Human Capital and Economics: A Challenge for Marikina City

Marikina News
University of the Philippines
National College of Public Administration and Governance Public Administration 331 (Seminar on the Administration of Economic Development), First Semester SY 2009-2010 Prof. R. F. Miral, J r.

Human Capital and Economics: A Challenge for Marikina City
By Prof. Sofronio “Toti” Dulay, DPA student


Introduction

Development of human capital thru education and early child care and development (ECCD) is linked with economics: labor being one of the factors of production. “For Rosenstein – Rodan, the “skilling” of labour was the first task of industrial is at ion, but one that has to be undertaken by the state, because it does not pay firms to train potential mobile workers. By contrast, T.S. Schultz raised the question of individuals’ and families’ own investments in what he called human capital – a stock of skills that could be used, be deployed to earn future income. This question led forward to a host of studies of the economics of investment in education and health in poor countries, and the effects of health and education status on participation in the labour market.” In Marikina City, there are signs of parallel progress in economics and human capital, especially n the area of education and ECCD. Theoretically, is it possible that a city as progressive as Marikina can be so dominant in economics development but lagged behind in the area of education or ECCD? What is progress and prosperity for? The progress can be driven by visible infra but ECCD remains a challenge? “All instances of successful development are ultimately the collective results of individual decisions by entrepreneurs to invest in risky new ventures and try out news things. The good news here is that we have found homo economicus to be alive and well in the tropics and other poor lands. The idea of elasticity pessimism – the notion that the private sector in the developing countries would fail to respond quickly to favorable price and other incentives – has been put to rest by the accumulating evidence. We find time and again that the investment decisions, agricultural production or exports turn out to be quite sensitive to price incentives, as long as these perceived to have some predictability.” This observation could be true in Marikina: the economic progress is basically drven by private entrepreneurs grounded on their trust on the government. But again , where is human capital – education and ECCD – coming into the picture. When labour is plenty – entrepreneurs has the luxury of choice. And when they do have the luxury of choice, the development of human capital thru ECCD and skilling may not be their priority.
Child welfare is within the context of social development. Vague and confused as a concept, social development can be defined as “the enhancement of well being and the progressive enrichment of the quality of people’s lives” Social development is a component of overall development concept. In the Philippine experience, social development has been a major concern – often times handled by the Office of the President or made into a full – blown department with names changing from administration to administration.
Social development or even child welfare has to contend with the other concerns of the state, like defense for instance. “Social policy making must be seen as a political process. It has already been stressed that social policy cannot be analyzed on its own, without referring to other activities of the state.” Also, it must be realized that social development is always a work in progress because it “involves a process of change which is fostered through a deliberate human action.” Social development is dynamic – which partially explain for instance why in the Philippines, the Council for the Welfare of Children has been passed on through times like ping pong balls from the Office of the President to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Vague as it is – couple with dynamism – social development must be defined using different perspectives. The United Nations Center for Regional Development defined social development as a “sectoral development and the provision of social services involving the improvement of the quality of life of the people through education, employment, health, housing, social welfare, agrarian reform, community development or disaster welfare.” Take note that this 1983 definition from UN does not carry children’s welfare in it. In the same UN article however, a slightly different perspective of social development is defined as “supportive of and providing services for those in special needs and involving the development of, and provision of services to women, children and disadvantaged group” This definition seems to put children’s welfare as an after thought concern – not in the mainstream.
There are also perspectives that say social development is nothing but providing welfare dole outs to the constituencies, which seems to be the prevailing thinking of most LGUs in the Philippines.
It is in these multi perspective concepts that this paper seeks to approach the early child care and development (ECCD) experiences in Marikina. The best way to handle a concept is to have a benchmark. In this case, the best benchmark for ECCD is the globally prevailing document – the Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC).In the unofficial summary of the main provisions of the CRC, its “preamble recalls the basic principles of the United Nations and specific provisions of certain relevant human rights treaties and proclamations. It reaffirms the fact that children, because of their vulnerability, need special care and protection, and it places special emphasis on the primary caring and protective responsibility of the family. It also reaffirms the need for legal and other protection of the child before and after birth, the importance of respect for the cultural values of the child’s community, and the vital role of international cooperation in securing children’s right”
The CRC defined a child as a person under 18, unless the national laws recognize a country – specific age of majority. It encourages positive actions for non – discrimination on children and the government should always pursue the best interest of the child. It said that the state must implement the rights of the child. It must respect the rights and responsibilities of parents to provide guidance for the child. The child has the right to life, name and nationality; and identity. The child has the right to live with his or her parents. Parents and children have the right for reunification. The state shall safeguard the children’s right to have their own opinion, freedom of though, conscience, religion and association. The privacy of children must be provided and the state shall ensure the accessibility of children to information. It is the responsibility of parents to raise the child but the state shall provide assistance to the parents. The child must be protected from abuse and neglect and the states should protect children without families. The convention recognizes adoption. Special care should be given to refugee children, children of minorities and disabled children. The child has the right to the highest standard of health, medical care attendance and social security. They have the right to adequate standard of living and education. The child has the right to be protected from child labor, drug abuse, sexual exploitation, sale, trafficking, abduction and other forms of exploitation. The child has the right to be protected from torture and deprivation of liberty. The state shall take measures that children below 15 years of age has no direct part in hostilities. Rehabilitation and proper handling of victimized children as well as those in conflict with the law should be ensured. The state is obligated to inform the public of the CRC and they have to submit reports, which must also be available to the public.
With this backdrop and taking into account that the Philippines is a signatory to the CRC, it is now clear that children’s welfare is a big responsibility for the LGUs.
Another important document that articulated for the welfare of children is the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). “The Millennium Development Goals are the world’s time –bound and quantitative targets for addressing extreme poverty in its many dimensions – income poverty, hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter, and exclusion – while promoting gender equality, equality, education, and environmental sustainability.” There are basically eight MDGs, namely, eradication of extreme hunger and poverty, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality and empower women, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases, ensure environmental sustainability; and, develop global partnership for development. The MDGs have 8 goals, 18 targets and 48 indicators. I had the opportunity to report this topic in a doctoral class and we counted how many of these goals, targets and indicators pertains to children. The conclusion of the class is that out of 8 MDGs, only 1, the goal number seven (ensure environmental sustainability) has no direct provision about children’s welfare. But then, it is commonsensical that a good environment is beneficial to children – making the MDGs as another pro child welfare international document.


The Philippines Approach to Child Welfare

After passing through some basic social development concepts and international statures, it is now time to look into Philippine national documents and see what they have to offer for children’s welfare.
The CRC and MDGs, the international statures that articulate for children’s welfare, have a great influence on Philippine national programs and legislatures that concerns children. “The Philippines now stands in a critical point in time, faced with the challenged of realizing its commitments to the CRC, the MDGs, and the WFFC goals and the vision of Child 21.The current development and context in the country present complex and difficult issues.”
The report submitted by the Philippine government, third and fourth periodic reports of States parties due in 2007, to be exact, talked about the country’s continuing review and enactment of legislations in compliance with CRC. The report identified the following legislative gaps: minimum age of criminal responsibility, minimum age of sexual consent, prohibition of torture, lack of comprehensive juvenile system, discrimination against children born out of wedlock, use of children in pornography, and corporal punishment. To work on these gaps, the country enacted the following laws: RA 9344: Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act – raised the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 9 to 15; RA 9208:Anti – Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 – instituted policies to eliminate trafficking, specially women and children; RA 9231: Elimination of the Worst Form of Child Labour Act of 2003; RA 9255 : An Act Allowing Illegitimate Children to Use the Surnames of their Father; RA 9262 : Anti – Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004; and, RA 9288 : New Born Screening Act of 2004.
The report said that despite all these laws, the current efforts are still inadequate. It plans to work on the remaining gaps such as: minimum age of sexual consent, child pornography, corporal punishment and other form of violence, discrimination against children born out of wedlock.
The report also said that in 2000, we formulated the Philippine National Strategic Framework for Plan Development for Children for the period 2000-2025, or Child 21, to build sensitive and child friendly society in the 21st century.
It also mentioned the role of the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), the main institutional mechanism in coordinating the implementation and monitoring of NPAC/Child 21 as well as in coordinating formulation of all policies for children and monitoring CRC implementation. Take note CWC, later on this paper will figure prominently on the ECCD concerns in Marikina City.
The committee report also noted that the mandate and resources of Philippine Commission on Human Rights (PCHR) in the promotion and monitoring of children’s right is limited, and it recommends strengthening them.
As regards to the budgetary allocation for children, the report mentioned that 30% of national budget goes to debt service – interest payment with insufficient allocation for social development and children’s program. To address this, the Philippines proposed in 2005: “Debt – to –MDG Financing”, a debt reduction scheme in exchange of MDG Financing.
The country also pursued international cooperation in its quest to provide wider service to children by working with GOP-UNICEF, ILO, JICA, USAID, BEAM, QTVET, ADB, WB, Save the Children-US, Save the Children-Sweden, WVF, Consuelo Foundation, CCF, ATD Fourth World, and IJM.
The report also said that the government also pursues Cooperation with civil society in pursuing children’s welfare thru the CWC sectoral committees, inter-agency bodies on child protection other than CWC, NGO Coalition for CRC Monitoring and Philippine Inter – Faith Network for Children.
The government initiated the CRC principles/provisions of advocacy thru the CWC and UNICEF IEC campaigns, Child Info – based Knowledge Network Centers in 24 LGUs, Bright Child Campaign of CWC, CWC and Task Force on the Popularization of the CRC in 24 municipalities in central Philippines.
We also disseminated the contents of the 2nd periodic report and concluding observations when the CWC printed the report itself for dissemination, convened committee and networks to brief them of the report, and thru TV and radio interviews as well as meetings and conferences.
Finally, as part of our compliance with CRC, the country initiated the preparations for the 3rd and 4th periodic report by CWC sending letters to agencies and NGO’s to submit their inputs; convened 3 consultations; and the Technical Management Committee of CWC Board reviewing the consultation’s write up, writing comments and integrating them with the second report. The report was submitted to CWC Board for Review, preparation of the final draft and submission.

