(April 2024)
This paper is a response to the University of the Philippines Discussion Paper, entitled "How to change a constitution by hand-waving (Or, the unbearable lightness of evidence in support of lifting foreign ownership restrictions)."
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Providing Rooftop Solar to Public Housing, Schools and Hospitals (February 2022)
This policy brief recommends the installation of commercial photovoltaic (PV) solar on the rooftops of public housing estates, public schools and hospitals to lower the electricity costs of residents and of operating these facilities. The government could finance the cost of this by selling excess energy produced to the grid during the day.
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The following is a proposed campaign manifesto prepared by the Institute for Strategic and International Studies (Philippines) addressing three main concerns raised by Pres. Duterte's most ardent supporters (reproduced with permission).
A Future Fund for the Philippines (July 2018)
This policy brief sets out the basic rationale, legal framework and economic/financial feasibility of setting up a fund out of the nation's international reserves to support human capital formation. As argued in this paper, the demographic dividend that the Philippines is poised to reap in the coming decades is contingent on developing its most important asset: people.
This paper may be read and downloaded here.
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Budget Priorities: From Aquino to Duterte (December 2016)
Despite the political noise of his first six months in office, Pres. Duterte’s first budget demonstrates an almost seamless continuity with the latter part of the Aquino years. It maintains the upward trajectory in all major sectors left by Mr. Aquino without skipping a beat. There is no apparent disruption, unlike the first year of his predecessor.
What the Philippines can learn from Rwanda (January 2014)
Towards a New Philippine Political Architecture (June 2013)
The challenge of governing our nation is not simply about the mechanics of government. It is not simply about procuring textbooks for students, guns for policemen, equipment for weathermen, flood control systems for our cities, and the like. It is not simply about administering well and honestly, but setting the long-range plan for our nation. And that involves having a vision as well as a political and economic blueprint to build a modern Philippines. The current structure we inhabit is no longer suited to our needs. We need a new architecture for the future. This paper lays out the three pillars needed to reform it.
This paper may be read and downloaded here.
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Fruits of Our Labour: Why the Philippines Needs a Sovereign Wealth Fund and How to Go About Establishing One (January 2013).
For good governance to yield economic benefits for the people, it needs to be used to address the developmental challenges facing the nation. This paper presents policy makers with a once in a generation opportunity to get things right. Setting up a Sovereign Wealth Fund would be the most appropriate way to free the country from its developmental trap, and it offers the Filipino people the single best hope of collectively deriving benefit from the fruits of our labour.
This paper may be read and downloaded here.
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A Filipino Fat Tax (July 2012)
Just as the consumption of tobacco and alcoholic products leads to chronic and long-term health impacts, so does the consumption of sugary, salty and fatty food and beverages. A tax on unhealthy food items would not only discourage their intake, it would also help fund the cost of dealing with their effects on the health system. This paper looks at whether the Philippines has a "weight problem" and whether a "fat tax" would be needed to address it.
This paper may be read and downloaded here.
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Higher Education Reform (June 2012)
Reforming the way the tertiary educational system is funded and financed addresses the issues of efficiency, equity, effectiveness and appropriateness. This paper scopes out the parameters reforming higher education in the Philippines. A new funding model will drive efficiency among state universities and colleges, which will have to compete with each other and with private higher education institutions after a certain grace period. It will put a premium on courses for which graduates are in short supply, thus making training more appropriate. A student tuition financing scheme would allow fees to be raised in a more rational manner, thus allowing the system to be more effective in delivering learning at a sufficient quality standard without adverse impact to student participation.
This paper may be read and downloaded here.
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Of Buses That Kill and Untrammeled Markets: How to Manage the Unwieldy Bus Franchise System (September 2011)
Just as we auction out public utilities, why not apportion bus routes to the most professional and competent bidders? This paper looks at the evolution of the land transport franchise system that has led to an oversupply of road transport, and looks at an alternative way to apportion bus routes that would lead to better outcomes for the riding public.
