Public and Private Sector Dialogue (PH0040)

There is already an existing structure of collaboration, consultation, and dialogue among the business organizations via the PBG-JFC. In 2013, the PBG-JFC started an annual practice of consulting with each other and reaching out to government to present a unified list of recommendations that the business community believes will lead to inclusive growth.
Eventually, the PBG-JFC consultation model became an effective venue in discussing and finding solutions to critical issues of national interest (2015 power reserves gap, Manila port congestion, etc.) The Philippine Congress has actually institutionalized this consultation meeting via twice a year meetings to align legislative priorities. Nevertheless, despite a previous commitment from government to likewise hold quarterly business-executive branch consultations, there have only been two such meetings between the executive branch and the private sector since 2013.
This commitment seeks to reinvigorate this consultation and dialogue structure between business and government, and through this achieve the ultimate end-goal of improving public service delivery through constructive engagement between government and the private sector. Main objective is to reinvigorate and institutionalize government and business sector collaboration through regular dialogues, and alignment of priorities. Relevance - The commitment is relevant to advance the OGP values of public accountability and civic participation. The establishment of this
35
platform for public-private collaboration and dialogue seeks to guarantee consistent implementation of policies; advocate for needed economic, social, and political reforms; and ensure adherence to commitments made either by government or the private sector.
The proposed joint public-private secretariat gives the private sector the necessary space to take and an active and direct part in agenda-setting and policy formulation. Meanwhile, the regular and formal meetings between government and the business community holds government accountable to stakeholders with regard to their development and legislative agenda. Ambition - The intended result is for government and the business sector to have a venue for dynamic and continuing collaboration and dialogue, wherein the priorities of both parties are aligned, the private sector takes an active part in policy formulation, both the public and private sectors adhere to their commitments--all of which can ultimately lead to improved public service delivery.

For Commitment details, see https://www.opengovpartnership.org/documents/philippines-mid-term-progress-report-2015-2017.

12. Public-Private Sector Dialogue on Inclusive Growth

Commitment Text:

There is already an existing structure of collaboration, consultation, and dialogue among the business organizations via the PBG-JFC. In 2013, the PBG-JFC started an annual practice of consulting with each other and reaching out to government to present a unified list of recommendations that the business community believes will lead to inclusive growth. Eventually, the PBG-JFC consultation model became an effective venue in discussing and finding solutions to critical issues of national interest (2015 power reserves gap, Manila port congestion, etc.) The Philippine Congress has actually institutionalized this consultation meeting via twice a year meetings to align legislative priorities. Nevertheless, despite a previous commitment from government to likewise hold quarterly business-executive branch consultations, there have only been two such meetings between the executive branch and the private sector since 2013. This commitment seeks to reinvigorate this consultation and dialogue structure between business and government, and through this achieve the ultimate end-goal of improving public service delivery through constructive engagement between government and the private sector. Main objective is to reinvigorate and institutionalize government and business sector collaboration through regular dialogues, and alignment of priorities.

Relevance - The commitment is relevant to advance the OGP values of public accountability and civic participation. The establishment of this 35 platform for public-private collaboration and dialogue seeks to guarantee consistent implementation of policies; advocate for needed economic, social, and political reforms; and ensure adherence to commitments made either by government or the private sector. The proposed joint public-private secretariat gives the private sector the necessary space to take and an active and direct part in agenda-setting and policy formulation. Meanwhile, the regular and formal meetings between government and the business community holds government accountable to stakeholders with regard to their development and legislative agenda.

Ambition - The intended result is for government and the business sector to have a venue for dynamic and continuing collaboration and dialogue, wherein the priorities of both parties are aligned, the private sector takes an active part in policy formulation, both the public and private sectors adhere to their commitments--all of which can ultimately lead to improved public service delivery.

