MPA 205 Public Policy & Program Management

1. NATURE OF PUBLIC
POLICY AND PROCESS
By: May Ann L. Maningding
DR. JOSEFINA BITONIO
Professor

2. What is Public Policy
An attempt by a government to address a
public issue by instituting laws, regulations,
decisions, or actions pertinent to the
problem at hand. Numerous issues can be
addressed by public policy including crime,
education, foreign policy, health, and social
welfare.
Principles & standards regarded by the
legislature or by the courts as being of
fundamental concern to the State & the
whole society

3. Meaning of Public Policy
Commonly embodied in constitutions,
legislative acts and judicial decisions;
may also be created by an executive
order, bureaucratic regulation, or
provincial/city/municipal/barangay
ordinance
System of courses of action, regulatory
measures, laws, & funding priorities
concerning a given topic promulgated by
a governmental entity or its
representatives

4. Public Policy Process in
the Philippines

5. Policy Cycle POLICY STAGES in the PHILIPPINES Institutions
Agenda Setting Public sector’s development requirements;
Amendments to current policies; Sectoral
advocacies, etc.
State actors –
legislators, executive
offices,
Non-state actors –
development agencies,
industry, private
business, NGOs/Pos, etc.
Policy
FORMULATON
Policymakers in the legislative and executive
(national and local) take up the agenda
Congress (Republic
Acts)
Executive (Implementing
Rules and Regulations,
Exec Order, Admin
Order, Dept. Order,
Memo Circular, etc)
LGUs (Council
Resolutions)
Policy ADOPTION Formal enactment of the official and legal
policy instrument after a series of dialogues and
consultations with state and non-state sectors;
presentation of options
Policy
FORMALIZATION
Policy
IMPLEMENTATIO
N
Translation of the policy into programs and
projects at the executive branch - from the
President to the line agencies and concerned
institutions at the national and local levels;
Mobilization of resources - funds, personnel,
etc.
Executive Branch –
Departments, Agencies,
LGUs, Budget
Department Office, Civil
Service, Regulatory and
Oversight Agencies
Policy Evaluation Policy Implementation Review and Evaluation
towards Agenda Setting

6. The Philippine Public
Policy:
Past, Present, Future

7. Traditional Views of
Public Policy

8. Harold Lasswell
and Abraham
Kaplan (1970)
define public
policy as “a
projected
program of
goals, values,
and practices”
Robert Eyestone (1971)
defines public policy
most extensively. He
states, “In a broad
sense, public policy is
the relationship
between governmental
organs and their
environment”.

9. Woodrow Wilson, who is arguably
the father of modern public
administration, contends, “public
policy is the laws and regulations
which are made by legislative
statesmen and implemented by
public administration personnel”
(1985)
This definition is obviously characterized
by “the dichotomy between politics and
administration,” which narrows the scope
and limits the range of public policy
makers.

10. Thomas R. Dye (1987) thinks, “Public
policy is whatever governments
choose to do or not to do”. Dye
focuses not only on government
action, but also on government
inaction, and therefore, his definition
shows the obvious character of
behavioralism. It reflects the practical
discipline quality of public policy
analysis.

11. According to Rye “Action” means that
government takes measures or uses
symbols openly in order to solve
some public problem. “Inaction”
means that government does not take
measures or express active symbols,
abiding by the principle of non
interference. Both are important
solutions to public problems.

12. Public Policy in the Philippines
Scholars have developed various public
policymaking models over the years in an
attempt to explicate the process and to
teach students and practitioners how to
make public policy. Some scholars study
the policy process generally and try to
develop acknowledge base that can be
applied across policy domains. The
following are some of the models of policy
making. These are not the only
theories/models.

13. There are several institutional built-in
systems of policymaking in the
Philippines, some of these are: National
Economic Development Authority
(NEDA) – for socio-economic policies
National Security Council (NSC) – for
security and defense Legislative
Executive Development Advisory Council
(LEDAC) – general legislative agendas
Metro Manila Development Authority
(MMDA) – local level agencies for
concerns affecting basic services

14. The last three agencies mentioned
do perform certain stages of the
public policy process, none of them
have a more defined and extensive
mandate and a more permanent
structure than NEDA.