Development of Human Capital: The Child Welfare Program of Marikina City

Having shown some basic concepts in social development, the international conventions related to child welfare and the Philippine national programs on children, it is now time to go to an specific LGUs like Marikina, hoping that what we will see in this city as regards to program on children’s welfare could give us insight on what is happening in other LGUs in the country.
For the interest of brevity, we will dispense with the discussion o the basic demographic data about Marikina because they are readily available by googling them in the internet.
How do you run a city like Marikina – clean, organized, international acclaimed, prosperous, peaceful and world class, with its former Mayor one of the leading presidential contenders of the country in the 2010 elections and its present Mayor one of the Top 7 finalists in the World Mayor Award? “Our City Hall is run like a private corporation. We treat our clients as our customers whom we want not only to satisfy but to delight.” – Marikina Mayor Marides Fernando.
The Marikina local government is divided into seven clusters, namely, administrative support, public order and safety, finance management and project development, infrastructure development and transportation, citizens’ affairs, economic development; and, health and environmental management.
The children’s welfare is found under the cluster of citizen’s affair, specifically, in the Social Welfare and Development Office. Aside from this office, the following are also found in the citizens’ affair cluster: Department of Education – Marikina, Public Information Office, Community Relations Office, Marikina Settlements Office, City Women Council, MCF Manpower House, Teens Health Quarter, Local Civil Registry, MCF Privilege Card and the Office of Senior Citizens Affair.
The city Social Welfare and Development Office is one - story structure called Social Action Center, detached from the main building where the Office of the Mayor is housed. In that Social Action Center, several officers are also found like: Volunteers Office, SOCO, PNP and Traffic Management.
The city Social Welfare Development Office has been devolved from DSWD to the city government of Marikina. The office was run by an OIC who is a licensed social worker. Together with the OIC, there was a Consultant directly reporting to the Mayor. The consultant is a TV producer of a child show and was a neighbor of the Mayor in her ancestral house in Pasig. The OIC eventually left the post for personal reasons and joined an entry level job at the Marikina Fiscal’s Office, the Consultant took over as the OIC then hired a 24 – year – old licensed social worker as his assistant.
The city Social Welfare Development Office is picture of a workplace that is changing often, desks are changing depending on the circumstances of the office politics, full of clients daily and perhaps, in an attempt to manage the flow of clients, a sign is posted in the door reminding the customers to whom to report regarding their needs. The post says “services offered”: referral; social case study report; medical, financial and funeral assistance; certificate of indigency, PWD, PYAP/TN; and solo parent. Then, names of concerned staff handling these services are listed .Take note that in the list, there is no specific concern for children’s welfare. The OIC and her assistant have their separate rooms, the rest of the 13 staff are together. On the adjacent room is the Children in Conflict with the Law Shelter with around 25 inmates. Based however on Marikina Citizens’ Factbook, the office has the following services: assistance in crisis situations, referrals, seminars and counseling and child – friendly intervention which handling of juvenile cases. Take note again the lack of mention of child welfare concerns and day care centers despite the fact that the city also manages around six day care centers all over the city of 16 barangays. Barangay councils for the protection of children are not active.

Development of Human Capital in Marikina City thru Education
In my report in the class of Prof. R. F. Miral, Jr., using an article about an inside story of the World Bank’s historical development on their education policy, I was able to uncover that education is a part of their lending conditionality before they consider a loan (they uses the term covenant, to be politically correct). But the education component, more than others, is intended to help the project, primarily. In short, it was not done out of the goodness of the heart. The World Bank has an array of in house technical people for every project. But, later it turned out that there are needs for local consultants and technical staff, so, they need to educate and train local guys- hence, the education component of every project was necessary.
When the World Bank is emphasizing loans on industries and factories, they encouraged technical and vocational education on barrowing countries – again not out of the goodness of their heart – but to provide necessary skills to the workforce of their borrowing industries, for them to be able to operate better, and ergo, pay the bank better.
Marikina’s approach to education is not only to produce sub literate but skilled factory workers. Their approach is holistic. ”DSWD has been devolved to address the specific needs of the communities, initiating such programs as family enrichment and education thru networking with foundations and non-government organizations. The Center for Excellence (CENTEX) headed by Julie Borje conducts training seminars with personnel of the city and barangay halls.”
In Barangay San Roque for instance, they piloted a non – formal education and several skills training projects, including free call center training and job placement assistance.
As a matter of policy, the Marikina government encourages continues education. In fact, just recently, old undergraduate employees of the city hall were given scholarships to finish a degree in public administration at the local Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina.
The City Hall also promotes productivity through the livelihood projects. “Marikina has invested in its children not only through DSWD and the Health Office’s family planning, parents training and nutrition program but also through upgrading of the basic education.”
The public schools in Marikina are well maintained and well landscaped. Students are plenty and happy because the city provides the workbooks and school supplies… with set of computers for every school. Residents of Marikina are given priorities for enrolment. The number of students per classroom is maintained to the ideal number of 45 with more classrooms being constructed from the CDF of the 2 congressmen and regular hiring of teachers to maintain the ratio. The city government is working for the preschool, elementary and high school for every barangay. Two identified campuses are offering technical – vocational education for skills development. The City also offers affordable tertiary education thru the City University (Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina).

The Business Climate n Marikina City

According to Prof. Gonzalo M. Jurado in his article entitled Growth Models, Development Planning and Implementation in the Philippines , “to be more successful in plan implementation, the government at both staff and line levels must articulate the plans more carefully, and carry at infrastructural and other supportive programs with greater determination. These efforts must help invigorate the market.”
Marikina City complied with the required planning requirements. They have strategic and tactical plans in the area of business, education and ECCD mostly crafted by the department heads concerned.
Some small businesses in Marikina claimed that the business taxes in the city are high and lots of them moved their small business in nearby towns like San Mateo, Antipolo and Cainta were taxes are more lenient and negotiable. Some of those who do not want to move out simply close shop for several months only to reopen with a new name and therefore avail of incentives for new businesses. In the book The Will to Change edited by Ateneo de Manila University School of Government Dennis Gonzales, it quoted Larry Schroeder saying that these “exits” happening n Marikina is one of the ways by which a constituents can hold a local government accountable. The book has this interesting queston, “Could it be that Marikina is a great place to live in but not to set up a small business?”
Marikina uses a similar gross taxation scheme of China. The seemingly bone of contention among some businessmen is the fact that business taxes in Marikina are based on presumptive income levels, a system wherein the local government are extrapolating a store’s minimum income and from there derive the appropriate tax. This seems to be grounded on the belief that most small businessmen are refusing to pay the right amount of tax.
Historically, Marikina is the home of small businessmen as the Shoe Capital of the Philippines. Recently, it has been recognized internationally as one of the most competitive and the most business - friendly cities in the country. Marikina’s public market is recognized as the healthiest public market in the Philippines today. All of these accolades seem to erased the complaints of small businessmen on gross taxation.
Marikina today is the home of diverse industries. It offers simple business rules, quality infrastructure, industrial peace, efficient services and skillful workforce which make the city big investors – friendly.
There are 14, 541 business establishments in the city and this figure is forecasted to increase. The primary products of the city are shoes, cigarettes, food, candies, bags, porcelain, guns and ammunitions, cosmetics and beauty products. Underground economy exists also: jueteng, where the gambling lord of a Luzon – wide operation is a native Marikeno.
Several factors added to the growth of the local economy such as superior infrastructure, communication and transportation, proximity to Manila and Quezon City and the existence of service providers for banking, telephone, telegraph and internet. Roadways are free of traffic- no color coding system in fact. Public transport is available round the clock.

