Reviewing devolution

LOCAL government units are supposed to have a better grasp of the needs in their areas of jurisdiction. On the other hand, certain government services are better carried out at the national level. Identifying which functions must remain devolved to LGUs, and which are better handled by the national government, will be studied for a year by the executive branch.

Meeting last Wednesday, February 22, with municipal mayors, President Marcos said his administration is weighing the impact of the devolution of many functions to LGUs. Apart from functions devolved under Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991, Rodrigo Duterte during his presidency issued Executive Order 138 in June 2021, devolving additional functions. Under EO 138, the functions, services and facilities must be fully devolved by the end of 2024.

Editorial

of EO 138, it can include a scrutiny of the role played by LGUs in ease of doing business, attracting investments and stabilizing food supply and costs. The business community has long complained about LGU red tape in opening, operating and even closing a business in this country, whether micro, small, medium or large-scale. This problem has been among the biggest disincentives to investment.

The EO was issued following a ruling of the Supreme Court in the so-called Mandanas-Garcia case, which effectively gave LGUs a larger share of national revenues. Duterte’s economic team had expressed concern about the huge chunk of revenues taken out of the hands of the national government. Even without the Mandanas ruling, devolution was already making long-term planning for big-ticket infrastructure and other development programs challenging. While the government is reviewing the impact

Virtual Reality

IS China preparing for war?

Yes. And it will be over Taiwan. The invasion could happen between 2024 and 2027, according to U.S. analysts.

And of course, over its claims to reefs, islets, islands and waters of the South China Sea. In case of an attack on Taiwan, the U.S. has said it will defend the island.

In case of an attack on the Philippines’ Kalayaan Island province, U.S. succor is “subject to constitutional processes” –which can mean anything such as the U.S. Congress formally declaring war against China first – which could be an extended, laborious procedure.

Under Article IV of the 1951 Philippines-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty, “Each Party recognizes that an armed attack in the Pacific area on either of the Parties would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with its constitutional processes.”

SOMETHING unusual happened to me the other day.

I attended a luncheon upon the invitation of a political secretary of a foreign embassy. As I animatedly spoke about the reforms needed to realize our development goals, I found myself speaking in the third person’s perspective, as if I was BBM. The secretary noticed it, as did I. I immediately corrected myself, apologized and chalked it up to over-enthusiasm.

On the way back to the office, I realized that I was more politically considerate about my views when I spoke as if in BBM’s shoes. So as I sat down to write this piece, I decided to roll with it. Why not? What would I do if I were President Bongbong Marcos?

First of all, I would be quite pleased with myself. I vindicated the Marcos brand by winning the presidency by a commanding margin. I accomplished my mission as my father’s son.

But the presidency comes with a multitude of problems. On my shoulders lie the specter of war right in our backyard; the problems of poverty, unemployment and a festering cost of living crisis;

Recent reports have also cited the role of LGUs and barangays in the price surges in agricultural commodities including eggs, onions, pork and poultry meat. Producers complain about red tape and redundant fees collected, from the barangay level up to the town or city hall, at every step of production and transport from farm to market.

In the wake of the Mandanas ruling, the Duterte administration moved to put LGUs in charge of more government functions. A number of local executives have complained that the greater revenue share would not be enough for the additional functions devolved.

The first major indication of China preparing to invade Taiwan soon is President Xi Jinping’s nearly two-hour address to the Chinese Communist Party’s National Congress on Oct. 16 last year.

Before 2,300 party bigwigs, Xi pledged never to renounce the use of force to take control of and unify with self-ruling Taiwan. He also pledged to strengthen China’s “socialist democracy,” modernize its economy and build a top-class military. In that same speech, Xi ordered the People’s Liberation Army to devote all its energy to fighting, in preparation for war.

China has always treated Taiwan as its renegade province. As to the Spratly island archipelago, spread over 3.5 million square kms of the South China Sea (SCS), Beijing considers it part of Hainan, its southernmost province, under “historic rights.”

