Alternative Parties, Alternative Programs - Election and How to Choose Leaders

Prof. Leonor Magtolis Briones

UP National College of Public Administration and Governance

UP Academic Congress:

Election and How to Choose Leaders

Malcolm Hall, UP College of Law

February 04, 2010

The importance and significance of the 2010 elections: country in crisis

· Economic and financial

o state of the economy, state of public finance, looming fiscal crisis due to huge deficit.

§ 0.9 % GDP growth for 2009

§ P272.5 billion deficit as of Nov 2009

· Social crisis

o rise in poverty; crisis in health and education

§ 26.9 % poverty incidence among Filipino families (2006)

§ 27.6 million poor Filipinos (2006)

§ 7.6 % unemployment rate or 2.9 million jobless Filipinos (as of July 2009)

§ 19.8 % underemployment rate or 7 million people (as of July 2009)

§ 37,925 permanently displaced workers due to establishments resorting to permanent closure/retrenchment due to economic reasons, Jan-June 2009 (per DOLE)

· Political crisis

o ineffectiveness and corruption of the present political system;

o non-democratic elitist character of dominant political parties

· Environmental crisis

o climate change and climate change adaptation frequency of natural disasters, disaster management

§ P206 Billion or 2.7 % of GDP – total damage and losses due to typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng

§ P207.88 Billion – estimated needs for recovery and reconstruction over 2009 to 2012

• moral crisis; governance crisis

The clamor for reform and change

• the general mood is that of change -- change in leadership, in governance and ways of selecting leaders
• increasingly active participation of the youth in the electoral process
• the search and challenge of out-of-the box solutions to persistent problems
• dissatisfaction with traditional political parties
• search for alternatives and the emergence of alternative parties

Alternative Parties

• Some National Parties
• Ang kapatiran
• Partido ng Marangal na Sambayanan
• Bangon Pilipinas
• Some Party Lists which typify alternative programs
• Akbayan
• Bayan Muna
• Kaakbay Partylist
• MDG’s
• budget reform

Alternative Programs:
The case of ABI/Social Watch

· Partnership between CSOs and legislators for greater participation in budget process

· Capacity building;

· preparation of alternative budget;

· campaigning for alternative budget;

· Monitoring and budget tracking;

· advocacy for legislative budget reforms.

ABI Gains in 2009 Budget

Environment	Environmental Management Bureau, Bantay Gubat and Bantay Kalikasan Program, Recycling of Agricultural and Forest Wastes	1,154,700,000.00
Basic Education	Teachers, Pre-School, MOOE, GASTPE, Computerization, Science & Math Equipment, Library Hub Program and Education Learning Centers, IT Equipment, Basic Education Madrasah	4,581,951,000.00
Higher Education	State Universities and Colleges	559,225,000.00
Agriculture	Additional certified inbred seeds and production support for organic producers	650,000,000.00
Health	Rural Midwife Placement Program, Resident Physicians, Health Promotion, Hospital and Health Facilities, Purchase of Mercury Free Thermometers	71,355,563.00
Total (Php)		7,017,231,563

Choosing a Leader

• at present, selection of a leader is highly personal; many voters select with

hearts; others with their stomachs

• choosing a leader ideally should be issue-based

• careful consideration of party platform and programs for social development is essential

• ideology is an important consideration

Giving alternative parties a chance

• alternative parties, party-lists and alternative program should be seriously considered

• many tired old formulae have failed; the time has come to consider alternatives

• Role of the academe to participate in the electoral process and inform the public of alternative programs

Challenge in choosing the next leaders

• To choose a leader with clear and viable program for addressing the critical condition of public finance – taxation and revenue, deficits and debt

– P 272.5 Billion deficit (Jan – Nov. 2009)

– P 4.42 Trillion outstanding debt (as of Oct. 2009)

– P 74.38 Billion revenue shortfall (Jan – Sept 2009)

• Candidates should be challenged to present their program on how to provide for critical social services which is key to development