Findings and Recommendations

1. With the frequent changes in the Marikina City SWDO, the organizational capacity to respond to a new task like ECCD Accreditation is still weak. The OIC is new and her assistant is also new. Recommendation: team building sessions and thorough job orientation.
2. It was noted that out of 13 staff, some of them are not college graduates and joined the service as a political accommodations rather than based on qualifications. Only one of them is a license social worker, the assistant of the OIC. Recommendation: professionalize the staff, assign the less qualified somewhere else and hire more social workers into the unit.
3. Staff is overloaded; there are staff members who have to work after 5 pm and during weekends. Recommendation: realignment of duties and work loads.
4. In education, the proliferation of so many high schools with only 2 tertiary schools makes it harder for Marikenos to go to college. Recommendation: expand the present Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina and Marikina Polytechnic College.
5. The strength of Marikina educational system is in the infrastructure but weak on networking. Recommendation: provide access to qualified Marikenos to take examinations at the PMA, PMMA, UP, and the National Police Academy.
6. In business, the fact is that a lot of small businessmen are exiting into nearby towns. Recommendation: provide special incentive package for small businessmen.
7. Some small businessmen are closing shops only to open several months later with new name to avail of incentive programs for new business. Recommendations: extend incentive programs to small businessmen.




Acknowledgement:

I wish to acknowledge social worker and assistant to the OIC Carolyn Sta. Maria for granting two interviews about the operations of the Marikina City SWD Office; OIC and fellow Consultant Nadeia Sarte for giving me access to her office and providing crucial data on ECCD; the City Mayor Marides Fernando for giving me a complimentary copy of the book, the Will to Change, and finally to Professor R F Miral, Jr. for his patience in teaching us important lessons which and I personally showed my appreciation on his efforts by never been absent in his class not even once, even when I was sick.


Bibliography:

1. Dennis Gonzales, Editor, “The Will to Change, Marikina and its Innovations”, 2009

2. John Toye, “60 Years of Development in Economics”

3. Dani Rodrick, “Institutions for High – Quality Growth: What They Are and how to Acquire Them”, Harvard Unversity, 1999

4. “Trends and Patterns in Social Development Efforts of the Philippine Government”, A Reader in Philippine Social Development by Bautista (ed), Q.C.: UPCPA,

5. Understanding Social Policy. NY: Basil Blackwell Inc., Chapter 1- “What is Social Policy”

6. Social Development: the Development Perspectives in Social Welfare. London: Sage Publishing.

7. “Different Perspective on Social Development. ”Local Social Development Planning, vol.1.Japan: UNCRD,

8. The Convention on the Rights of the Child. As adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 20 November 1989

9. The UN Millennium Development Goals. http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/index.html

10. Committee on the Convention on the Rights of the Child Consideration of Reports Submitted by the State Parties under Article 44 of the Convention. September 19, 2007.

11. Marikina Citizens’ Factbook, A Guide to Key Government Services, Second Edition, 2007

Marikina: The Little Singapore of the Philippines

By Prof. Sofronio “Toti” Dulay, DPA student, UP NCPAG

1.0. Introduction

The Philippines and Singapore are far apart in lots of aspects – territorial size, population, religion, history, dominant race, political culture, etc. To some observers, the two countries are beyond compare.
But a hypothetical question arises: can a part of a country be totally different that it can be comparable to another country on their aspirations. Or to be exact, can Marikina City, being within the cultural, religious, economic, political ambit of the Philippines, aspires to be like Singapore. Can it be done? When Marikina Mayor Marides Carlos Fernando attended as a resource speaker of the doctoral class in public administration, she said that in a certain time of the Fernando’s administration in Marikina, they decided to benchmark on Singapore.
But there is something - a factor in Marikina’s success story - that maybe of interest to the public administration practitioners and the general public. We will call that factor the “Marikina Way”. Is the “Marikina Way” the city’s benchmarking package on Singapore?
Actually, Kerala of India is just like Marikina, in a way. Kerala is part of India; yet, it is better than the average India taken as a whole. “In contrast with the growth – mediated mechanism, the support – led process does not operate through fast economic growth, but works through a program of skillful social support of health care, education, and other relevant social arrangements. This process is well exemplified by the experiences of economies such as Sri Lanka, pre – reform China, Costa Rica or Kerala, which have very rapid reductions in mortality rates and enhancement of living conditions, without much economic growth.”[1]

1.1. Notion of Development
Development is a way to extend freedom and freedom, in a way, also helps development, this is in essence what Sen is telling us in his book. But what is really development? “Activities of modern nation states in promoting their development fall under the four categories previously listed: producing an economic surplus, promoting social and cultural integration, governance and education. For purposes of explanation, they are discussed separately. However, their usefulness to the state for national development comes only through their interaction. All four are so intertwined and interdependent that to select one as preeminent, as economists, business and government have done with producing an economic surplus is to distort understanding of the process.”[2] Development administration therefore is administering or running the affairs of a country to produce an economic surplus, and promote social and cultural integration, governance and education.
1.2. Notion of Administration
Public administration is defined differently defending on context and emphasis. According to David Rosembloom, public administration is the action part of the government. It is the means by which the purpose and goals of government are realized. As a field, public administration is concerned with the means for implementing political values and is identified with the executive branch. It differs with political science on its emphasis on behavior, methodologies and bureaucratic structures. Dwight Waldo defined it as the organization and management of men and materials to achieve the purpose of government. To him, it is the art and science of management as applied to the affairs of the state. According to Raul de Guzman, public administration may be viewed to refer not only those activities in implementing policies and program of the government but also the process and contents of these programs. Gerald Calden, on the other hand define it as a cooperative group effort in public setting showing interrelationships of the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the government. Being part of a political process, it has important role in the formulation of public policy. In a significant way, public administration is different and more important than private administration. It is however closely related with the individuals and private groups providing services to the community. As a field of study and practice, it is closely related to the human relations approach of management.
1.3. Development Administration and Administration of Development
“It is equally true that there is no widespread agreement on the theoretical center and boundaries of the “field”. There is more agreement on the premise that “development administration” is part of the subject matter of public administration.”[3] At this point, we should disabuse our minds by trying to sophisticate a generally simple locus and focus of the concept. The location is public administration and the focus is development. It is using the ideas and processes of public administration for social and economic development.
1.4. How Different is Singapore and the Philippines?
Taken from Freedom House, freedom in the world circa 2008 for the Philippines and Singapore, found at http://www.freedomhouse.org. , the difference of the two countries is enormous. Philippines have a population of 88,700,000 while Singapore has 4,600,000 only. Both countries are partly free but the Philippines scores better in the area of civil liberties and political rights. The Philippines was under the Spain for around 300 years, went under American control in 1998 and got its independence in 1946. The country was once one of the wealthiest in Southeast Asia but since 1960’s; it has been plagued by economic mismanagement, insurgencies and widespread corruption. Singapore started as a British trading center in 1819 and eventually become a British colony. It become independent in 1959, joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 and gained full independence in 1965. Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) transformed the poor city into a regional financial center and exporter of high – technology goods, but restricted individual freedoms and hindered political development in the process. The Philippines has a presidential system, almost similar to America. Singapore has a parliamentary system similar to Great Britain. In the Philippines, corruption, cronyism and influence peddling are rife in business and government. Despite the recent economic reforms, a few dozen powerful families continue to play an overarching role in politics and are very wealthy. Singapore is known for lack of corruption. Transparency International’s 2007 Corruption Perception Index ranked the country fourth out of 180 countries surveyed.
To sum it all Singapore is richer, less corrupt but less free; Philippines is freer, more corrupt and not that rich.

2.0.”Marikina Way”: A Brand of Governance
”Marikina way” is born out of circumstances and experiences of MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando and Marikina City Mayor Marides Fernando who for the past 15 years, has transformed Marikina City from a neglected, backwater town known only for its shoe industry, into a highly urbanized city capturing the imaginations of the Filipino people by the manner in which it won several local and international awards. Bayani is the only son of a dedicated town Mayor who never enriched himself in public. Being the only boy among several sisters, and with an imposing and nationalistic doting father as his model, Bayani, early in life learned the very foundation of “Marikina Way” – good taste, respect for your neighbor and community, action, godliness, social equity, and political will. Somewhere along the way, he departed from his father’s path when he took engineering instead of his father’s law degree. This is an indication that he is capable of thinking out of the box in addressing a problem. His engineering expertise contributed to the strength of Marikina’s physical reconstruction and MMDA’s ability to solve pressing urban problems. Marides, the current Mayor of the city and the better half of Bayani, on the other hand, is a rich girl born in a silver platter from wealthy industrialist parents of national stature. She was able to continue the social orientation, inculcation of urbanity and urban revitalization in Marikina. When President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo appointed Bayani to MMDA, the instruction was to do in Metro Manila what he did in Marikina. This indicates that there is something about “Marikina Way” that excites the imagination of people, even the president of the republic. During the meeting of AIM – based International Movement of Development Managers (IMDM), a proposal of tie - up among IMDM, Konrad Adenuer Foundation and the AIM Policy Center, for a short seminar – workshop among newly - elected local officials about the way things are being done in Marikina (“Marikina Way”). This thing leads to Mayor Marides Fernando formally coordinating with the Ateneo School of Government about Marikina’s grass roots political program and documentation of “Marikina Way”. As we will see, “Marikina Way” is an eclectic style of public administration, picking the best and applicable features of reinventing government, reengineering government, new public administration, new public government, and classical public administration concepts like administrative science, scientific management and Weber’s bureaucratic model.It emphasizes leadership, good taste, expertise, political will, action, good judgments, and good governance in public administration because how can one choose the best approach from the array of contending views of the brightest public administration thinkers of our time, if one does not know, at least, their basic ideas, to begin with. This may sound very elitist and skewed towards highly educated leaders, but the stark reality in leadership is that how will you reach your destination if you do not know where you want to go and you do not know how to get there?
“Marikina Way” emphasizes freedom from the box created by contending academic thinkers because it gives you the flexibility to use your judgment calls as a leader, with only your good taste, love of community, “can-do attitude”, political will, desire for action, love of God and concept of social equity as your basis of action.