Responsible institution: Department of Finance

Supporting institutions: Economic Development Cluster of the Cabinet; Makati Business Club, Philippine Business Groups-Joint Foreign Chambers (PBG-JFC)

Start date: 1 July 2015

End date: 31 December 2017

Commitment Aim

This commitment aimed to reinvigorate and institutionalize collaboration between the government and the business sector through regular dialogue to align priorities. It aimed to tap an existing structure of business collaboration, the Philippine Business Groups - Joint Foreign Chambers (PBG-JFC). The PDG-JFC represents 2,933 companies and members of the private sector. Specifically, the commitment aimed to: (1) establish a joint public-private secretariat that will organize and support regular dialogues; (2) organize meetings among the heads of the PBG-JFC and the Cabinet’s Economic Development Cluster to discuss priority issues and recommendations; (3) publish one assessment report on the Public and Private Sector High Level Dialogues; (4) facilitate discussions among PBG-JFC local partners and affiliates on pressing issues; and (5) engage other stakeholders in the discussion of pressing issues relevant to the business sector, especially CSOs and people’s organizations (POs).

Status

Midterm: Limited

None of the deliverables had been completed as of the midterm. The PBG-JFC formed a secretariat in August 2015, which has subsequently convened two dialogues. The PBG-JFC also brought stakeholders from several major industries together at a 2016 roundtable on trade and investment liberalization. At time of writing the midterm report, the assessment report on the Public and Private Sector High Level Dialogues has not been completed. The PBG-JFC was also yet to undertake local engagement, nor had it engaged with other stakeholders.[Note: For details, see Aceron, Joy. 2017. Philippines Progress Report, 2015-2017. Open Government Partnership Independent Reporting Mechanism. ]

End of term: Limited

Little progress was made on the deliverables, except for a report prepared by PGB-JFC. The report found that 10 out of 38 recommendations from 2013 to 2015 have been sufficiently addressed, with 15 (39 percent) already being acted upon, which indicates the presence of a reporting and monitoring system.[Note: A copy of the report is provided to the IRM researcher by Roxanne Lu, Director-Programs and Projects Unit and Maane Cauton, Makita Business Club (MBC) (MBC) through an email communication on October 15, 2016.] The recommendations range from the adoption of policies and laws affecting the private sector (e.g. National Transport Plan, Cabotage Law, Anti-Trust Law and Competition Policy), bureaucratic reforms (e.g. overhauling the Bureau of Customs and ensuring conformity of local ordinances to national policies) and achievement of developmental outcomes (e.g. lowering the cost of electricity and improving agricultural productivity).

Did It Open Government?

Access to Information: Did not change

Civic participation: Marginal (only relevant to private sector)

Public Accountability: Did not change

The private sector plays a part in propelling the economy and it is a critical development partner for the government. The commitment provided space for the business sector to regularly engage in dialogue with the government. Before this, there was no regular and institutionalized space for such a dialogue and no mechanism to assess progress in the agreements between the private sector and government. Roxanne Lu, head of the PBG-JFC secretariat in the Makati Business Club, stated that the dialogue was useful in resolving issues between government and the business sector.[Note: Roxanne Lu, Director-Programs and Projects Unit and Maane Cauton, Makita Business Club (MBC) (MBC). Interview on 12 October 2016 at MBC Office.] Though it could be improved, the response being generated by the recommendations from the PBG-JFC indicates the potential effectiveness of this mechanism.

Although these are important improvements to increase private sector participation in areas of economic development, the challenges of getting the government to regularly attend the dialogues and to report regularly to PH-OGP secretariat[Note: For details, see Aceron, Joy. 2017. Philippines Progress Report, 2015-2017. Open Government Partnership Independent Reporting Mechanism. ] is indicative of the limitation and weakness of this platform.

Carried Forward?

This commitment has not been carried forward to the next action plan. According to the end-of-term self-assessment report, dialogues among stakeholders, including government, business, and non-government sectors, will take place through a new forum called the “Dutertenomic Forum.” So far this forum has convened several summits on key concerns such as agriculture, health, and education.[Note: PH-OGP. End of Term Self-Assessment Report. October 2017.]