Making A Difference for Good Governance Reforms: Case of Procurement Reform in the Philippines and the Role of PWI Ramon Clarete Procurement Watch Inc.

Making A Difference for Good Governance Reforms: Case of

Procurement Reform in the Philippines and the Role of PWI

Ramon ClareteProcurement Watch Inc.

Understanding what works better for governance reforms

o Towards the late 1990s, reformers saw the need to:o focus anti-corruption reform efforts in a specific

but strategic area; o organize a coalition of reform-minded

stakeholders; ando tilt the balance of political forces to the side of

good governance.

Why public procurement reform

o One major source of corruptiono Weak institutions governing public

procuremento PD 1594 (a 1978 law) governing public works

procurement needed revisiting by late 1990s.o Rules governing procurement of goods were

malleable.o Various public procurement laws and regulations

lacked rationalization.

Reform coalition

o Existing coalition had no links to civil society organizations (CSOs). o the DBM's Budget Reform Task Forceo other government agencieso development partners through their TA teams

o Increasing need of mobilizing such CSOs for an effective implementation of the procurement reform law once it is passed.

o Technical assistance team given the task of organizing a CSO focused on procurement.

Procurement Watch

o Procurement Watch Inc (PWI) was formed in February 2001 originally: o to help train government agencies on the new public procurement law

and regulations.o to monitor the implementation of the procurement law.

o However, the procurement reform had to be legally enabled yet at this time.

o After the Estrada impeachment-related public indignation against corruption had died down with the resignation of former Pres. Estrada, enabling legally the proposed GPRA became more dificult.

o PWI then took up the added role of advocating for the passage of the procurement reform law.

PWI’s advocacy campaign

o Organization of a broad-based coalition of stakeholders including CSOs for procurement reform

o Media campaign to raise the buy in of the majority of the population media for procurement reform

Coalition of CSOs and stakeholders

o Anti-corruption NGOs under the Transparency and Accountability Network (TAN)o Manifesto of TAN in favor of procurement reform.

o Student organizations (Walang Ku-corrupt)o Students showed up in a committee hearing to

demonstrate their support

o Church o CBCP not only supported the passage of the law, it called

for participation of third parties as observers in public bidding to ensure transparency.

Coalition of CSOs and stakeholders

o Private sectoro Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industries threw

in their support for the passage of the GPRA.o Even the Philippine Construction Association (PCA)

turned out in favor of a more transparent and accountable bidding of public works.

o Local government officialso League of Provinces issued a letter to the two houses of

Congress supporting the passage of the procurement reform law.

Coalition of CSOs and stakeholders: What did PWI do

o Approached through widely respected champions of the reform the various stakeholder representatives

o Conducted meetings with stakeholders to discuss the proposed procurement law and how it contributes to curbing corruption.

o Conducted training programs for the student leaders on the proposed law

Media Campaign: Objectives

o The majority of uncommitted stakeholders are informed about the net benefits of the proposed procurement reform.

o Issues and concerns on the reform raised by opponents are publicly addressed.

o Mis-information about procurement reform is corrected publicly.

Media Campaign: Components

o Targeted use of AM radio; o Participation in TV talk shows; o Regular news releases in print media; and o Advertising campaign.

AM Radio

o Effective media vehicle to reach out to the lower income rural and urban residents

o PWI organized briefings of selected AM radio announcers on procurement reform.o Developed simple but accurate message: Procurement reform is

effective in curbing corruption.

o Radio announcers discussed the reform over the air not just with supporters but more importantly with policymakers opposed to the reform.

o Effective in locking in support of policy makers for the reform.

TV Talk Shows

o These real time discussions on the reform targeted the middle and higher income segments of the population.

o Participants included particularly legislators in favor and against the reform; as well as reform advocates from government and CSOs including PWI participated as well including PWI.

o Advocates saw in these the opportunity to discuss the net benefits of the reform and to address legitimate concerns of stakeholders.

o With PWI support, a TV documentary on the procurement reform was produced and aired.

Print Media

o PWI organized series of two-day large conferences (in association with large organizations, e.g. PAGBA and AGAP) on the reform all over the country.

o Events like these attract news reporters particularly as they dwelt on the controversial issue of corruption.

o Smaller workshops were also organized and news reporters were invited to attend.

o From these events, one got steady stream of news releases on the reform all over the country.

Advertising campaign

o PWI developed a “brand”, i.e. a simple but effective motif to link procurement reform to ending corruption.

o The brand was disseminated in streamers, and give aways like stickers, fans, T-shirts and screensavers.

o Effective in associating the reform with the widely supported vision of getting rid of corruption in the government.

“Brand” of Procurement Reform

Post-enactment Activities

o PWI helped out in providing comments to various drafts of the implementing rules and regulations.

o Conducted training of BACs on the law and the IRRs.

o Participated in public bidding as third party observers upon invitation of BACs.

o Trained CSOs in order for them to enable them to expand the supply of observers.

Dissemination of Success Stories

o PWI published “success stories” about the procurement reforms: how the government was able to save from the reform.

o “Yes, Pigs can fly too!”o Contributors included:

o Bangsamoro Development Agencyo Concerned Citizens of Abra or Good Governanceo Ateneo School of Government, Goverment-Watcho PWI; ANDo Rural Enterprise Assistance Center

Book Cover

DEEM

o PWI developed a tool to facilitate the detection of over-pricing in public procurement of goods.

o Differential Expenditure Efficiency Measurement (DEEM) tool allows PWI to compare the price paid by a government agency for the procured good with its fair market price.

Bantay Eskwela

o PWI organized stakeholders of public schools (parents’ associations) in order to monitor the implementation of the school project.

o It trained these stakeholders about the project and arranged that they be recognized as third party monitors.

o Deviations from the design and specifications of the school buildings were then documented and reported.

Role of development partners

o Development partners USAID, World Bank, ADB, EU, and others provided moral and financial support to CSOs in undertaking their respective advocacy for reform and monitoring its implementation.

o Procurement reform enabled these donors to see how to make their assistance for development more effective.

o Partnering with CSOs and supporting their respective activities in support of the reform as what transpired in procurement reform became institutionalized technical assistance activities of development partners.

Thank you.