Polytechnic University of the Philippines

Lopez, Quezon
Department of Public Administration

PUAD 102
Philippine Administrative Thoughts and Institutions

BPAPFM-LQ 1-1
Thursday, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM – LQ 203
2nd semester, SY 2022-23

Session 2. March 30
Alex V. Avila
Theme 1: Dimensions of Philippine Lecturer
Public Administration and Governance
 March 30 – Session 2
Theme 1: Dimensions of Philippine Public Administration & Governance

Learning Content / Topics Desired Learning Outcomes

a. History and development of the discipline • Discuss and explain the history and development of the
b. Ideals and practice in the study of PAG discipline
c. Framework and teaching methodology • Identify and expound on the ideals and practice of the study
• Learn about frameworks and teaching methodologies on PAG

Methodology: Lecture Assessment: Recitation / Quiz

Resources/References:
dela Rosa Reyes, Danilo et al. (Eds.) Introduction to Public Administration in the Philippines: A Reader. Third Edition, Volume 1, 2015.
Diliman: NCPAG, University of the Philippines.
UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (1998): Rethinking Public Administration: An Overview. ST/TCD/SER.E/27
Reyes, Danilo. “The Study of Public Administration in Perspectives: A Passing Review of the Development of the Discipline.”
Philippine Journal of Public Administration, Vol. 39, January 1995.
Brillantes, Alex B. and Maricel Fernandez, “Is there a Philippine Public Administration? Or Better Still, for Whom is Philippine Public
Administration?” Philippine Journal of Public Administration, Vol. 52, Jan. 2008.
History and development of the discipline

Reference/Source: Carino, Ledivina V. (2008). State, Market, and Civil Society in Philippine Public
Administration. Philippine Journal of Public Administration, 52(2-4), 139-166. Reprinted in Introduction
 Some Basic Definitions
Public – of, relating to, or affecting all the people or the whole area of a nation or state. (Merriam-
Webster)

Public Administration – see I395661.pdf (aijbm.com)

Philippine Administrative System – see slide #

Public Policy – is what officials within government, and by extension the citizens they represent, choose
to do or not to do about public problems. Public policy is a course of government action or inaction in
response to public problems. – (M. Kraft & S. Furlong, 2010)

Public Goods – In economics, a public good is a good that is both non-excludable and non-rivalrous. For
such goods, users cannot be barred from accessing or using them for failing to pay for them. Also, use by
one person neither prevents access of other people nor does it reduce availability to others. Wikipedia

Governance – is the process of making and enforcing decisions within an organization or society. It is
the process of interactions through the laws, social norms, power or language as structured in
communication of an organized society over a social system. Wikipedia
Politics-administration dichotomy - Wikipedia

The politics-administration dichotomy is a theory that

constructs the boundaries of public administration and
asserts the normative relationship between elected officials
and administrators in a democratic society.[1]

The phrase politics-administration dichotomy itself does not

appear to have a known inventor, even after exhaustive
research, the combination of words that make up the phrase
was first found in public administration literature from the
1940s with no clear originator.[2]
Politics-administration dichotomy - Wikipedia

Woodrow Wilson is credited with the politics-administration dichotomy via his

theories on public administration in his 1887 essay, "The Study of
Administration". Wilson came up with a theory that politics and administration
are inherently different and should be approached as such.[3] Wilson wrote in
his essay in regards to public administration: “The field of administration is a
field of business. It is removed from the hurry and strife of politics....
Administration lies outside the proper sphere of politics. Administrative
questions are not political questions. Although politics sets the tasks for
administration, it should not be suffered to manipulate its offices.”[4]

With these words, Wilson started a debate that has been going on for decades
and continues to this day. The politics-administration dichotomy is an important
concept in the field of public administration and shows no signs of going away
because it deals with the policy-makers role as an administrator and the
balancing act that is the relationship between politics and administration.
 Historical Development of Public Administration as an Academic Discipline
Time Period Major Development
Traditional/Classical • 1887: Woodrow Wilson’s seminal essay, The Study of Administration

discipline. | Download Scientific Diagram (researchgate.net)