The Arbitral Tribunal at The Hague in 2016 rejected China’s claim over the SCS on historic rights under its so-called ninedash line map, which is a pure concoction. The Philippines has what is called the Kalayaan Island a widening current account deficit and the heightened threat of destabilization by political factions, among others.

Considering the highs and lows I had been through in my life, fame and fortune no longer appeal to me. They are already a given. What matters, at this juncture, is the legacy and the positive impact I leave behind. I would like history to count me as a game-changer, not by disinformation or fake propaganda, but because I indeed changed the trajectory of the country.

I will choose my battles since it is impossible to solve all the country’s problems in six years. I will focus on imminent threats and reforms that carry maximum impact.

Among our most urgent threats is the high probability of war in Taiwan and dealing with China’s creeping invasion in the West Philippine Sea. I would do exactly what BBM is doing – engage with countries who believe in a rulesbased framework for international discourse, democracy and free market capitalism. I will strengthen military cooperation with the U.S., Japan, Australia, Canada and the European Union.

I will not worry about aggravating China because China is already aggravated. Cool heads do not point lasers at so called “friends” with the intent to fire.

Group (Likas, Parola, Lawak, Kota, Patag and Panata or KIG), in the Spratlys. The six-island KIG is a town of about 200 people and is part of Palawan province, 280 nautical miles away. The South China Sea is said to be a “crucial shipping lane, a rich fishing ground and believed to hold substantial oil and gas resources.” The SCS lies to the “south of China and the islands of Hainan and Taiwan; to the west of the Philippines; to the east of Vietnam and to the north of Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore and Indonesia.” Separately, the Scarborough Shoal (Bajo de Masinloc), which the Philippines says is part of Zambales province but was taken over by China in 2012, is 355 kms from Manila but 857.48 kms from Hainan. The Chinese consider Scarborough part of Hainan province.

In his October speech, Xi declared to loud applause: “Resolving the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese, a matter that must be resolved by the Chinese.”

He added: “We will continue to strive for peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and the

China is the enemy not only of the Philippines but of at least nine Asian countries, all of whom China is grabbing territories from. China is pursuing its territorial ambitions with impunity and this has disturbed the peace in the region. That said, we need partners to help us defend our sovereignty and way of life. I will hasten to sign a new defense treaty with Japan with an expanded VFA and as well as the Philippine-Canada Defense MOU.

More importantly, I will formulate a new national defense strategy. This time, it will be geared towards territorial defense rather than domestic insurgency. I will invest heavily in the capacitation of the armed forces, especially the navy.

The country’s needs are enormous but our resources are scarce. A 2019 study showed that a whopping P734 billion, or 20 percent of the national budget, go to corruption every year. Indeed, corruption is the cause of the country’s perennial underachievement.

The Marcos name has been synonymous with plunder and corruption, worldwide. As BBM, I will turn the narrative on its head and become the champion of good, honest governance. How to quell corruption is a topic for another piece; suffice it to say that

They also complained about the lack of expertise and manpower for the devolved functions. The response of the previous administration boiled utmost effort, but we will never promise to renounce the use of force, and we reserve the option of taking all measures necessary.

“Complete reunification of our country must be realized, and it can, without doubt, be realized.”

President Biden has said the U.S. will defend Taiwan and send forces if invaded by China. Those forces will likely come from the Philippines which has offered, apparently for free, the use by Americans of nine Filipino military bases, up from five in 2014 under an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement which President Marcos Jr. has embraced wholeheartedly, signifying a shift in Manila’s stance from pro-China under President Duterte to proAmerica. “Our alliance makes our democracies more secure and helps uphold a free-andopen Indo-Pacific,” gushed U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin when he visited Manila in early February.