This paper may be read and downloaded here.
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Re-defining Good Governance (July 2011)
Finding a recipe for good governance is something that every nation has to figure out on its own as the East Asian experience has demonstrated. There is no ‘one size fits all’ policy. When he announced his presidential bid, Benigno S. Aquino talked about his recipe for countering the calculus of corruption. The two basic ingredients include both carrot and stick. It is towards informing that agenda, that this paper outlines a number of policy recommendations.
This paper may be read and downloaded here.
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Credible Commitment: The thing that is lacking and how to create it (May 2011)
The role of strategy within government is to pose critical questions to policymakers involving tradeoffs. We can continue on the road we are on with a feeble state unable to raise revenues and pay for its programs adequately, or we can change course and have a state which has the capacity to make credible commitments towards commonly held objectives. This paper proposes some policies to ensure that the President's road map for development is achieved.
This paper may be read and downloaded here.
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A New Social Contract for the Philippines (June 2010)
Moving from a padrino society that depends on personal transactions based on kinship and wardship to one where citizens are empowered with greater access to improved services requires a new social contract between the state, market and society. It will be necessary to move towards the new mold in the next six years under President Aquino. This paper scopes out the terms of this new social contract.
This paper may be read and downloaded here.
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This paper may be read and downloaded here.
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Using Evidence in the Philippine War on Drugs (October 2018)
This policy brief provides a considered approach to the war on drugs in the Philippines. It uses cross-country analysis to determine if harsh penalties for drug trafficking and drug use serve as a deterrent. It also looks at the recent history of the Philippines under Pres. Rodrigo Duterte in waging this war and canvasses other possible solutions to the drug problem, based on empirical evidence from other countries to arrive at a clear set of policy directives that may be applied in the Philippines.
This paper may be read and downloaded here.
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A Future Fund for the Philippines (July 2018)
This policy brief sets out the basic rationale, legal framework and economic/financial feasibility of setting up a fund out of the nation's international reserves to support human capital formation. As argued in this paper, the demographic dividend that the Philippines is poised to reap in the coming decades is contingent on developing its most important asset: people.
This paper may be read and downloaded here.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Budget Priorities: From Aquino to Duterte (December 2016)
Despite the political noise of his first six months in office, Pres. Duterte’s first budget demonstrates an almost seamless continuity with the latter part of the Aquino years. It maintains the upward trajectory in all major sectors left by Mr. Aquino without skipping a beat. There is no apparent disruption, unlike the first year of his predecessor.
This paper may be read and downloaded here.
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Five Transformations Needed in the Philippines (April 2016)
At election time, candidates like to talk of change. Sobra na, tama na, palitan na! Tunay na pagbabago! are frequently used slogans. But why is it that the more things change, the more they stay the same? Could it be that elections in the Philippines are mostly about a change in personalities, with no real change agenda? Here are five types of change that if pursued correctly would truly transform lives in the Philippines.
This paper may be read and downloaded here.
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Form without Function: Shortcomings of the Straight Path (November 2015)
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Five Transformations Needed in the Philippines (April 2016)
At election time, candidates like to talk of change. Sobra na, tama na, palitan na! Tunay na pagbabago! are frequently used slogans. But why is it that the more things change, the more they stay the same? Could it be that elections in the Philippines are mostly about a change in personalities, with no real change agenda? Here are five types of change that if pursued correctly would truly transform lives in the Philippines.
This paper may be read and downloaded here.
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Form without Function: Shortcomings of the Straight Path (November 2015)
Isomorphic mimicry is a biological term referring to different organisms evolving to look similar without actually being related. A certain species of snakes may imitate the colours of a poisonous cousin without being venomous. Evolutionary biology has given it the ability to mimic certain attributes to save it from predators. Adopting form without function is a way to describe it. This paper examines how isomorphic mimicry crept into the implementation of Daang Matuwid or the Straight Path, the mantra adopted by Benigno Aquino's administration, and how it can be overcome.
This paper may be read and downloaded here.