2.1. “Marikina Way” in the Lens of Public Administration Concepts

2.1.1. The Scientific Management School
According to Frederick Taylor, there is one best way of performing in any organization and this best way can be discovered by investigating the various components of work and announcing the result of the study to the workers so that they could adopt them. He said that detailed time and motion study improves the efficiency of the production process. He said that every single act of workmen can be reduced to science. It is therefore the role of the managers to design and to conduct experiments, to plan the work process, to discover the efficient techniques and to train workers to these techniques. This will usher the mutuality of interest between workers and entrepreneurs because high productivity gives higher salary or incentives to workers and bigger profit for the entrepreneurs. The key concepts of scientific management school are the identification of a standard of an ideal worker, time and motion study, the work standard and the differential rate system. Taylor’s method was applied more in the ground level and is useful among line managers as it addresses the kind of characteristics the line managers must have. Time and motion study has the following steps: define the task to be studied and inform the workers to be studied, determine the schedule of the study, time the job and rate the workers’ performance, and finally come up with the standard time. In real life however, unionized workers fear that working faster would lead to fewer works available later. There are also instances that the emphasis on too much productivity and profitability leads to exploitation of workers and even customers. This also undermines the discretion and better judgments of the managers. As a whole however, time and motion study eliminates unnecessary motions, combines similar activities, improves the arrangement of workplace and improves the design of tools and equipments. The “Marikina Way” is strong in the advocacy of one – best - way principle, owing to the fact that the main proponent of this eclectic concept is a highly successful mechanical engineer, Bayani Fernando, who made his first million as a businessman constructing high rise building in the country’s main business district. The redesign of road networks in Marikina city which maximizes the use of river banks and creek banks for accessibility, at the same time preventing them from being converted as squatter areas, is an application of ergonomics. Marikina city even has the standard time for the response of the firemen and the policemen by placing public safety substations in strategic places in the city. The advocacy of see – thru fences is also along this line. It creates illusion of spaciousness, prevents crime, and gives beauty to the environment because it will encourage the owners of the place to beautify the area since it is seen by the public. The implementation of set - back from the road in residential and commercial areas, being a law in the building code, is well implemented in Marikina City. Tearing down existing residential and commercial buildings just to comply with the set – back rule as per zoning ordinances, might be very cruel. But, in applying for new construction or major repairs, an applicant is required to comply with the set - back rule, thereby slowly but surely, rectifying the mistakes of the past, thru time. Garbage collection is always on schedule, one set of schedules is for biodegradable wastes and another set is for non biodegradable wastes. The citizens, partly to develop awareness of the system, are required to tie green strings to plastic bags containing the biodegradable waste and pink for the non biodegradable. Incidentally, green is the political color of Bayani Fernando during his political campaigns in Marikina and pink is the color of current mayor Marides Fernando. This scheme combines political campaigning, value formation and operation management. Engineering and construction equipments are well maintained to develop the capacity of the city in doing fast and pro - active engineering responses, like clearing of obstacles on the sidewalks. Bayani Fernando loves to say, in fondness, that some city engineering office in some cities in Metro Manila doesn’t even have the technical capacity to remove an empty, huge and stinking concrete flower base obstructing the side walks of the main thoroughfare of the metropolis. The contribution of “Marikina Way” to the scientific management school of Frederick Taylor is that it is not enough that you identify the one best way, what is important is your will to implement them. That is what differentiates the “Marikina Way” from ordinary scientific management school adherents.2.1.2. New Public Administration (NPA) The so called new public administration was born in 1968 at the Syracuse University, Minnow brook Conference Center. Most of the ideas were contained in Frank Marini’s work “Towards New Public Administration”. New public administration rejects the politics – administration dichotomy of Woodrow Wilson. It believes that administrators, aside from just implementing the will of the state, should make policies too. They should take matters into their hands, so to speak. Another salient idea of NPA is the recognition of values as an important component of public administration. It distanced from the earlier practice of too much emphasis on data collection and statistical manipulation. NPA is more normative in approach. It is an advocate of change. Values and norms occupy a premier role that guides the direction. Social equity is another important concept in NPA. Before NPA, public administration is too much concerned with efficiency and economy, which is too aloof from the nature of public service. Rather, NPA believes that benefits must be greater to those who are disadvantaged. NPA also believes that clients or the public must be allowed to participate in the operations of a public office as a way of a democratic exercise. Cooperation must be the name of the game rather than competition. Finally, NPA believes that change is always a part of public administration, so organizations must be adaptive to change. Organizations must not be static and be pro-active. Organizational restructuring must be based on the needs of public service rather than the internal concerns of the organization itself. “Marikina Way” is heavy on the values and norms of the community due to the fact that the main proponent of this approach, Bayani Fernando, is a “parochial” son of a former mayor of a clannish town, Marikina, which is known for “small town’ values. It is no wonder why “Marikina Way” is pushing for “urbanidad”, which is the right conduct in a highly civilized and urbanized society. Public administration therefore is the vanguard of this community values. This explains the fact that if you walk in the streets of Marikina without any upper shirt, you will be apprehended by the police or barangay tanods because you violated the “urbanidad” values of the community. Drying your clothes (panties, brief, T-shirts, etc.) in front of your house, when you have plenty of space at the back is not only violative of “urbanidad” but a sign of gross bad taste, and so, the public servants, as the implementing arm of the will of the state has the responsibility to rectify this violation of good taste. If you let your dogs roam in the street uncared and unfed, you showed disrespect to your community and therefore, the public servants has the responsibility of correcting your uncaring attitude by hauling your neglected pet into the city pound. Social equity is also very strong in “Marikina Way”. Bayani Fernado hates people calling themselves urban poor because to him, it is derogatory. He even joked to one of his campaign staff saying, “ikaw urban poor ka ng urban poor kaya hanggang ngayon mahirap ka pa rin”. He does not want to call the – used - to - be “squatters” as squatters, not even as “depressed area” residents. He wants to call them “nakatira sa matataong lugar’ or living in a highly populated area. What is the point? He wants to give dignity to everyone as a way of his pursuance of social equity. On record, he was able to relocate thousands of ‘squatter’ families to permanent relocation areas with land titles, electricity, road, water, telephone lines, cable television lines and near to their place of work. To relocate them, Bayani Fernando has to fight rich and professional land grabbers supported by some influential local politicians who were occupying the relocation areas. The fights are both in physical show of force and in court. “Marikina Way”, therefore, defines public administration as using the power of the state to champion justice and social equity.2.1.3. New Public Management (NPM) The New Institutional Economics and New Public Management is a marriage of two different streams of ideas emerging after World War ll – development of public choice and principal agency theory. NPM generated a set of doctrines intended for administrative reforms grounded on transparency, incentive structure, user choice and contestability of public decisions. NPM however is better known in the advocacy for business type managerialism in the public sector, in the tradition of international scientific management movement and respect for technical expertise. In line with business type managerialism, NPM calls for discretionary power of the public entities to achieve results and usher better performance through the development of appropriate cultures and active standardizations and measurements of output. NPM talks about citizens as customers, and the public servants are accountable for the results of their actions. It suggests a more decentralized structure doing a wide variety of alternative service delivery. The “Marikina Way” believes in transparency and showed physical manifestation of this belief by, for instance, breaking the physical disconnects of the city hall employees, by making their offices exist in a glass house, literally seen by the public. No special and separate rooms were provided to the department heads, as a manner of saying that they have to be transparent with their staff. In particular months of the year when long lines are expected for a certain tax payments, for instance, queuing is handled like in private airlines – customers get a number, take their seats and wait for their turn as their numbers are being flash in an electronic gadget just in front of the office. In other words, ‘Marikina Way” is about using a well - settled business sector management practices into the public administration. In the private sector, development of corporate citizenship is a concern. In Marikina city hall, professionalism is very much applied in hiring, uniform (just like the pilot’s uniform), training (they have Center of Excellence), and tapping outside consultants for specific projects.2.1.4. Reengineering Government Reengineering the government is an approach popularized by Michael Hammer and James Champy. It requires fundamental rethinking and more radical redesign of business processes to achieve dramatic improvements of a set of critical measures such as quality, service, cost and speed of delivery. It advocates for an abandonment of long - established procedures and principles prevalent in government bureaucracy, and instead, invent new processes and structures. It is even willing go to the extend of starting from scratch, just to dramatize the need to reengineer the lethargic bureaucracy. It seeks breakthrough by moving away from ineffective and antiquated ways of government bureaucracy. The need for reengineering comes from intense competition, constants change in the socio - political environment and the pressure from more engaging public. Basically, there are organizations that are more inclined to do reengineering: those in deep trouble, those that are on the verge of achieving the peak of success and want more innovations to fast tract the process, and those who anticipate some problems in the near future. There are key themes in the process of reengineering. It may look on process - the entire process. It may look for aim or ambitions of the leader in his attempt for a breakthrough. It may go for rule - breaking in the field of specializations and sequence of activities. It may decide to deliberately abandon the sense of timing. Reengineering advocates for the creative use of information technology, allowing the organization to work in more radical ways. Some characteristics of the reengineering processes involve combining of several jobs into one, allowing workers to make decisions, steps in the process are done in the natural order, processes have different versions, work is performed where it makes the most sense, checks and control are reduced, reconciliation is minimized, a manager provides a single point of contact and finally, hybrid centralized and decentralized operations are prevalent. The “Marikina Way’ that approximates reengineering is its latest successful effort to connect the different barangays and the offices in the city hall in a centralized information technology network. The leaders of the city government and political party are massively using the SMS or texting technology, and internet, in their daily communications. Mayor Marides Fernando even revealed that there are aspirants in the Kabayani Party (the local party of the Fernando’s) in the coming barangay elections pleading their appeal for endorsement thru text messages to the Mayor. The City Government has been operating under seven major clusters with different offices inside each cluster, namely, administrative support, public order and safety, finance management and project development, citizen’s affairs, infrastructure development and transportation, economic development, and, lastly, health and environment management. Bayani Fernando believes in doing things differently to the point of breaking away from the traditional ways of doing things. In the tradition of reengineering, he initiated the extended rotunda concepts in the main thoroughfare in Metro Manila as the Chairman of Metro Manila Development Authority, thereby solving the massive traffic problems in the past. He initiated the MMDA Art as way of fighting graffiti in Metro Manila streets. He even suggested arming the MMDA enforcers with jungle bolo instead of guns or “batuta”. The logic being, aside from being historical and patently Filipino, a jungle bolo is not as fatal as gun where one can kill people even in a distance, but on the other hand, jungle bolo is not as weak as the “batuta” in cases of heated street encounters. During the latest workshop of top Kabayani Party leaders, Bayani Fernando insisted on changing the usual format of VMOKRAPISPATRES in strategic planning. He suggested a Vision, Will and Action statement followed by a Decalogue. This leads us to one specific highlight of “Marikina Way’ – independence of mind, openness and not being captive to any ideology, approach and theories. “Marikina Way”, being grounded on strong family values and sense of “small town’ community is silent about contentious issues like sex education, population control, and other controversial issues like same sex marriage , mercy killing, and maybe even formation of world government being advocated the followers of The Globalist Manifesto. Some extreme prescriptions in reengineering the government may also run contrary to the basic beliefs expounded in “Marikina Way” despite the fact some of their practices are within the ambit of reengineering the government. “Marikina Way” therefore is a thinking public governance approach that smartly adopts eclectically good concepts and practices from any school of thought as long as they are doable, they serve the public better, and they respect the culture and tradition of the community.2.1.5. Reinventing Government Reinventing the government is one of the emerging public administration approaches today, popularized by David Osborne and Ted Gaebler. It calls for entrepreneurial approaches to governance, characterized by innovations and creative energies in formulating solutions to variety of governmental problems. In a nutshell, it suggests that government must posture in entrepreneurial ways. As such, it may involve revisiting the ways resources and processes are utilized to maximize productivity, efficiency and effectiveness after the realization that the traditional ways of doing things are no longer effective. Reinventing government is grounded on key premises such as belief in the government bureaucracy, that effective government is a requisite in making civilized society works, that public servants are basically good despite of an imperfect system in which they work with, that the conventional or traditional approaches are becoming irrelevant in facing governmental problems today and finally, a belief in equity and equal opportunity for all. Reinventing government advocates for several working principles. The government today must be catalytic, a government that steer, instead of row. A government must be empowering, not serving, believing that it is the community who owned the government. The government must be competitive against fellow government offices and against the private sector in service delivery. We should do away with rule - driven government and usher in a government which is mission - driven. Government must be result - oriented by way of emphasizing results rather than processes. It is not the need of the bureaucracy that is important, rather, the need of the constituencies. The government must be enterprising, emphasizing earnings rather than expenditures. A government must be preventive rather than curative. Decentralization of public institutions should emphasize teamwork rather than hierarchy. Lastly, the government should be market oriented by way of leveraging change through market forces. Having come from the private sector, the concept of reinventing government is very close to the hearts of Bayani Fernando and Marides Fernando, the two major proponents of “Marikina Way”. Interviews with civil servants close to Marides Fernando quoted her as emphasizing cash inflows to the government instead of perennial cash outflows. The logic being that if the government has plenty of resources in its coffers, it will have plenty of flexibility in doing real pro - people projects that are identified as priorities. Bayani Fernando, however, thinks that the government should provide political party finance rather than the political parties raising funds from its members and supporters. To him, this will lessen corruption in the government because political parties are not too pressured to raise campaign funds that usually are always the source of paybacks after elections. Merging social equity with entrepreneurship, “Marikina Way” believes that the rich must have bigger share of burden than the poor as a way of flowing back to the society the blessings that the rich have been reaping. This explains the fact that Marikina increased the real property tax because the rich are the ones that owns real estate properties. Towing of cars illegally park, with cash penalties, also hits the rich because they are the ones that own cars in the first place. While building permits in Marikina are basically free, the logic is that the boom in the construction of structures brought about by free building permits, energizes the economy and increases the aesthetic view of the community. Grantmanship, or grant sourcing, is also being pursued by Marikina City government. A possible partnership with Habitat for Humanity for the housing project of the poor city government employees is now in the pipeline. Funding agencies have worked with the city government on several projects like bike lane, saving Marikina River, etc. Marides Fernando believes that government support does not always mean dole outs. It also means moral support and good governance. One innovative program of the city government on tax collection effort is to provide a system of discounts and amnesty for taxpayers, thereby encouraging early payments and fewer delinquencies. A very specific project, the Marikina Citizens First Privilege Card, provides a series of discount to card holders on some identified private establishments.