For his part, Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo tweeted: “PHU.S. Alliance is rock solid,” after the meeting with Austin. Gordon Chang, a lawyer and doing so will free resources to meet the country’s many needs. I will also criminalize deeds of entitlement among government functionaries and their next of kin. Doing these will make me (BBM) a worldwide hero. Investment in infrastructure will accelerate our development. This, I will pursue with vigor. However, I will prioritize human and social infrastructure first before physical infrastructure, just as ex-NEDA secretary Ernesto Pernia advised. Human infrastructure, specifically nutrition, health care and education, are fundamental. As it stands, 26.5 percent of our youth are victims of stunted growth, hence unable to realize their full mental and physical potential as an adult. In education, Filipino youth are the world’s laggards in reading, math and science. The next generation of Filipinos is doomed to be the blue collar workers of the world unless we address the situation now. Social infrastructure like health care facilities, schools and social safety nets merit the second highest appropriation of resources. As for physical infrastructure, I would lean on Private Public Partnerships given our track record of success utilizing this modality.

As for the economy, I will make manufacturing resurgence a national priority. We need it

ManilaTimes.net photo down to: you can’t have your cake and eat it, too. The review of EO 138 should help rationalize devolution. (Philstar.com) author and China expert (although he has twice predicted, wrongly, the collapse of China in 2011 and 2012), sees “unmistakable signs” that China is going to war on Taiwan. These are:

• The October 2022 speech of Xi before the Communist Party Congress during which he formed the equivalent of a “war cabinet.”

Xi elevated key allies with a background in defense to be in charge of controlling financial regulation, central banking and economic policy, according to veteran investor Kyle Bass in an interview last November. The appointments are like removing the head of the SEC, the head of the central bank and the finance minister.

• The largest military buildup ever in China’s history.

Last year, Russian and Chinese strategic warplanes, including Tupolev-95 long-range “Bear” bombers, conducted joint patrols over the Sea of Japan and East China Sea. Two Chinese and two Russian warplanes entered South Korea’s air defense zone.

A Pentagon report has said China would have 1,500 nuclear warheads by 2035.

The Carnegie Endowment for urgently to diminish our reliance on imports and stabilize our current account deficit. The economy must be recalibrated from one that is 74 percent consumer-driven to one where production comprises at least 40 percent. I will revive the successful Manufacturing Resurgence Program initiated in 2013, albeit with modifications.

The country needs to be a world champion in at least one industry. Doing so will provide much needed forex revenues to trim our deficits whilst fanning the flames of national pride. It will boost our people’s morale. It will be an undeniable win for the administration and a symbol of its success. This badge of victory is politically necessary, given the intensifying campaigns to destabilize my government.

We are in pole position to be a global champion in the ITKPO sector given our young, tech savvy, English speaking population. Besides, the seeds of success in the IT-KPO space are already there, what with annual revenues of $33 billion. Admittedly, a lot needs to be done to capacitate and better educate our youth. But countries like India have done it despite facing similar challenges. We will do well to learn from the Indian model.

And speaking of national pride, I will make good on my promise

International Peace reported in October 2022 that “commercial imagery used by non-government analysts has identified new military facilities and weapons in China, including what appears to be new silo fields for its expanding nuclear-armed force of intercontinental ballistic missiles.”

In February last year, before Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, China and Russia announced a “no limits” strategic partnership. In April this year, President Xi will visit his friend Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

• Mobilization of Chinese civilians for war.

• Sanction-proofing China in case the West punishes it for invading Taiwan.

• The takeover by the government of civilian factories or those owned by private entrepreneurs and refocusing their production towards war materiel and support. (Philstar. com) to bring back the “golden age” of the Philippines. The “golden age” makes reference not only to rapid economic growth (which we are already achieving) but in a strong country brand. A strong country brand translates to soft power. What is soft power? It is a country’s ability to influence global decisions and change mindsets, not through coercion but by persuasion. This is especially relevant now that we need more allies to forward our security, diplomatic and economic interest. I will establish a new office focused on external/ global communications. Its mandate will be to trumpet Philippine advances in the socio-economic realm, success stories of human interest, a cultural campaign and, more importantly, our geopolitical agenda. There is more I would like to do if I were BBM but space limitations prevent me from cramming them all here. Expect a second installment of this trend of thought soon. . (Philstar.com)

* * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

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The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

* * * Email: andrew_rs6@yahoo.com. Follow him on Twitter @aj_masigan