Source: Historical development of public administration as an academic
Public Administration • 1900: Frank Goodnow’s first book in the field, Politics and Administration
(1880s to 1950s) • 1911: FW Taylor’s book, The Principles of Scientific Management
• 1916: Henri Fayol’s 14 principles of management, General and Industrial Management
• 1920s—1930s: Elton Mayo conducted Hawthorne Experiment
• 1926: Leonard D White wrote an influential book, Introduction to the Study of Public Administration
• 1927: WF Willoughby’s book, The principles of Public Administration
• 1937: Luther H Gulick and Lyndal Urwick coined the acronym POSDCORB that denotes the principles
of administration (Papers on the Science of Administration)
• 1939: The American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) was founded
• 1940: ASPA started publishing the journal Public Administration Review
• 1946: Max Weber highlighted the features of Bureaucracy
• 1947: Herbert Simon’s great contribution, Administrative Behavior
Development • ____: Development Administration (DA) focuses on third-world countries
Administration • 1955: U.L. Goswami, an Indian scholar, first coined the term DA (Donald Stone first used the term)
(1950s to 1960s) • 1964: Edward Weidner first defines DA
• ____: Later, it was conceptualized by many American scholars, viz.: George gant, FW Riggs, Edward
Weidner, John Montgomery, Hahn Been Lee, Milton J Esman, and Ferrel Heady, et al.
New Public • 1968: The term New Public Administration emerged from the Minnowbrook Conference in Syracuse
Administration University
1970s) • 1970: National Association of Schools for Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) was founded
• 1980: Frederickson wrote his essay, Towards a New Public Administration
Stages of development of Public Administration
Stages Period Description Main Characteristics
Stage 1 1887 – Politics-administration • Woodrow Wilson writing, 1887
1926 dichotomy • Goodnow’s Politics and Administration, 1900
• Leonard White’s Introduction to the Study of Public Administration, 1926
(Lynn 2001:144; Uwizeyimana and Maphunye 2014:94)
Stage 2 1927 – Scientific Management (and • Orthodoxy in Public Administration and a drive towards efficiency
1937 Principles of Administration) • Gulick and Urwick importation of Frederick Taylor’s theories of ‘scientific
management’ and Henry Fayol’s theories of ‘business administration’ in the
public sector through the famous POSDCORB (Uwizeyimana and Maphunye
2014:94)
Stage 3 1938 – Period of heterodoxy (or • Challenge of both the politics-administration dichotomy and scientific
1950 Conceptual challenge) management
• Hawthorne experiments (1920 to 1932)
• More emphasis on human relations
Stage 4 1950s – The New Public • Identity crisis
1970s Administration • Rejection of both the principles of administration and the politics-
administration dichotomy
• Simon’s ‘Administrative Behavior’ and Robert Dahl’s essay on ‘The Science
of Public Administration: Three Problems”, 1940s (Georgiou 2014:156)

Source: Stages of development of Public Administration | Download Table (researchgate.net)

 PA as a Developing Discipline
Paradigm Discipline Period
1 Politics/Administration Dichotomy 1900 – 1926
2 The Principles of Administration 1926 – 1937
3 PA as a Political Science 1950 – 1970
4 PA as Management 1956 – 1970
5 PA as New Public Management 1970
6 PA from Government to Governance 1990s to the present

Source: timeline evolution of public administration - Google Search

 Streams of Public Administration
Traditional Public Administration
• incorporated ideas from other disciplines (e.g. engineering, economics, and business)
• advancement of democracy and public service

Development Administration
• to jumpstart the process of economic development
• “comparative administration” – a comparison of how a country was progressing against another

New Public Administration

• distinctly aimed at changing American Public Administration to a discipline that could address the
vast problems affecting American society–poverty, inequality, neglect of human rights, racism, global
misadventures
 Convergence of PA and the Meaning of “Public”