2.2.0. “Marikina Way” in Development
Public administration the “Marikina Way”, an eclectic public administration approach whose credence is anchored on the world class progress of Asia’s shoe making capital, Marikina City, and can be viewed in the statement of its city mayor Marides Fernando: “Our city hall is run like a private corporation. We treat our clients as our customers whom we want not only to satisfy but to delight” This view of public administration is within the new public management framework which does not emphasize much the administration and politics dichotomy but on the private sector’s total quality management concept of customer satisfaction. But because “Marikina Way” also uses other paradigms of public administration, it is therefore an eclectic approach to public administration.

2.2.1. The Early Child Health Care and Development Program of Marikina: A Case in Point
How do you run a city like Marikina – clean, organized, international acclaimed, prosperous, peaceful and world class, with its former Mayor one of the leading presidential contenders of the country in the 2010 elections and its present Mayor one of the Top 7 finalists in the World Mayor Award? “Our City Hall is run like a private corporation. We treat our clients as our customers whom we want not only to satisfy but to delight.”[4] – Marikina Mayor Marides Fernando.
The Marikina local government is divided into seven clusters, namely, administrative support, public order and safety, finance management and project development, infrastructure development and transportation, citizens’ affairs, economic development; and, health and environmental management.
The children’s welfare is found under the cluster of citizen’s affair, specifically, in the Social Welfare and Development Office. Aside from this office, the following are also found in the citizens’ affair cluster: Department of Education – Marikina, Public Information Office, Community Relations Office, Marikina Settlements Office, City Women Council, MCF Manpower House, Teens Health Quarter, Local Civil Registry, MCF Privilege Card and the Office of Senior Citizens Affair.
The city Social Welfare and Development Office is one - story structure called Social Action Center, detached from the main building where the Office of the Mayor is housed. In that Social Action Center, several officers are also found like: Volunteers Office, SOCO, PNP and Traffic Management.
The city Social Welfare Development Office has been devolved from DSWD to the city government of Marikina. The office was run by an OIC who is a licensed social worker. Together with the OIC, there was a Consultant directly reporting to the Mayor. The consultant is a TV producer of a child show and was a neighbor of the Mayor in her ancestral house in Pasig. The OIC eventually left the post for personal reasons and joined an entry level job at the Marikina Fiscal’s Office, the Consultant took over as the OIC then hired a 24 – year – old licensed social worker as his assistant.
The city Social Welfare Development Office is picture of a workplace that is changing often, desks are changing depending on the circumstances of the office politics, full of clients daily and perhaps, in an attempt to manage the flow of clients, a sign is posted in the door reminding the customers to whom to report regarding their needs. The post says “services offered”: referral; social case study report; medical, financial and funeral assistance; certificate of indigency, PWD, PYAP/TN; and solo parent. Then, names of concerned staff handling these services are listed .Take note that in the list, there is no specific concern for children’s welfare. The OIC and her assistant have their separate rooms, the rest of the 13 staff are together. On the adjacent room is the Children in Conflict with the Law Shelter with around 25 inmates. Based however on Marikina Citizens’ Factbook, the office has the following services: assistance in crisis situations, referrals, seminars and counseling and child – friendly intervention which handling of juvenile cases. Take note again the lack of mention of child welfare concerns and day care centers despite the fact that the city also manages around six day care centers all over the city of 16 barangays. Barangay councils for the protection of children are not active.

