grace, it’s only their heart for the people and the country that keeps them in public service despite the difficulties.

In today’s political arena where corruption seems to be the norm, government officials like the Kaya Natin! champions are a refreshing twist to the story. Here we have leaders who, while far from being perfect, have put it upon themselves to serve the public with integrity. Not only are they challenging the rules of the game of traditional politics, going against big names, but they do so with a genuine commitment to changing how politics works in the Philippines. They are the faces of effective and ethical leadership in government.

The reality is that these champions of good governance are not that much different from the rest of us. Before taking on the challenge of public service, they were ordinary citizens who only wanted to do something and be someone for others. It was a sacrifice they were ready and willing to make, and it was a sacrifice that was worth every pain and disappointment if only to see their fellow Filipinos leading better lives. They are still ordinary citizens; only now they hold jobs aimed at serving the public.

Ordinary people? Quite probably. Extraordinary characters? Most definitely. The best part is, they’re all real people.

LAST week, one of the major news stories that erupted prior to the end of 2008 was an incident involving the abuse of power by a city mayor whose father is also the incumbent Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary.

According to an e-mail which has been circulating for days now, Masiu City Mayor Nasser Pangandaman, Jr. together with his friends and bodyguards ganged up and beat up a 56-year-old man and his 14-year-old son over an altercation at the Valley Golf and Country Club in Antipolo City.

As if this wasn’t enough, Mayor Pangandaman, Jr. and his cohorts continued to beat the two of them up while the 14-year-son pleaded with them to stop. This happened as DAR Secretary Nasser Pangandaman just watched and didn’t even bother to lift a finger to stop the incident. Since then many people have condemned this act and have voiced out their utmost disappointment with the kind of government officials that we have in this country.

If Sec. Pangandaman and Mayor Pangandaman, Jr. have some decency and delicadeza left in them, I believe they should not only offer a sincere apology to the Dela Paz family but also resign from their posts immediately.

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