Indicative starting 1880s (US)/ 1950s 1970s Mid-1980s

point 1950s (Philippines)
Streams of Public Traditional Public Development New Public Public Administration
Administration Administration Administration Administration and Governance
Meaning of “public” As government As government As kind of goods and As the focus of the
services service
 History and Context of the Development of
Public Administration in the Philippines

Reference/Source: Reyes, Danilo R. (2011). “History and Context of the Development of Public Administration in the
Philippines.” Public Administration in Southeast Asia: Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Macao. By E. M.
Berman. Taylor and Francis Group, LLC, a division of Informa Plc.
 Philippine Bureaucracy During the Spanish Colonial Regime
• established a centralized authority and absorbed the barangays, except those in the predominantly
Muslim areas in the South

• “theocratic rule” – administrative system was largely subservient to the church

• administrative system was also built on the framework of serving private interests with the “practical
objective of increasing the royal estate through tributes, monopolies, fees and fines”

• adopted a policy of appointments to public offices based on grants or favor, called “merced”, from the
king (e.g. positions such as viceroy, governor-general, members of the Audiencia, and provincial
executives)

• another mode of appointment was made on the basis of the sale of public offices... To institutionalize
these arrangements, a variety of laws were established to govern and legitimize the sale.

* no se haga novedad or “do not commit or introduce any innovations on royal prescriptions”

* obedezco pero no cumplo or “I obey but do not enforce or comply”

 Short-Lived Philippine Republic: Beginnings of a Professional Civil Service

• The Malolos Constitution, adopted in January 1899, incorporated full blown

provisions on the “Administration of the State”.

• Title 12 defined procedures on the budget, payment from the appropriation laws,
disposal of property, and securing of loans.

• Title 11 also provided for the organization and powers of provincial and municipal
assemblies, which in effect embodied a system of local governments in the country.

• The experience of bureaucratic rapacity and inefficiency committed by unqualified

civil servants during the Spanish regime impelled the Filipinos to advocate for a civil
service based on merit and fitness that not only ensured appointments determined
by open competitive examinations, but also guaranteed security of tenure.
 American Colonial Regime and the Philippine Commonwealth

• The American takeover of the Philippines upon the pacification of the islands in 1902 was auspicious
for the Philippines because the Americans introduced a civil government that was in marked contrast
to that of Spain.

• It was also during this period that public administration was professionalized. The American colonial
regime thus introduced in the Philippines a civil service system based on merits and fitness,
characterized by professionalism and careerism, ensured security of tenure, and with appointments
determined by open competitive examinations.

• Another important feature of the system was the adoption of political neutrality for career members
of the civil service, which secured them against involvement in partisan politics. Also, the
administrative system was open and made available to Filipinos.

• Act 5, also known as the Philippine Service Act, with the formal title of “An Act for the Establishment
and Maintenance of an Efficient and Honest Civil Service in the Philippines”, was enacted by the
Philippine Commission on 19 September 1900.
 Japanese Interregnum, 1942—1945
• The Japanese occupation of the Philippines disrupted and dislocated the political,
economic, and social life of the country.

• The three years of Japanese occupation had a severe impact on the bureaucracy in the
Philippines. The civil servants who manned the government during the truncated
commonwealth period were forced to serve under pain of reprisals.

• For these civil servants and for the rest of the populace, the government and its
administrative machinery “was the instrument of a hated regime” and acts of sabotage to
undermine the Japanese sponsored republic were regarded as a patriotic act. Thus, such
“acts of administrative delay and obstruction,” and “countless ways of less-than-full
compliance with administrative orders, came to be habitually indulged in, and were
condoned as moral and patriotic”. Those who chose to perform their duties efficiently were
considered as “collaborators” and “traitors,” which made it more convenient for the
politically astute to go through the motions and rituals of administrative activity while
secretly committing covert acts of sabotage.
 Independence Period and the
Establishment of the Institute of Public Administration
 Administrative Values in the Philippines
Public administration in the Philippines observes and pursues administrative values that
are a mixture of three major, sometimes compatible, sometimes conflicting, influences.

