The Bureaucracy and Administration Development in the Philippines(1965-1992)

• Main Authors: Ya Hui Chou, 鄒雅惠
• Other Authors: Lin, Juo Yu
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2000
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/94336156868660522848

碩士 === 淡江大學 === 東南亞研究所 === 88 === After more than three centuries of foreign rule, the Philippines gained full democracy. It set up the separation of the three powers, adapted the Presidential system of government, and has since seen different political parties taking over the reins of government, giving it the title “Asia’s Window of Democracy.” Its path to democracy: from the days of democracy in its infancy, to the iron-fisted rule Ferdinand Marcos, to the restoration of democracy under Corazon Aquino. Every major shift in political power had its effect on the bureaucratic system. From a historical and cultural standpoint, there is the Church; from a political standpoint, there are the political parties and crony capitalism; from a social standpoint, there was the patron-client relationship. More than 90% of Filipinos are Catholics, and the 1986 People Power Revolution served as a display of the Church’s power; politicians used their parties as election machinery, and political patronization led to the formation of networks between politicians and their supporters. Politics often intervened with government staff-hiring and promotion practices, causing the loss of the merit system. The Philippine government is divided into the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary branches. The President appoints high-ranking (non-career service) officers. Political aides draft policies preached by the President; career service personnel execute them. Power shifts after every election, and non-career service personnel step down with the outgoing President. Layoffs and reorganizations often took place to carry out reforms and promote administrative development. On the other hand, while the legislative branch took the task of checking the reforms programs, the bureaucracy used patronization politics to sway politicians from dropping the axe. These contributed to the emergence of the cultures of patronage, mediocrity, ambiguity, and dualism within the bureaucracy. When bureaucracy’s work is flawed or tainted, the Ombudsman can step in to provide corrective action. Reforms on bureaucracy aim to streamline the government’s organization, cut on personnel costs, and improve administrative efficiency to promote administrative development.