Anti-Development: Permanent Crisis

What is Development?

According to Walden Bello development is economic growth, environmental protection, and an equitable distribution of wealth and resources, with the goal of improving and raising the standards and quality of living for everyone.
It suggests that development is sustainable where it “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” As such, sustainable development implies maintaining a delicate balance between the human need to improve lifestyles and feeling of well-being on one hand, and preserving natural resources and ecosystems, on which we and future generations depend.


What is Anti-development in the Philippine state?

It is quite alarming that seven million Filipinos live or work abroad and one in five wants to emigrate. What has gone wrong in the 20 years since the popular ousting of President Marcos? In their analysis of the roots of failure, Dr. Walden Bello shows how the political system remains dominated by a competitive elite who oppose any significant attempts to address the country's huge social inequalities. They illuminate how the “people power” or EDSA Revolution of 1987, driven by the forces of the lower- and middle-classes, ironically ushered in a new breed of elite democracy. Thus, the ruling elite failed to deliver economic prosperity and reduce inequality in their desperate attempt to protect their vested interests. Some of the glaring examples from past and present administrations are as follows: (1) The Aquino administration’s failed implementation of land reform and derailment of social programs sacrificed to the national priority of foreign debt-repayment; (2) The Ramos administration’s trade liberalization, deregulation, and privatization state or state-run enterprises and services that are in line with neo-liberal, free-market doctrine; (3) The Estrada administration’s capital accumulation that linked the underworld and the state through the use of influence by the office the president; and (4) The Arroyo administration’s social-reform initiatives and development policies granted by the United States aid and investments.

What makes it a permanent crisis?

Marcos administration until the Arroyo’s administration there is a continuously existence of internal and external factors that cause in the massive income inequality among Filipinos.

What has to be done?

Walden Bello pointed out that there should be a strong central leadership of the strategic planning process. This must be coupled by decentralization, sustainable production in key areas like agriculture. The government must coordinate its national development strategy with Asean neighbors. There is a need to establish an international economic bloc with common interest among developing countries to effectively develop or participate in the international economy. The alternative to the political of anti-development in the Philippines is to dismantle anachronistic system of governance of the EDSA state.

I am of the opinion that the prognosis of permanent crisis in the anti-development in the Philippine state is valid. However, I do agree to some of Walden Bello’s propositions of change such as strong central leadership, decentralization, and establish international bloc of developing countries. I do classify these propositions as the skeletal framework. However, there is a need to assess the effectiveness of the skeletal framework to ensure its efficiency in operation. We must also take into consideration the importance of people’s orientation that shall man the structure. To achieve a strong state it must come first and foremost from an individual decisive, defined and goal oriented person. The foundation of the strong state is to have an impartial public official wherein his personal relationship among the political elite; oligarch will not intervene in his objectivity in decision-making as a public servant. Political candidates must be decisive not to be enticed by financial favors of the oligarchs before and during election period. In this scenario, no return favors will be attached in their public functions and in this theme we can hope that developing a strong state is possible. A state that is impartial to its entire citizen in delivering services for the good of the majority. I consider this as an effective alternative to the political of anti-development in the Philippines. This is to dismantle anachronistic system of governance of the EDSA state by our individual decisiveness to change “Padrino System” that has ruined our development as individual and as a nation. I do stand for an idea that individual Filipino citizen should take hold of his personal responsibility to contribute to the development of this country. May we be guided with the famous quotation of John F. Kennedy “ Do not ask what your country can do for you rather ask what you can do for your country.” In this regard, at the end of the day we can claim that we have given our best efforts to establish development in our selves and for the Filipino society.