• The first major influence is the impact of the larger societal culture where bureaucracy must
operate. The wider Filipino societal culture in part shapes and influences the values found in
Philippine bureaucracy (e.g. amor propio [self-respect]; delicadeza [propriety]; hiya
[shame]; utang na loob [debt of gratitude], and pakikisama [friendship or familial ties]).

• Secondly, the formalities dictated under the norms of Weberian bureaucracy remain equally
strong in the Philippine bureaucracy. Merit and fitness, competence, and qualifications
persist as standards in recruitment and appointments even if disrupted at times by
patronage and spoils. The system of rules and procedures is likewise generally observed,
but can be set aside either because of the intervention of a politician or because of the
demands and pressures of cultural values and ties.
 Administrative Values in the Philippines
Public administration in the Philippines observes and pursues administrative values that
are a mixture of three major, sometimes compatible, sometimes conflicting, influences.

• Thirdly, the influences of the colonial period continue to influence administrative behavior,
again in positive and negative ways. The American value of merit and fitness and
competitive examinations continue to hold sway and enjoy acceptance in the bureaucracy.
But such negative traits as refusal to initiate innovations or weak or indecisive compliance
of rules continue to impair Philippine bureaucracy, though not as rampant as during the
colonial era.

As such, bureaucratic behavior and the values pursued by the Philippine bureaucracy today
could be viewed as having adapted and adjusted to the vicissitudes and vagaries of its
environment and its past. Bureaucratic values and behavior in Philippine public administration
can thus be viewed as a web of influences and a curious blend of indigenous social forces,
implanted norms, and colonial legacies. These are adapted and suited according to the
demands of particular situations.
 Ideals and practice in the study of PAG
“Is there a Philippine public administration?”

“How have the scope and substance of the discipline changed and evolved from its
introduction in the country with the founding of the UP Institute of Public Administration in
1952 through the present UP National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP
NCPAG)?”

Focus on the normative and empirical aspects and outcomes of PH governance involving:

• politics and political participation

• the institutions and processes of public policy
• decision making and implementation
• feedback to the political leaders, administrators, and the people

Reference/Source: Abueva, Jose V. (2008). Ideals and Practice in the Study of Philippine Public Administration. Philippine Journal of Public Administration, 52(2-4), 119-138.
 Ideals and practice in the study of PAG

Purpose is to call attention to:

1) the gap between ideals and practice, visions and reality

2) the inputs, outputs, and outcomes in the processes of PAG
3) the assessments of the quality of democracy, governance, leadership,
citizenship, and public institutions in relation to expectations and the
condition of the people and the country

Reference/Source: Abueva, Jose V. (2008). Ideals and Practice in the Study of Philippine Public Administration. Philippine Journal of Public Administration, 52(2-4), 119-138.
 Visualizing the Philippine Nation-State System
Independent Variables Intervening Variables Dependent Variables
Inputs Throughputs Outputs/Outcomes
• •

Source: Abueva, Jose V. (2008). Ideals and Practice in the Study of Philippine Public Administration.
Local, regional, national, Local, regional, national,

Philippine Journal of Public Administration, 52(2-4), 119-138.

international, global international, global
• States, multinationals, NGOs, • States, multinationals, NGOs,
religious, universities religious, universities

PHILIPPINE NATION-STATE
Republic of the Philippines
Institutions, Processes, and Functions of Governance

VALUES
NATION/PEOPLE
SECTORS FUNCTIONS/PROCESSES
Social State of nation/
Cultural People’s The state/government Recruitment of leaders/staff democracy
Factors Demands (elections/appointments)
Policies/
Economic People’s Interest articulation/interest decisions
Factors trust/ Market/private sector Aggregation
support Public service
Lawmaking/policymaking/
Political People’s Political sector Adjudication
Employment/
Factors distrust
Policy implementation/ patronage
apathy
Monitoring/evaluation
Social Media Income/revenue
Policy & Institutional change
Values
and reforms Progress/welfare
People’s
Resistance Civil Society Nation-state maintenance and
Poverty/misery
Ideologies renewal