15. INCLUSIVE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
OUTCOMES Regain Public Trust Increase Opportunities Sustainable Economic
Growth
PHIL DEVELOPMENT
PLAN 2017-2022
3 BROAD Pillars
(Strategies)
1.Malasakit 2. Pagbabago 3.Patuloy na Pag Unlad

16. “Malasakit” pillar “aims to regain
people’s trust in public institutions
and cultivate trust among fellow
Filipinos” by “promoting
awareness of anti-corruption
measures, improving the
productivity of the public sector,
implementing regulatory reforms,
increasing access to legal aid,
pursuing corrections reform, and
promoting culture-sensitive
governance and development.”

17. “Pagbabago” allows “inequality-
reducing transformation through
increasing opportunities for growth of
output and income.”Opportunities in
agriculture will be expanded, Pursue
strategies such as achieving quality
and accessible basic education for
all, enhancing disaster risk reduction
and management mechanisms, and
adopting universal social protection.”

18. “Patuloy na Pag-unlad,” concentrate on
increasing potential growth through
sustaining and accelerating economic
growth by maximizing the demographic
dividend and vigorously advancing science,
technology and innovation.
Strategies under this pillar will ensure maintaining
macroeconomic and financial stability, and
observing fiscal prudence while the tax system is
being reformed into a much simpler, fair and
equitable one (TRAIN Law).

19. Thoughts:
NEDA is the primary policymaking body
with regard to the development scene
in the Philippines. But the workings of
the EDSA phenomenon have changed
the landscape of policymaking. The
role of the civil society groups in
influencing agenda-setting has never
been more evident than now.

20. Likewise, the Catholic Church along
with other religious groups and the
mass media, realizing their power
to make and unmake governments
are intruding in the process to the
detriment of the majority of the
people, who are being deprived of
right, sound and viable policies
because of political indebtedness,
concessions, and the sheer lack of
political will.

21. With the incessant fight for power and
scarce resources, the highly
functional institutional model had
been effectively relegated to the
background. Now, the elite and
interest groups have come to the
core, thus, transforming the policy
process itself into nothing but a crisis
management cycle focused on the
Administration.

22. Recommendations
Innovation can be institutionalized into the policy
process. Diligence in the development and processing
of policy inputs is crucial
Inclusive and innovative development need not
always require new legislation. It can take the form of
amendments to existing legislation or translation of
policies into more focused policy instruments further
broken down into specific programs and projects
Institutions play a central role in the policy
advocacy. Their strength or weakness (authority,
structure, systems, fiscal/human resources) spell the
difference in making innovation evolve and thrive in an
inclusive manner throughout the policy process,
especially at implementation

23. Recommendations
Context is key. The existing and evolving policy,
institutional and socio-political realities are as
important as the Content of the policy
Innovations at inclusiveness can be replicated,
customized and expanded. There is a need to
document and make available information and
knowledge
Capacity building for all policy actors – state and
non-state stakeholders – should be continuous and
accessible

24. Recommendations
Credible institutions (or network of institutions)
should lead the advocacy and action to
Build up a policy research agenda in the country
in a collaborative manner
Document learning, develop knowledge,
disseminate and communicate
Facilitate a thriving venue/platform for continued
discourse, learning, sharing and capacity building
of institutions, organizations, persons and other
champion organizations

25. “It is better for a city to be
governed by a good man
than by good laws.”
--Aristotle

26. References:
ppt by Prof Eleazar Ricote IID Policy, Environment in the Philippines
Models Approaches of Public Policy by Agnes Montalbo
Public Policy & Program Administration by: Engr. Rogelio
Mercado
Public Policy by Abigail Pugal Sonera
Understanding the Philippine Public Policy Process: An
Executive Branch Perspective by .Antonio F. Trillanes IV PN
October 2002
www.google.com
www.yahoo.com

27. Video (please click)