3.0. Singapore: the Model of “Marikina Way” in Governance
Governance is the process of decision making and implementation or non implementation of what were decided. Good governance, on the other hand, has 8 major characteristics. “It is participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and follows the rule of law. It assures that corruption is minimized, the views of minorities are taken into account and that the voices of the most vulnerable in society are heard in decision-making. It is also responsive to the present and future needs of society.”[5]
Figure A: Framework of Governance of Singapore[6]

3.1. Transparency means that “decisions taken and their enforcement are done in a manner that follows rules and regulations. It also means that information is freely available and directly accessible to those who will be affected by such decisions and their enforcement. It also means that enough information is provided and that it is provided in easily understandable forms and media.”[7] “According to surveys examined by Transparency International, Transparency is in the values in the governance style of Lee Kuan Yew, the founding Prime minister of Singapore. He said that there must be “order under the law and not the capricious, arbitrariness of individual rulers.” [8] Although,he did not menetioned among his values public availability of important governmental informations. Today, “Singapore is perceived to have least corrupt public sector among Asian nations. Singapore ranked number 5 worldwide. Hong Kong and Japan joined Singapore as the only Asian states ranking among the top 25 nations. Asia's largest nations, China, India, and Indonesia, all scored in the bottom half of the 133 ranked nations.”[9]

3.2. Accountability is a key requirement of good governance. “Not only governmental institutions but also the private sector and civil society organizations must be accountable to the public and to their institutional stakeholders. Who is accountable to whom varies depending on whether decisions or actions taken are internal or external to an organization or institution. In general an organization or an institution is accountable to those who will be affected by its decisions or actions. Accountability cannot be enforced without transparency and the rule of law.”[10] It is worthy to note that Lee Kuan Yew did not specifically mention accountability as one of his seven values in governance. Although he said that a government must make sure that his people are well care d for, their food, housing, employment and health.

3.3. Participation by both men and women is a key cornerstone of good governance. “Participation could be either direct or through legitimate intermediate institutions or representatives. It is important to point out that representative democracy does not necessarily mean that the concerns of the most vulnerable in society would be taken into consideration in decision making. Participation needs to be informed and organized. This means freedom of association and expression on the one hand and an organized civil society on the other hand.”[11] Traditionally, women played a significantly smaller role than their male counterparts in patriarchal Singapore. However, in recent years, there is an increasing level of female participation in the Singapore political arena. Lee Kuan Yew, in his governance values said that there should be no discrimination between people, regardless of race, language, and religion. “Singapore has consistently been rated as one of the least corrupt countries in the world .The World Bank's governance indicators have also rated Singapore highly on rule of law, control of corruption and government effectiveness. However, it is widely perceived that some aspects of the political process, civil liberties, and political and human rights are lacking.”[12]

3.4. Rule of Law in good governance requires “fair legal frameworks that are enforced impartially. It also requires full protection of human rights, particularly those of minorities. Impartial enforcement of laws requires an independent judiciary and an impartial and incorruptible police force.”[13] Since winning independence from Malaysia, Singapore embarked on a set of national policies that set Singapore on an upward economic progress, “including state investment in electronics and other export industries, the nationalization of major industries, the control by a housing development board of all rental property, tax holidays to welcome foreign investment, and the establishment of basic legal foundations for a free-market economy.”[14] Rule of law is one of the governance values stated by Lee Kuan Yew

4.0. The Points of Reform Marikina Can Further Do be The Little Singapore in the Philippines?
Benchmarking is a tool used by the multinational corporations to copy the practices of their companies into their own operations for better result. Marikina should therefore benchmark on the direct pronouncement of Lee Kuan Yew himself. “ As an Asian of Chinese cultural background, my value as for a government which is honest, effective, and efficient in protecting each people and allowing opportunities for all to advance themselves in a stable and orderly society, where they can live a good life and raise their children to do better than themselves. In other words: (a) People are well cared for, their food, housing, employment, and health.(b) There is order and justice under the rule of law and not the capricious, arbitrariness of individual rulers. There is no discrimination between peoples, regardless of race, language, religion. No great extremes of wealth.(c) As much personal freedom as possible but without infringing on the freedom of others.(d) Growth in the economy and progress in the society.(e) Good and ever improving education.(f) High moral standards of rulers and of the people.(g) Good physical infrastructure, facilities for recreation, music, culture, and the arts; spiritual and religious freedoms, and a full intellectual life.”[15]
Marikina should also use the Figure A: Framework of Governance of Singapore.
In the meantime while Marikina is fine tuning its benchmarking effort on Singapore, it should continue doing the “Marikina Way”.
Specifically, in the case in point, in practical concerns, Marikina should do the following:

4.1. Institutions
Findings: the staff in Marikina’s DSWD office is overloaded; there are staff members who have to work after 5 pm and during weekends. Recommendation: realignment of duties and work loads.
Findings: it was noted that CRC, MDGs and children’s welfare is not well advocated in the city hall and even among the Marikina City SWDO staff. Being a devolved function, SWDO is being viewed as an office that dispenses funeral and medical assistance basically. Recommendation: advocacy and information campaign about CRC, CWC, MDG and other children’s concern that the office are suppose to handle.

4.2. Structure
Findings: Marikina’s social welfare office is not yet on the level of studying these cultural differences since it is still saddled with organizational concerns. With the frequent changes in the Marikina City SWDO, the organizational capacity to respond to a new task like ECCD Accreditation is still weak. The OIC is new and her assistant is also new. Recommendation: team building sessions and thorough job orientation.
Findings: It was noted that out of 13 staff, some of them are not college graduates and joined the service as a political accommodations rather than based on qualifications. Only one of them is a license social worker, the assistant of the OIC. Recommendation: professionalize the staff, assign the less qualified somewhere else and hire more social workers into the unit.
Findings: the Marikina City SWDO lacks a staff that is well - versed in planning, data gathering, and doing reports. It was learned that there are several attempts as early as 2004 to work on the ECCD Accreditation but the office simply can not do it up to now. One challenge also is the volume and nature of data being asked (See Exhibit A). Recommendation: hire another assistant, probably another social worker, whose job is to handle planning, reporting, rules compliance, accreditations, project proposal writing, data gathering and safekeeping.

4.3. Behavior
Findings: there is a perception that a job in the Marikina City SWDO is dirty and unfashionable and the staff members of the office are not that presentable. This perception can easily lead to being unable to get data and simple favors from other offices that look at themselves as more superior. Recommendation: professionalism; a high profile children’s welfare champion from the Marikina City Hall must be groomed. The present OIC, being a Consultant and a personal friend of the Mayor is a good material for this task. She just has to get familiar with theoretical base, other issues and concerns on children’s welfare and must be passionate enough in advocating them.

4.4. Leadership
Findings: Barangay Councils for the Protection of Children (BCPC) are not well organized. Recommendation: assign two councilors, one per district, to help the Marikina Marikina City SWDO to organize and sustain the BCPC.