FEEDBACK
 Moral Recovery Program
Sen. Leticia R. Shahani & Dr. Patricia B. Licuanan
A moral recovery program: Building a people—building a nation

1. A sense of patriotism and national pride—a genuine love, appreciaton, and commitment to the
Philippines and things Filipino;

2. A sense of the common good—the ability to look beyond selfish interests, a sense of justice, and a
sense of outrage at their violation;

3. A sense of integrity and accountability—an aversion towards graft and corruption in society and an
avoidance of the practice in one’s daily life;

4. The value and habits of discipline and hard work; and

5. The value and habits of self-reflection and analysis, the internalization of spiritual values, the
emphasis on essence rather than form. (Licuanan, 1988, “Goals and Strategies for Change”)

Reference/Source: Abueva, Jose V. (2008). Ideals and Practice in the Study of Philippine Public Administration. Philippine Journal of Public Administration, 52(2-4), 119-138.
Citing Licuanan, P.B. (1988). A moral recovery program: Building a people—building a nation. In F. Dy (Ed.), Cultural heritage and contemporary changes (series 3, vol. 7, chap. 4).
Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press.
 On the “observed” weaknesses of the Philippines as a nation
Jose V. Abueva

1. To achieve greater unity and cohesion as a national community in a globalizing world;

2. To deepen their sense of national identity and history;

3. To strengthen their love and pride of country;

4. To enhance their appreciation of things Filipino and the achievements of Filipinos; and

5. To strengthen their concern for the common good and the national interest

All these qualities are to be expressed in deeds and not merely in words—in the substance
of Filipino nationalism. (Abueva, 1999, p. 809)

Reference/Source: Abueva, Jose V. (2008). Ideals and Practice in the Study of Philippine Public Administration. Philippine Journal of Public Administration, 52(2-4), 119-138.
Citing Abueva, J. V. (Ed.). (1999). Filipino nationalism. Quezon City: University of the Philippines University Press.
 Characteristics of “Soft States”
Gunnar Myrdal (1968), Asian Drama

“Soft States are dominated by powerful interests that exploit the power of the
State or government to serve their own interests rather than the interest of
their citizens.”

“Policies decided on are often not enforced, if they are enacted at all, and in
that the authorities, even when framing policies are reluctant to place
obligations on people” (p. 66)

“Governments require extraordinary little of their citizens . . . even those

obligations that do exist are enforced inadequately, if at all.” (p. 896)

“There is an unwillingness among the rulers to impose obligations on the

governed and a corresponding unwillingness on their part to obey rules laid
down by democratic procedures.” (p. 277)
Reference/Source: Abueva, Jose V. (2008). Ideals and Practice in the Study of Philippine Public Administration. Philippine Journal of Public Administration, 52(2-4), 119-138.
Citing Myrdal, G. (1968). Asian drama: An inquiry into the poverty of nations. New York: Twentieth Century Fund.
 Who Are the Exploiters of the “Soft State”
Gunnar Myrdal (1968), Asian Drama

1) “rent-seeking,” abusive oligarchs or rich and powerful politicians and their

families; but not all rich and powerful leaders abuse their power and authority
2) “warlords” who use violence to gain and protect their power and political
position
3) politicians who use force, fraud, or buy votes to win elections and stay in power
4) “rent-seeking” businessmen;
5) “rent-seeking” public administrators
6) gambling lords, drug lords, and smuggling lords
7) Tax evaders
8) Rebels who collect “revolutionary taxes”
9) Terrorists
10) Poor “informal settlers” and heads of so-called “squatter syndicates” who
occupy private or public land and use their votes to win the protection of
politicians.