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What the Philippines can learn from Rwanda (January 2014)
How has Rwanda managed to overtake many developing nations in the global race for competitiveness and transparency? This paper examines the recent developmental record of Rwanda and seeks to draw out lessons for the Philippines.
This paper may be read and downloaded here.
________________________________________________________________________________Towards a New Philippine Political Architecture (June 2013)
The challenge of governing our nation is not simply about the mechanics of government. It is not simply about procuring textbooks for students, guns for policemen, equipment for weathermen, flood control systems for our cities, and the like. It is not simply about administering well and honestly, but setting the long-range plan for our nation. And that involves having a vision as well as a political and economic blueprint to build a modern Philippines. The current structure we inhabit is no longer suited to our needs. We need a new architecture for the future. This paper lays out the three pillars needed to reform it.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Fruits of Our Labour: Why the Philippines Needs a Sovereign Wealth Fund and How to Go About Establishing One (January 2013).
For good governance to yield economic benefits for the people, it needs to be used to address the developmental challenges facing the nation. This paper presents policy makers with a once in a generation opportunity to get things right. Setting up a Sovereign Wealth Fund would be the most appropriate way to free the country from its developmental trap, and it offers the Filipino people the single best hope of collectively deriving benefit from the fruits of our labour.
This paper may be read and downloaded here.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
A Filipino Fat Tax (July 2012)
Just as the consumption of tobacco and alcoholic products leads to chronic and long-term health impacts, so does the consumption of sugary, salty and fatty food and beverages. A tax on unhealthy food items would not only discourage their intake, it would also help fund the cost of dealing with their effects on the health system. This paper looks at whether the Philippines has a "weight problem" and whether a "fat tax" would be needed to address it.
This paper may be read and downloaded here.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Higher Education Reform (June 2012)
Reforming the way the tertiary educational system is funded and financed addresses the issues of efficiency, equity, effectiveness and appropriateness. This paper scopes out the parameters reforming higher education in the Philippines. A new funding model will drive efficiency among state universities and colleges, which will have to compete with each other and with private higher education institutions after a certain grace period. It will put a premium on courses for which graduates are in short supply, thus making training more appropriate. A student tuition financing scheme would allow fees to be raised in a more rational manner, thus allowing the system to be more effective in delivering learning at a sufficient quality standard without adverse impact to student participation.
This paper may be read and downloaded here.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Of Buses That Kill and Untrammeled Markets: How to Manage the Unwieldy Bus Franchise System (September 2011)
Just as we auction out public utilities, why not apportion bus routes to the most professional and competent bidders? This paper looks at the evolution of the land transport franchise system that has led to an oversupply of road transport, and looks at an alternative way to apportion bus routes that would lead to better outcomes for the riding public.
This paper may be read and downloaded here.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Re-defining Good Governance (July 2011)
Finding a recipe for good governance is something that every nation has to figure out on its own as the East Asian experience has demonstrated. There is no ‘one size fits all’ policy. When he announced his presidential bid, Benigno S. Aquino talked about his recipe for countering the calculus of corruption. The two basic ingredients include both carrot and stick. It is towards informing that agenda, that this paper outlines a number of policy recommendations.
This paper may be read and downloaded here.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Credible Commitment: The thing that is lacking and how to create it (May 2011)
The role of strategy within government is to pose critical questions to policymakers involving tradeoffs. We can continue on the road we are on with a feeble state unable to raise revenues and pay for its programs adequately, or we can change course and have a state which has the capacity to make credible commitments towards commonly held objectives. This paper proposes some policies to ensure that the President's road map for development is achieved.
This paper may be read and downloaded here.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
A New Social Contract for the Philippines (June 2010)
Moving from a padrino society that depends on personal transactions based on kinship and wardship to one where citizens are empowered with greater access to improved services requires a new social contract between the state, market and society. It will be necessary to move towards the new mold in the next six years under President Aquino. This paper scopes out the terms of this new social contract.
This paper may be read and downloaded here.
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