8. The Marikina City SWDO had been very busy. Some staff does overtime without pay. Some work on weekends…and yet; they seem to be not so focused on children’s welfare activities. At present, only the OIC is handling the ECCD concerns, and to think that she has other activities, being a close confidante of the Mayor and therefore could be doing other activities on the side, she might end up neglecting her duties on ECCD. Recommendation: assign the ECCD work to the new assistant that will be hired.
Findings: The current Mayor Marides Fernando, who is one of the major architects of “Marikina Way”, is now barred by law from running again as a Mayor. Bayani Fernando, the other architect is seeking a national office. Two dominant Kabayani Party (local party of the Fernandos) leaders are fighting for mayorship. The Fernando expressed preference to the current vice mayor over the other aspirant. But can the “Marikina Way’ be secured with any of them? Recommendation: Do a Lee Kuan Yew by letting Tala Fernando, the couple’s only child, to run for Mayor, the way Lee Kuan Yew made sure that his son became the Prime minister of Singapore. Tala is a US educated business executive running the BF Group of companies.
5.0. Conclusions
5.1. Issues and concerns. This paper has shown that Philippines and Singapore are different. Knowing this, can a city like Marikina sustain its benchmarking efforts with Singapore in the long term? What if a different brand of leadership emerged in Marikina? Can Singapore – benchmarked institutions and structures set by 18 years of Fernando leadership in Marikina sustain itself even with new leadership? Is 18 years long enough to cement a lasting behavioral change among Marikenos. These are the questions that even ordinary Marikenos are asking faced with an election next year where Mayor Marides Fernando is not anymore eligible to run, MMDA Chairman is running for President, Tala Fernando-the only child of the Fernandos- seem to be uninterested, Vice Mayor Marion Andres and Rep Del de Guzman (both Kabayani members) are unable to agree which one will give way, plus a popular third force led by Dr. Fabian Cadiz is snowballing.
“Marikina Way”, by itself, already shows features of good governance. It is however unclear if the Fernando’s got their programs from Singapore or from public administration books. Eclecticism is “Marikina Way” and it sure came from different theoretical and conceptual sources…the credit still goes to the Fernando’s for deciding which tactics are good from the laundry lists of public administration tactics they encountered. Is there a native intelligence on governance where a leader just uses common sense and public interest as his sole basis and eventually come out with a country or a city as good as Marikina and Singapore?
5.2. Areas for further research and investigation
Further researches can be done on the areas of praxis in public administration and good governance. A laundry list of authentic Singaporean public administration and good governance praxis, tactics and concepts can be further studied with more focus. Context can be correlated: can these. Singaporean touch be applicable in different context or situations, like say in Marikina, Kerala or even Russia? What are the generic Singaporean touches that can be applied to any generic developmental or governance situations and which of them can be applied only in Singapore? Can “Marikna Way” be packaged as another brand of public administration? If so, when will “Singaporean Touch” and “Marikina Way” work? What are the generic contexts? Then, learning becomes more useful.
6.0. Bibliography1. Raadschelders, Jos C.N. 2003. Government, a Public Administration Perspective, New York: M.E. Sharpe. Ch. 1, “Government: The Most Central Phenomenon of our Time, pp.3-31.2. Wilson, Woodrow, 1887. “The Study of Administration.” Political Science Quarterly, Vol.2 (June,1887), as reprinted in Jay M.Shafritz and Albert C. Hyde (eds.). 1997. Classics of Public Administration.(4th ed.). Forth worth, Texas:Harcourt Brace and Co., pp.14-263. The following articles and essays reprinted and abridged in Jay M. Shafritz and Albert C. Hyde (eds.). 1997. Classics of Public Administration. (4th ed.). Forth Worth, Texas: Hardcourt Brace and Co: Frank J. Goodnow.1900. “Politics and Administration” pp. 27-29; Frederick Taylor, 1912. “Scientific Management.” Pp.30-32; Max Weber, 1946. “Bureaucracy.” Pp.37-43; Leonard white.1926. “Introduction to the Study of Public Administration” pp.44-52; Luther Gulick.1937.”Notes on the Theory of Organization” pp.81-89; Herbert simon.1946.”The Proverbs of Administration” pp127-141.4. Sen, Amartya. Development as Freedom.Anchor Books.New York5. Frederickson, George.1971.”Toward a New Public Administration” in Marini (ed.) Toward a New Public Administration: The Minnowbrook Perspective, Scranton: chandler.6. Osborne, David and Ted Gaebler, 1992. Reinventing Government, New York:Penguin. ”Introduction: an American Perestroika.” Pp.1-24 and Ch. 1, “Catalytic Government: Steering rather Than Rowing,” pp.25-48.7. Hammer, Michael and James Champy. 1993 Reengineering the Corporation: A Manifesto for Business Revolution. New York: Harper-Collins Publishers.8. Osborne, Stephen and Kate McLaughlin. 2002.”The New Public Management in Context.” In K. McLaughlin,S.Osborne and E. Ferlie (eds). New Public Management: Current Trends and Future Prospects. London and New York: Routledge, pp 7-14.9. Hunt, Diana, 1982. Economic Theories of Development: An Analysis of Competing Paradigms, Ch 1 & 2.10. Marikina Citizens Factbook, Second Edition, 2007.11. Marikina City: the Past 15 Years, Published by the Public information Office, City Government of Marikina12. Konstitusyon ng Partido ng Kabayani, as provide by the Office of the City Mayor of Marikina.13. Bagong Filipino Movement, as provided by the Office of the City Administrator of Marikina.14. Articles of Incorporation of Kabayani Movement, Inc. as provided by Securites and Exchange Commission.15. The Bagong Filipino Vision, a PowerPoint Presentation done by the Campaign Staff of MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando.16. Marikina Citizens First Privilege Card Booklet, as provided by the Office of the City Mayor of Marikina.17. Disiplina sa Bangketa at Iba Pang Program ng MMDA by Bayani Fernando as provide by the Metro Manila Development Authority.18. Balitang Komunidad, Opisyal na Pahayagan ng Lungsod ng Marikina. Vol 2, No 2.19. Website of the City Government of Marikina at http://city.marikina.gov.ph/
20. Marikina City- Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaat http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marikina_City
21. http://www.gwu.edu/~edpol/manuscript/intro1-4.htm March 26, 2009
22. Siffin, William J.The Problem of Development Administration. Handbook of Comparative and Development Public Administration. Ali Farazman, editor. Marcel Dekker, Inc. New York
23. http://www.unescap.org/pdd/prs/ProjectActivities/Ongoing/gg/governance.asp. March 26, 2009
24. http://www.ne.edu.sg/principles_of_governance.htm March 26, 2009
25. Han Fook Kwang et all. Lee Kuan Yew: The Man and his Ideas. Singapore Pres holdings. p 380
26. http://www.international.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=5299 March 23, 2009
27. http://www.ne.edu.sg/principles_of_governance.htm March 26, 2009
28. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Singapore March 26, 2009
29. http://www.democracyweb.org/rule/singapore.php March 23, 2009

[1] Sen, Amartya. Development as Freedom.Anchor Books.New York.p.46
[2] http://www.gwu.edu/~edpol/manuscript/intro1-4.htm
[3] Siffin, William J.The Problem of Development Administration. Handbook of Comparative and Development Public Administration. Ali Farazman, editor. Marcel Dekker, Inc. New York. P.6
[4] Marikina Citizens’ Factbook, A Guide to Key Government Services, Second Edition,2007
[5] http://www.unescap.org/pdd/prs/ProjectActivities/Ongoing/gg/governance.asp. March 26, 2009
[6] http://www.ne.edu.sg/principles_of_governance.htm March 26, 2009
[7] Ibid
[8] Han Fook Kwang et all. Lee Kuan Yew: The Man and his Ideas. Singapore Pres holdings. p 380
[9] http://www.international.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=5299 March 23, 2009
[10] http://www.ne.edu.sg/principles_of_governance.htm March 26, 2009
[11] Ibid
[12] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Singapore March 26, 2009
[13] Ibid
[14] http://www.democracyweb.org/rule/singapore.php March 23, 2009

[15] Han Fook Kwang et all. Lee Kuan Yew: The Man and his Ideas. Singapore Pres holdings. p 380

Goodbye Kagawad Jerry Dulay

I missed my kid brother Jerry. He is so nice that in the last mass for him before his burial at OLA, the church was full of people who bid godbye to him. He has a lot of friends all over Marikina.
In his short life on earth, at 45, Jerry has the habit of making things light and funny that you will forget your problems and worries. Mayor Marides Fernando has a funny anecdote about Jerry. M.C.F. Basketball Team was organized by Jerry to jump start the campaign of then young housewife Marides Fernando. When she was invited by Jerry in the opening ceremony, she asked Jerry whats the meaning of M.C.F. Jerry, whose real name is Mariano Cerbito Dulay said: "Mam, ang ibig sabihin nyan eh Mariano Cerbito Foundation so hindi ka maaakusahan ng early campaigning."
Jerry would gamble so hard in some lamays. Minsan napataob nya yung bangka and got all the money in the table. To the surprise of everyone, he donated all the money to the relative of the dead. Jerry can not sing. Sintonado sya. But one day he was singing Bee Gee's "Dont Forget to Remember Me", and told me: "Kuya, kinanta ni BF to sa RiverBank kagabi, kaya ko rin pala."
His appearance is ironic - macho, may bigote - pero I realized just now that all his life, he has my mother with him. Just when I though na ako ang mama's boy. Lahat ng pamangkin nyang may problema,he will shelter them at his house and send them to school.Yes, at the time of his death, he was sending 5 of them to schools. Akala ko ako yung pinaka mabait sa angkan...si Jerry pala.
Jerry is an accounting graduate of one of the best universities in the country. He could have been a bank executive or a finance guy of a multinational company in Makati..but he decided to stay in the place where we grew up..as a KB chairman, Barangay Kagawad and Barangay Administrator. He love Marikina Heights and its people so much that he stayed by her through thick and thin.
I have been a veteran of national presidential campaigns - Erap and Roco. But one day, Jerry told me:"Kuya, si BF, dapat patakbuhin natin presidente...buyuin natin"..it turned out na the clamor for BF to run for president is already snowballing all over the country but that turned out to be the first salvo of my campaign works for Bayani Fernando for president (although I was also one of the campaign staff when BF first run for Mayor in 1988 based in Calumpang Market with Kap. Harry Singh as the Campaign Manager)
The last time Jerry visited me in my house in San Roque was one lazy Saturday a week before he died. We are about to take our lunch..he ate a lot..adobo..chicken..etc. While eating , he told my college daughter Lenlen, "Inaanak, pag nag asawa ka, dapat di ka maloloko ng asawa mo ha..dapat alam mong manghuli ha". We all laugh of his "advise". Then he told my only son Esdee, "Oh Esdee, dapat magaling kang mambabae ha..." . It was an unusually happy lunch..very unexpected. Now I realized it was his "huling habilin" to the my children.