Reference: Abueva, Jose V. (2008). Ideals and Practice in the Study of Philippine Public Administration. Philippine Journal of Public Administration, 52(2-4), 119-138. Citing
Myrdal, G. (1968). Asian drama: An inquiry into the poverty of nations. New York: Twentieth Century Fund.
 Characteristics of a “Failing State”
“Failing States and Failed States, Foreign Policy (2006)

A “failing state is one in which:

1) “The government does not have effective control of its territory;

2) It is not perceived as legitimate by a significant portion of its
population (erosion of legitimate authority to make collective
decisions);
3) It does not provide domestic security or basic services to its citizens
(inability to provide reasonable public services);
4) It lacks a monopoly on the use of force [there are rebels and warlords
who control their territories);
5) It may experience active violence or simply be vulnerable to violence;
6) It has a high perception of corruption” (Foreign Policy, 2006).

Reference/Source: Abueva, Jose V. (2008). Ideals and Practice in the Study of Philippine Public Administration. Philippine Journal of Public Administration, 52(2-4), 119-138.
Citing Foreign Policy (2006, January 7). Failing states and failed states.
 Theory of Democratic Consolidation
Diamond, L. (2008). The democratic rollback: The resurgence of the predatory state.

Emerging democracies must demonstrate that they can solve their

governance problems and meet their citizen’s expectations for
freedom, justice, a better life, and a fairer society. If democracies do
not more effectively contain crime and corruption, generate
economic growth, relieve economic inequality, and secure freedom
and the rule of law, people will eventually lose faith and turn into
authoritarian alternatives. Struggling democracies must be
consolidated so that all levels of society become enduringly
committed to democracy as the best form of government and to their
country’s constitutional norms and constraints. (Diamond, 2008, p. 1)

Reference/Source: Abueva, Jose V. (2008). Ideals and Practice in the Study of Philippine Public Administration. Philippine Journal of Public Administration, 52(2-4), 119-138.
Citing Diamond, L. (2008). The democratic rollback: The resurgence of the predatory state. Foreign Affairs, 87(2).
 Interdependence Among Good Governance, Effective Institutions, and Pro-growth Policies
Diamond, L. (2008). The democratic rollback: The resurgence of the predatory state.

Without significant improvements in governance,

economic growth will not take off or be sustainable.
Without legal and political institutions to control
corruption, punish cheating, and ensure a level
economic and political playing field, pro-growth
policies will be ineffective and their economic
benefits will be overshadowed or erased. (Diamond,
2008, p. 2)

Reference: Abueva, Jose V. (2008). Ideals and Practice in the Study of Philippine Public Administration. Philippine Journal of Public Administration, 52(2-4), 119-138. Citing
Diamond, L. (2008). The democratic rollback: The resurgence of the predatory state. Foreign Affairs, 87(2).
Framework and teaching methodology

Reference/Source: Alfiler, Ma. Concepcion (2008). “The Philippine Administrative System as an Enabling Institution: A Framework
and a Teaching Methodology”. Reprinted from the Philippine Journal of Public Administration, 52(2008/2-4), 224-244.
 Three Models of Public Administration
Public Public Responsive
Administration Management Governance

Citizen-state Obedience Entitlement Empowerment

relationship

Accountability of Politicians Customers Citizens and

senior officials stakeholders

Guiding principles Compliance with rules Efficiency and Accountability,

and regulations results transparency, and
participation

Criteria for success Output Outcome Process

Key attribute Impartiality Professionalism Responsiveness

Source: UN, 2005, p. 7, as cited in Alfiler (2008)

 The Philippine Administrative System as an Enabling Institution
The PAS Empowerment Process Communities
Elements Capability Building Approach Characteristics
• Goals • Organized
• Structures • Critically aware
Utilizing PAS Power to
• Resources • Has vision of what they want
Enhance People Power

Source: UN, 2005, p. 7, as cited in Alfiler (2008).

