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Gummersbach Mountain

October 10, 2006
New Public Management: Lean State, Lean Government
(April 23- May 1, 2006)
By Ted Francisco

Prior to coming to Gummersbach for the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) seminar on new public management (NPM), I was preoccupied with thoughts, most of which were questions, regarding the subject at hand. Some of the questions I raised during the online phase of the discussion were focused on the lack of information on the liberal model of this so-called new public management.

    * Could NPM be as effective no matter what kind of government system a country has?
   * Is NPM workable only in democratic-parliamentary countries that have attained economic success?


NPM could be a silent revolution at the bureaucratic level of government. It could alter the way our government is run, and it could change our perception of our political environment. But then again, Filipinos have become too suspicious of revolutions. Many believe we have had too much of it.


We have let the momentum of the first EDSA revolution slip out of our hands, and we missed the chance to rectify the errors in our political and government system. Twenty years after the famous EDSA revolution, the call of which was exactly for effective governance, not much has really changed in our political landscape and in the bureaucracy. The government continues to be perceived as pathetic, inefficient and ineffective. Graft and corruption is still rampant, and people remain poor and hungry. Many lack income-generating opportunities. Our perspectives are narrow and limited to the confines of our homes. Nationhood is not our best suit. Indeed, we have failed to finish the job we started in EDSA I. Would NPM give us that cure?


Between monitoring the imposition of a state of national emergency by President Arroyo, the very politically charged discussion on charter change, and trying to grasp information on NPM, I was filled with doubts on the effectiveness of NPM, and the essence behind this much ballyhooed concept. That was basically my NPM state of mind prior to the seminar. Then there was the Gummersbach seminar.


Understanding the liberal model of NPM wasn’t that hard after all. In fact it was comprehensible especially when you discuss it with other reform-minded people. The ideas of promoting a lean government and a lean state, the privatization of some government functions in order to improve services through competition, the benchmarking of best practices to continuously improve governance, promoting customer-orientation and the shift from hierarchical to a flat organization – these are already universal concepts and ideals. In fact, there are already NPM-like policies which have been implemented, some of which were successful while others are still waiting for positive results.


Of course, NPM is not a recipe for government success. Rather, it is a frame of mind for everyone — a yardstick to measure performance, structure, dynamics and efficiency in public service. Since this is a concept, there is no one model for all. NPM offers a new perspective for looking at governance. It is a paradigm shift towards attaining higher customer (public) satisfaction.


There are limitations of course. You cannot, and should not, force a circle to fit in a square. Political culture and political reality play crucial roles in defining the success and failure of NPM. Political education of the people is also important. As long as people do not demand for an overhauling of the government system, implementation of an NPM approach will remain a pipe dream.


Realizing how NPM has resulted in many good things for New Zealand, Germany, Netherlands and other parts of Europe, I asked if the NPM model could be transplanted to the Philippines, and if it would bear the same fruits.


If it is focused on the structural reform of government, there is no reason to think twice about cultivating NPM in our political soil. But would NPM suit the rather unique Filipino culture that is so deeply interwoven in our politics and bureaucracy? Is the idea of NPM designed to particularly address a culture-specific government structure and allow it to work without any kinks? On hindsight, I see no reason why the Philippines cannot thrive on a system operating on a liberal foundation. We have embraced democracy long enough to see the benefits of a liberalized economy – with the free market and all.


The NPM seminar in Gummersbach was indeed memorable, informative, enlightening and challenging. It was exhilarating and inspiring – people from different walks of life, from different professions and persuasions, representing different nations but equivocally wanting to institute reforms in government — it was indeed a fulfillment to have worked with like-minded people committed to a similar cause.


After the week long seminar, there are still so many thoughts inside my head, questions still waiting for answers. But these thoughts and questions only heighten my interest to know more about NPM and to adopt it at least in my area of work. I have become more passionate about supporting government initiatives that will lead to instituting changes in governance style. I look forward to similar noteworthy endeavors with FNF in the coming years.
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Death and the City

October 9, 2006

Dan Campilan's Theme


I went to the wake of a GMA 7
reporter, who died over the weekend in a freaky vehicular accident. Dan
Campilan was 25 when he joined his Creator.