Sana panaginip lang ito and one day I will wake up with Jerry still with us.....
Jerry, si Kuya Tutoy mo to.....bakit ka masyadong nagmamadali..we love you..we need you round here...


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PASASALAMAT SA LAHAT NG MGA NAKIRAMAY:

In behalf of the Family of Kagawad Jerry Dulay, Angkan ng Dulay sa Lambak ng Marikina and all descendants of David Dula y Goiti, we wish to thank our friends and relatives who shared with our bereavement on the last days of Kagawad Jerry Dulay with us:
1. Mayor Marides Carlos Fernando for being the first one to extend Bayani Fernando and her family's condolences to our Clan, sent flowers, attended the wakes, sent some logistical supports and bus for the burial.
2. Vice Mayor Marion S.Andres,M.D.,for coordinating a "special - size" coffin and for being with the clan in the wake and in the burial.
3.Msgr. Mariano T. Balbago,Parish Administrator and First Rector of the Shrine,
Diocesan Shrine of Maria, Inang Mapag – ampon ng Marikina,J.P. Rizal St., Sta. Elena, Marikina City,for the Special Mass he personally presided and for the "special- size" burial place at the Shrine Cemetery.
4. Councilors Efren De Guzman and Boy Ponce for initiating a resolution signed by the City Council led by Acting Presiding Officer Councilor Boy Bolok Santos and city council Secretary Lolita E. de Leon expressing condolences to to our bereaved clan.
5. Kap. Edwin Adigue and his family for being on top of the situation for all the needed coordinations. Dr. Fabian Cadiz for a very nice history of Dulay Clan during the last testimonials to Jerry, and for being a kind source of strength for the clan way back in their college days.
6. SK Chairman John Po and his parents and his kagawads, for being with us on those bereavement days. Kagawads Letlet Adigue, Bobby Herrera,Weng Weng Cubarrubias, Martin Tindoc, Boy Reinoso,
7. Kap. Harry Singh, Kap. Tess Daza and Kap. Rudy Francisco for their show of sympathy and concerns, and ready presence and condolences.Kap. Apin de Guzman,Heidi Palanca of Legaspi City's Cherryland ,Ben Bautista,Vic and Fe Bago,Rep. Del. De Guzman,Julie Borje,Mary Justo, Duffie, Rep. Emil Ong, Onding Derpo, Charit Estanislao, Neya Cruz, Lydia de Guzman, Rep. Ome Candazo, Col. Alex Tuprio,Pastor Joey Casas, Boy Cruz, Reggie Pascual,Johnny Cunanan, Fiscal Eddie Guardiano, Judge Garalza,Councilors Tambuli, Ferdie Marco, Donn Favis, Bong Ubaldo, Boggs Reyes,Larry Punzalan, Pag – Ibig President Miro Quimbo, Dr. Tonette Corral,Atty. Cudiamat, Albert Cruz, Joe Balete,
8. Marist PTA, Knights of Columbus Marist Council and Concepcion Council, Alumni of the Ponciano Bernando High School, Asian Institute of Management, Marco Riders, Marikina Heights barangay Employees and Kagawads, Guardian members, friends from the Partido ng Masang Pilipino, Barangay Tanods,pamilya nga mga kasamahan ng tatay namin sa Francisco Cacho and Co., Inc. - the developers of Conceocion Dos and part of Concepcion Uno, Parang and Marikina Heights, Del de Guzman Riders, Marikina Heights Riders Club, Magnificat Parish, What The Bible Says Ministry, Magnificat Choir, St. Gabriel Parish, MSAT Batch 78, Neighbors of I. Mendoza St. in San Roque., FEU students, Neighbors from Friendly Village, NAJAMS, supports from different barangays in Marikina, Couples for Christ, friends from Bicol Visaya Atbp, Inc., St. Camillus Cursillista Group, FEU Faculty Club, Marikina Police, doctoral students of UP Public Administration, neighbors from Marikina Heights, Lupon of Marikina Heights, City Hall Employees, friends from Aksyon Democratiko, Guardiano family of the Iglesia ni Cristo, some members of the UP Vanguard,
9. For all the clan members and relatives from Tondo, Candawid, Cavite, Bulacan, Pasig, Cainta, San Mateo, Quezon City, and Marikina. Mga kababata at mga kabarkada namin.
10. Those who offered prayers, flowers, songs, masses, AV presentations, mass cards,offered cars, and supports.
11. All other friends and neighbors, and relatives who attended the lamay and filled the OLA Shrine during the last mass ..salamat, salamat po.

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Republika ng Pilipinas
SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD NG MARIKINA

RESOLUSYON Blg. 020
Serye ng Taong 2009

RESOLUSYON NA NAGPAPAHAYAG NG PAKIKIRAMAY SA MGA NAULILA NI BARANGAY KAGAWAD MARIANO "JERRY" DULAY NG BARANGAY MARIKINA HEIGHTS, LUNGSOD NG MARIKINA.

Introduced by: Councilor EFREN S.DE GUZMAN
and Councilor ROBERTO C.PONCE
Co- sponsored by: Vice Mayor MARION S.ANDRES, M.D.
Councilor FRANKIE C.AYUSON
Councilor SERAFIN Y. BERNARDINO
Councilor LEANOR F.CARLOS
Councilor ANNA B. DAYAO
Councilor DONN CARLO B. FAVIS
Councilor SAMUEL S.FERRIOL
Councilor HILARIO A. PUNZALAN
Councilor WILFRED S. REYES
Councilor VICTORIANO A.SABINIANO
Councilor PONCIANITO E.SANTOS,JR.
Councilor THADDEUS ANTONIO M.SANTOS
Councilor PONCIANO T.UBALDO,JR.
Councilor FELIPE C.URRUTIA

SAPAGKAT, si Kagawad Mariano "Jerry" Dulay ay naglingkod sa sa Barangay Marikina Heights bilang Barangay Kagawad mula taong 1994 hanggang sa sya ay pumanaw noong ika-29 ng Enero, 2009;

SAPAGKAT, si Kagawad Dulay ay maaalala ng kanyang mga kamag-anak, kaibigan, kasamahan sa serbisyo publiko dahil sa kanyang mga nagawa sa kanyang panunungkulan bilang Barangay Kagawad;

SAPAGKAT, ang pagkamatay ni Kaqawad Dulay aybisang malaking kawalan sa maraming taong naging bahagi ng kanyang buhay;

NGAYON AT SA KADAHILANAN NG LAHAT DITO AY NASASAAD, PINAGPASIYAHAN AT SA PAMAMAGITAN NITO AY PINAGPAPASIYAHAN ng SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD ng MARIKINA na sa kapulungan ay nabubuo, na magpahayag ng ng pakikiramay sa mga naulila ni Barangay Kagawad Mariano "Jerry" Dulay ng Barangay Marikina Heights, Lungsod ng Marikina.

PINAGPAPASIYAHAN PA RIN, na pagkakalooban ng sipi ng Resolusyong ito ang pamilya ni Kagawad Dulay para sa kanilang kaalaman.

PINAGTIBAY ng SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD ng MARIKINA, ngayong ika -4 ng Pebrero,taong 2009.

Pinatunayang ang Resolutiong ito ay ipinasa sa ika - 5 na Pangkaraniwang Sesyon ng Sangguniang Panlungsod ng Marikina ngayong ika - 4 ng Pebrero, 2009.

LOLITA E.DE LEON
City Council Secretary

ATTESTED AND CERTIFIED TO BE DULY APPROVED:

THADDEUS ANTONIO M.SANTOS, JR.
President Pro-Tempore/Acting Presiding Officer