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The
present administration keeps on harping that it is
focusing on the economy and cannot be distracted by
“political noise.”
Again
and again, the mantra of the famous 7.3-percent gross
domestic product (GDP) growth is repeatedly drummed into
the exasperated citizen’s ears. The briefing for the
business sector on February 15, a few hours before the
massive rally in Makati, was largely on the same theme.
However,
economists themselves are saying: “It’s not only the
economy. It is governance, stupid!”
“The
7.3-percent GDP economic growth is fantastic!” So said
one of the gushing listeners during the briefing of the
President. What does this number mean for the majority
of Filipinos? So-called growth can only be meaningful if
it results in increased incomes, more jobs and stable
prices for the man on the street.
Where is
the growth coming from? Who are the main beneficiaries?
The agriculture, forestry and fishery sector registered
the lowest rate of growth of 5.1 percent. Unfortunately
most Filipinos, particularly the poor, are in this
sector.
On the
other hand, the rate of growth of industry is at 6.6
percent while the service sector is highest at 8.7
percent.
The rate
of growth of the subsectors presents a sobering picture.
The forestry subsector has a very high growth rate of
12.2 percent with agriculture lagging far, far behind.
This has implications for environmental concerns,
particularly global warming and massive flooding, as in
Quezon, Bicol provinces, Leyte, and, most recently,
Samar.
In the
industry sector, the subsector of mining and quarrying
registered the all-time highest growth of 25 percent.
Again, one asks, “What precautions have been taken about
the environment?”
The
subsector of manufacturing has the lowest rate of growth
of 3.3 percent, much lower than that of agriculture.
Ironically, it is this subsector which employs huge
numbers of workers. This worrisome rate is probably due
to the closure of many export-oriented firms in
Luzon, Cebu and
Mindanao, sending thousands of jobless workers to the
streets.
Sustained jobless growth?
It is
said that millions of jobs have been created.
It is
alarming to note, though, that the National Capital
Region (NCR), which has the densest population in the
country, has the lowest employment rate at 89.4 percent.
Put in another way, the NCR has the highest unemployment
rate at 10.6 percent. This is very dangerous because it
can exacerbate criminality and a host of social
problems, including suicide.
Finally,
government figures show that of the total unemployed in
the country, 39.5 percent are college graduates. This
means that levels of frustration are very high.
Invisible governance?
When I
was an activist 40 years ago, a book came out detailing
the sinister activities of the Central Intelligence
Agency (CIA) in many developing countries, including the
Philippines.
It was called “The Invisible Government”, an unseen
entity collecting information, influencing government
decisions, triggering murders, change of governments and
even wars. The book proved to be a powerful weapon in
the global campaign against the US presence in Vietnam.
There is
an invisible government running the country at present.
Others might call it a “parallel” government. In
organization theory, it is called the “informal
organization.” The informal organization does not
reflect the formal government structures. It does not
reflect formal decision-making processes. Yet, it shapes
policy, oversees implementation and allocates resources
drawn from the formal organization.
The
national broadband network/ZTE deal reflects the
workings of invisible governance. Look at the key
players—the president of a corporation whose activities
are not even remotely related to the National Economic
and Development Authority (Neda), the chairman of the
Commission on Elections, the son the then-Speaker of the
House, a foreign corporation and a certain Famous
Gentleman. Their one link is the director general of the
Neda and his principal.
These
characters have no accountability with regard to the
contract, but there they were, busily wheeling, dealing
and negotiating over major changes in government policy
and sharing of commissions; not in government offices,
but during golf sessions, over hamburger snacks and in
hotel rooms abroad.
Once
reached, decisions of the invisible government were
transmitted to the formal organizations, namely, the
Neda and DOTC, which legitimized the deals.
Thus, a
small cabal of persons with no accountability succeeded
in committing the government to a $329-million loan
contract!
The
invisible government operates where there are huge
infrastructure contracts, megaprojects and massive
funds. That means most of the public administration
system. It succeeds because decision makers in the
visible government collaborate with it.
My
friends ask me, “Why is it that corruption has never
really been eliminated across administrations in spite
of the zillions spent in governance reforms?” I always
tell them it is because reform efforts are concentrated
on visible governance.
To those
who use the fantastic (or fantasy?) economy as an excuse
for inaction, it is not only the economy; it is
governance, stupid! |