• Policies
P • programs
• Acknowledges people as
Capability Building Process
Power Base • Problem identification
E • Instrument of state ultimate source and end of
• Objectives setting
• Enforcer of law state power
O • Program planning
• Implementor of public policy • Enforces the law fairly and
• Structure building
justly
P • Extensive structure
• Implements public policy
• Service delivery system Outcome
L • Participation in policy formulation
•
efficiently
Decentralizes and makes • Effective self-sustaining
• Technical knowledge
E • Desirable Attributes
operations transparent
•
community organizations
Community problem-solving
• Uses local language/keeps
• Just and fair enforcement of the law capability
procedures simple
• Participatory and consultative • Partnership/linkage with outside
• Accessible structures
• Decentralized • Community self-management
• Efficient and service-oriented process installed
• Accountable
• Pro-equity
ENVIRONMENT
The Philippine Administrative System (PAS) Defined

The Philippine Administrative System refers to a network of public organizations

with specific goals, policies, structures, resources and programs. It includes the
internal processes of, and the interaction between and among, public organizations
which are constituted to implement, help formulate, monitor, or assess public
policies. This system covers the PAS’s relationship with its immediate public-in-
contact as well as the PAS’s reactions to, or how it is affected by, the greater socio-
politico and economic environment within which its operates.

For purposes of this course, we will limit the scope of the PAS to the executive
branch, all offices and instrumentalities thereof, local government units,
government-owned and controlled corporations, and chartered institutions such as
state colleges and universities.
The PAS

Components of the PAS

1) a network of public organizations with specific goals, policies, structures, resources and
programs

2) processes of, and the interaction between and among these public organizations;

3) organizations constituted to implement, help formulate, monitor, or assess public policies;

4) these organizations’ relationship with their immediate public-in-contact as well as the

PAS’s reactions to, or how it is affected by, the greater socio-politico and economic
environment within which they operate affect them; and

5) the greater socio-politico and economic environment

The PAS

Components of the PAS

• a network of public organizations with specific goals, policies, structures,
resources and programs

• Respective goals, policies, structures, resources, and processes

• Usually created by law, which defines their purpose, their core structure, the
functions that they are to undertake, and how their operations are to be funded by
public funds
• Self-contained sub-systems in themselves

• Traditionally, the PAS refers to the executive branch, all offices and instrumentalities
thereof, local government units, government owned and controlled corporations, and
chartered institutions such as state colleges and universities.
The PAS

Components of the PAS

• processes of, and the interaction between and among these public
organizations

• Perform their public functions through defined rules and procedures,

which are internal in nature and are designed and established as the
best way of providing the service the organizations must deliver or of
carrying out the function that they must fulfill

• Have policies, rules and procedures that govern their working

relationships with other government offices
The PAS

Components of the PAS

• organizations constituted to implement, help formulate, monitor, or

assess public policies

• The PAS is primarily responsible for implementing public policies

formulated jointly by the legislative and executive branches

• Also monitors or assesses public policies via mandated reports

The PAS

Components of the PAS

• these organizations’ relationship with their immediate public-in-contact as well as

the PAS’s reactions to, or how it is affected by, the greater socio-politico and
economic environment within which they operate affect them

• the PAS must be conscious of the different kinds of publics or clientele that it
deals with, which may be individuals, groups, private or other public
organizations, communities, or even other countries as its “public-in-contact”

• Regardless of the nature of the interaction between the PAS and its many
publics, it is important that each organization within the system sees its public-
in-contact as a crucial part of the system
The PAS
Components of the PAS
• the greater socio-politico and economic environment

• The PAS is part of bigger social system where there are competing claims to limited
resources and institutions play a role in determining how these resources will be utilized

• This environment consists of interests and pressure groups with their respective claims
on the state, and social and cultural values and practices which establish norms and
articulate needs and other demands of other stakeholders within the greater social
system

• This environment is the source of demands and pressures on the state for services,
information or enforcement of existing laws. It could also be a source of support for
certain policies that are viewed as being generally beneficial to the general public.
Sources of Power of the PAS

• The PAS is actually a form of monopoly

• It provides services, information, and programs which citizens can not get
from any other source

• PAS has a lot discretion as to how, when, to whom, and in what order it
prefers to serve its public-in-contact

• Its administrative power enables the PAS to make things happen or keep
things from happening by simply not doing what it should be doing

• The power of the PAS to control or influence the outcome of activities flows
from a number of sources
Sources of Power of the PAS

The power of the PAS stems largely from:

