Searching for new Robredos

Last week, a World Bank and International Finance Corp. study showed the Philippines slipping two notches in the international ranking on ease of doing business. That could discourage investors.

The reason? Local governments are still making it tough to start and keep businesses. Some LGU officials actually target businesses for extortion. Streamlining the business processes of LGUs to minimize if not eliminate corruption is still very much work in progress.

Last April, I wrote about efforts of DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo to get LGUs in tune with the national effort to attract investors. Robredo wrote to react to a previous column that took up the Arangkada report on the lack of responsiveness of LGUs to investors.

Robredo took exception to the observation. He claimed that they have made encouraging progress. In fact, he pointed out, a recent survey of some 700 businessmen revealed that: a) 70 percent managed to get their business permits between 10 minutes and three days; b) 57 percent underwent between one to five steps/processes in acquiring permits; c) 69 percent said they only filled up one to two forms in their application for permits; d) 97 percent said they did not pay facilitation fee or grease money to secure their business permits.

Said Robredo: “All these show tremendous improvements in the way LGUs conduct their operations unlike before when businessmen and ordinary people need to wait for weeks before getting what they need from their LGUs. Such improvement have led to 91 percent of the respondents satisfied (from somewhat to extremely satisfied) with their LGUs. For 2012, our streamlining efforts will cover more LGUs, including those in the tourism zones, to make them competitive and business friendly.”

Maybe the World Bank and the IFC didn’t do a comprehensive enough survey. There is however no denying that much work needs to be done. And there is always danger of backsliding.

The work of Jesse Robredo must not only continue but must be intensified. I was in a meeting at ABS-CBN some weeks ago and this was precisely the point of Gabby Lopez. He urged the network’s reporters to go out there and look for Jesse Robredos working quietly and unknown among the ranks of LGU heads. Gabby said he refuses to believe Jesse Robredo was a fluke and now that he is dead, the country’s governance at the local level is screwed.

What Jesse Robredo was doing as head of DILG was the painstaking but necessary job of empowering mayors and other LGU heads all over the country. The process begins by opening their eyes to see what must be done to improve the lives of their people. Then they must be inspired to take on the challenge. They must then be given the governance skills required to get the work done.

That is apparently what the Zuellig Family Foundation is trying to do in the area of rural health. In 2008, the foundation decided to focus on developing health leadership and governance, which formed the basis for their Health Change Model. Progress will be measured using the Millennium Development Goals.

Focusing on health is a good choice for the Zuellig Foundation. Health does not get as many passionate advocates as education or national security when the national budget pie is allocated. But health is a critical component of any viable development thrust.

Health outcomes in our country vary significantly by income level and geographic location. For example, although national statistics on infant mortality have improved, infant mortality is still more than twice as high among the poorest quintile compared to the richest quintile. Child mortality (up to age 5) was more than three times higher among the poorest quintile.

A World Bank paper entitled Philippines: Fostering more inclusive growth, observed that progress in key health indicators had been mixed. The Philippines has performed relatively well in reducing infant and child mortality and is on track to achieving these Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

But we are not on track to reach the MDG goals for maternal mortality and reproductive health. Provision of post natal care for mothers is also wanting.

Health care and the development of our economy are more closely intertwined than we think. Health is as important as education and national defense.

Sick and malnourished children cannot be expected to absorb learning in schools. A working population that’s unhealthy cannot be productive. Soldiers with health issues can’t do well in battle. A country with an unhealthy population cannot be competitive in the world economy.

This is why this health initiative of Zuellig Foundation is so important. It is starting to show very encouraging results. Zuellig Foundation chairman Roberto R. Romulo said there are now more than 50 municipalities in the country that have made significant strides in improving the health outcomes in their communities. Some of these municipalities were even able to meet the MDGs on maternal and infant health three years ahead of the UN deadline.

A second batch of municipalities, Cohort 2, started on the program two years ago. The results, Mr Romulo enthused, are even more remarkable. “Cohort 2 had a baseline MMR (maternal mortality ratio or the number of women who die during pregnancy and childbirth per 100,000 live births) of 193, which dropped to 139 in 2010, fell to 44 in 2011, and now, it is at 22.”

I attended a colloquium last week where the mayors of the second batch of municipalities talked about their experiences. I watched the video reports which included interviews of local community leaders, health workers and ordinary citizens and it seems progress is being made.

Romulo also reported that they “have Cohort 3 in ARMM whose colloquium is being planned for early 2013. The results here are just as dramatic. Its baseline MMR was 141 in 2010. In one year it dropped to 68. As of the first half of 2012, it is only 47.”

In the three provinces of Samar, the Foundation will be giving capability-building programs to 21 municipalities. These municipalities are considered geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas. The program will enhance health leadership and governance, reform and strengthen the local health systems; and ensure the quality of antenatal and obstetric care.

The Zuellig Foundation has also partnered with the regional government of ARMM, and Governor Mujiv Hataman. This partnership will provide health leadership and governance intervention to 50 municipalities or 43 percent of the region’s present municipalities.

As Mr Romulo pointed out, “this is relevant in the light of the MILF-Philippine peace agreement and roadmap. During the transition of ARMM to the Bangsamoro by 2016, it is essential for local governments and communities to immediately reap the benefits of peace and development dividends.”

Ernesto Garilao, Zuellig Foundation President, explained that to assure success of the program, leadership is key. “Health leadership is required to improve or transform the health system so that programs and services are accessible, equitable and pro poor, resulting in better health outcomes, especially for the poor.”

The two year leadership and capacity building program introduced the mayors to the health systems framework of WHO which address the 6 Building Blocks:  Service Delivery;  Health Workforce;  Health Information System; Access to Essential Medicines; Financing and Leadership and Governance

And they have deliverables based on the limitations identified in the 6 building blocks.

Garilao, who was formerly Secretary of Agrarian Reform, presented the collective result:

• Facility Based Deliveries increased from 35 percent at the start of the program to the current 63 percent.

• Skilled Birth Attendants moved from 51 percent to 68 percent.

• Maternal Mortality Rate dropped from 193 in 2009 to 44 by end of 2011 (below the Phl target of 52 by 2015). To date it is 22.

As I was listening to the mayors in Cohort 2 describe what they are doing and have achieved by way of improving the health situation in their areas, I could sense that the training they got on health delivery is having spillover effects in other areas of governance.

Best of all I could sense the Robredo commitment driving these mayors from towns I have never heard of in distant locations of our country. The level of commitment of these local executives is inspiring.

To me, I see this program may already be creating future Jesse Robredos — leaders with a passion for improving their people’s quality of life and trained to provide good governance. More LGU heads should be exposed to the program so transformation can truly be national.

Blonde men

This is from Ruth Marbibi.

Two blonde men find three grenades, and they decide to take them to a police station.

 One asked: “What if one explodes before we get there?”

The other says: “We’ll lie and say we only found two.”

Boo Chanco’s e-mail address is [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @boochanco