I met Dan through another reporter
friend, Mark Salazar. I really had no chance to develop strong ties
with Dan, much less work with him except for a couple of times when he
obliged to cover a Gawad Kalinga event and an anti-cha-cha concert.
Other than that, I see him mostly in primetime news.


The last time I had a chat with him was in GMA 7. Mark and Dan were
there to listen as I let out the stress of a long day. Actually, It was
more like a nicotine marathon session with Mark and Dan. Just the same,
it was very relieving.

Then, a text message from Pia broke the news on a weekend which I
thought could be a total humdrum. “FYI, GMA 7 reporter Dan Campilan
died in a vehicular accident this morning…” Her message goes. I was
stunned.

At first, I could not believe that Dan perished just that morning. I
logged on and did some online searching for that particular news that I
wish could be a hoax. And there it was – a dreadful story that would
break any mother’s heart.

Suddenly, I thought about my life. Like Dan, I have so many things I
want to do, things I want to have, people I want to meet. His death, in
a way, knocked some sense into my numbing soul. I thought of the people
that I may have offended or loved ones that I may have not seen or
spend time with.“My time could be running out,” I told myself.

In his wake at Nacional Memorial, I still feel so bothered. Thoughts
were swirling and whirling on my head (Yes, like that circle in a
spiral). Despite the iconoclast geek that I am, I cannot help but feel
disturbed and restless. Suddenly, I thought of the people that I am
missing and the things that I wanted to do (but failing to do for one
reason or another). I tried to divert my attention by looking at the
Mass card that I was holding. “I am now free…,” a line in the card
read. And I just have to agree. Death, sometimes is a liberating thing
– total freedom from this crazy world.
 
Then a cold breeze started to engulf me. Sadness, he whispered, is his
name. After spending a few minutes with some friends and puffing more
nicotine into my veins and exchanging glances here and there, we
decided to head home and call it a night. But images of deaths and love
affair, of friendship and betrayal, of corporate competition, the
concrete jungle drama, frustrations and ambitions, of songs and poems –
all these were squeezed into my head as I made my way home. 


Then, I asked myself: “How much time do I have to live the kind of life
I want?” and “Where do I start rectifying the mistakes I did and
continue to live with?” and “What will I eat for dinner?”


“U-turn po tayo?” asked the cab driver. And I am back to my
reality. I have seen death so many times – But Dan’s is one of those
with strong impact on me. It was 48 minutes past the hour of nine.
Maybe it is not too late to try to get that time of my life.

Rest in peace, Dan Campilan!

 

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Tracing my Aldeguer roots

October 5, 2006
I am an Aldeguer.


Yet, for years my roots as an Aldeguer have been a puzzle to me and my siblings.


I remember Nanay would always court our attention every time she sees the Aldeguer Sisters on TV, strutting and throwing their legs up in the air in perfectly synchonized choreography…until Joe Quirino takes it away. She has been always proud to have the Aldeguer Sisters for cousins. But, that is just about it. She has never met the rest of the Aldeguer clan.


Then, she would share her limited memories of the Aldeguers of Iloilo, including a former Speaker of the House of Representatives.

It has been Nanay's fondest wish to be able to go back to Iloilo and Leyte to re-trace her roots and to finally meet her Dad, which she never grew up with. Sometimes she would cry while telling her childhood memories of Lolo and how her life would have been different if Lola Gloria and Lolo Jose, did not part ways.

We know Lolo may have long been dead. But, that is not enough to stop Nanay from thinking her Tatay.

Then, I thought — why don't I trace our Aldeguer roots and make Nanay's wish come true? But, I get discouraged at the task ahead. Why? Because I don't know how and where to begin.

So, why I am saying this? Well, after a coffee slash ice tea slash japanese dinner with Herman Besbano of Bombo Radyo and after revealing to him and my colleague that I have Ilongo roots, the idea of searching for the missing Aldeguer links started to bother me again.

Again, the big question: How and Where Do I Begin?

Maybe another reminiscing session with Nanay might be a good start. I know I made a note of the names of people — relatives and friends — who could give good leads. Now, where did I put that…?

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