SOUNDING BOARD is an outlet for opinions on good and crazy things going on at home (wherever I may be). All are welcome. You are not expected to bring anything except your common sense & sense of humor.
'If the automobile had followed the same development cycle as the computer, a Rolls-Royce would today cost $100, get one million miles to the gallon, and explode once a year, killing everyone inside.'
-Robert X. Cringely (from geek wisdom)
SOUNDING BOARD
Wednesday, November 13, 2002
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"I want to form a Council of Economic Advisers made up of professional economists who are not in the executive." - Arroyo
So instead of a revamp, Ms. Arroyo told the Malacañang Press Corps that she will form a Council of Economic Advisers. As for the rationale of Council, Ms. Arroyo said, "...you are in the forest... it is very important to look at it from outside the forest".
The Office of the President since the time of Mr. Ramos has always had high-calibre and excellent performing economic advisers, mostly coming from finance, planning and budget departments (you can add Winnie Monsod as NEDA chief during the Aquino presidency, but not her Opus Dei "replacements"). The outside perspectives are always there in the form of the dynamic interaction between government, private sector, academe and civil society. So why do I get the feeling that Ms. Arroyo thinks that to improve the way we look at our economic problems, she needs to bring in these people "from outside the forest"? I think the President is missing the point here. The objective should not be to bring "outside lookers" inside. The issue is not about her present crop of excellent economic advisers becoming too engrossed in their jobs that they may miss the whole picture. The issue is not about bringing non-state actors inside so that they can be more effective in influencing public policies. The general issue is this - the president's economic advisers (past and present) do not decide even on matters within their turf. They only recommend. The decisions still rest on the politicians. Operationally, that implies you do not have to bring in more economic advisers. You have to be able to consider the political factors (including civil society participation) as economic variables, so to speak. The economy is composed of people anyway, with needs and aspirations, not some lifeless variables. The present structure is fine, Ms. Arroyo. There is no need to bring in non-state actors as economic advisers. Non-state actors have been giving their "advice" to the government. Government needs to listen more. The "council of advisers" has been here with us all along, "advising" government from outside. After all, that's what democracy is about - non-state actors influencing public policies from outside government.
posted by Allan at 10:07 PM (GMT+8)
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