• Its being an arm of the government

• Its being an enforcer and implementor of public policy

• Its operation as a service delivery system

• Its role as a participant in the policy formulation process

• Its technical expertise

• Its extensive and nationwide presence at all levels of government

Sources of Power of the PAS

• Its being an arm of the government

• The public bureaucracy derives its administrative power from being an of the
state

• The PAS is in effect the machinery through which the functions of

government are exercised legitimately throughout the country

• It is through the public bureaucracy that the President as head of the

Executive Branch, for instance, can exercise its power of eminent domain

Eminent domain - the right of a government or its agent to expropriate private

property for public use, with payment of compensation.
Sources of Power of the PAS

• Its being an enforcer and implementor of public policy

• The PAS enforces the laws and implements other policies set by the
executive and the legislative branches of government

• Most laws stipulate how they are to enforced, specify sanctions, and
even establish behavioral norms that must be observed by enforces

• The PAS has discretion as to how it carries out policies and enforces the
law. The exercise of this discretion is a great source of power for PAS.
Sources of Power of the PAS

• Its operation as a service delivery system

• As a major service delivery system, PAS utilizes its authority, structure and resources to
produce specific services that it provides to specific groups of clients (e.g. education,
healthcare services, social services, etc.)

• In the delivery of these services, PAS exercises discretion as it decides on the quantity,
quality, adequacy, and timeliness of the service it provides

• The power of PAS is further magnified when those who need these services cannot afford to
procure them from private firms who may charge at a much higher cost for certain services

• When demand for these services is greater than the supply, the power of PAS increases as if
performs a gatekeeper role and ultimately decides on who receives what service and when.
Sources of Power of the PAS

• Its role as a participant in the policy formulation process

• The participation of PAS in the policy formulation process stems largely from
its role as enforcer and implementer and its technical expertise.

• As it applies the law, PAS gets to know of actual situation when practical
problems may arise partly because of the lack of clarity of legal provisions,
unanticipated conditions, and in some instances changes in the social
environment, which may make some policies obsolete or inapplicable.

• While it may not directly make the decisions itself, PAS exerts influence on
the policymaking process as it provides significant policy inputs that
policymakers must consider when they decide on crucial policy issues.
Sources of Power of the PAS

• Its technical expertise

• Another source of power of PAS is the accumulated technical expertise that

it has gained over time as it deals with the myriad and complex issues that
government must address. Most civil servants are hired for their
professional training in their respective areas of competence.

• Its capacity to generate, use, and control technical information which are
inputs in the provision of services or in the production of more information
is another source of power of PAS. This power is increased if the public has
no ready access to this information and is dependent on PAS for every data
that they need to transact business with government agencies.
Sources of Power of the PAS

• Its extensive and nationwide presence at all levels of government

• The public bureaucracy has an expansive reach through which it can

mobilize resources and support for its programs from all over the
country.

• This network also provides the PAS with a wide base of for its
operations that it can utilize for any of its organized activities.

• Having offices, personnel, and other logistics that it can easily mobilize
is another source of power of the PAS.
Desirable Characteristics of the PAS

• The PAS is a just and fair law enforcement body if it treats everyone in
the same way, regardless of profession, position, income, and status.

• The PAS is participatory and consultative when, as far as practicable,

it listens to and works with the people in the local language and keeps
its procedures simple.

• The PAS is accessible if it identifies and minimizes access problems

that stem from physical distance, administrative requirements, and
financial costs that the clients or the public must bear in getting to or
in availing themselves of services.
Desirable Characteristics of the PAS

• The PAS favors decentralization if it recognizes the value of decisions made at

levels closes to those who are affected by the decision.

• The PAS is efficient if it provides more and quality service for the same or less
cost to the people.

• The PAS is accountable for the use of all its power if it explains and makes regular
reports to the public and political leaders as to how it has used the authority,
resources, and information placed at its disposal to carry out public policies.

• Finally, the PAS promotes the cause of equity if it recognizes the needs of the
disadvantaged in Philippine society and looks into how its programs can provide
them with alternatives when private services are beyond their means.