PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN THE PHILIPPINES 1959 [Councilof Administrative Management Civil Service Reform Staff Services In-Service Training Institute of Public Administration Government Reorganization Classification and Pay Plans Technical Assistance ........... "q' ?,r y .... '" 32'J :'"ky. PUBLIC ADMINISTRA TION IN THE PHILIPPINES 1959 A Report to The Republic of the Philippines Through The International Cooperation Administration By Louis J. Kroeger and Associate:3 August 1959 CONTENTS Page Foreword i The Mission ii The Method iii Part I Position Classification and Compensation Introduction 1 Chapter I. Summary of Conclusions 2 II. Summary of Recommendations 4 III. Original Problems and Objectives 6 IV. Basic Concepts 8 V. General Evaluation of Progress 11 VI. Defects in the Plans 17 VII. Conflicts and Handicaps 20 VIII. Complaints and Misconceptions 38 IX. Whose Fault? 51 X. Prescriptions for Progress 52 Part II Public Administration Generally Introduction 55 XI. Summary of Conclusions 56 XII. Summary of Recommendations 58 XIII. Perspective 60 XIV. Leadership 63 XV. Training 68 XVI. Staff Services 7Z XVII Reorganization 78 XVIII. Departmental Operations 83 XIX. Informal Support 85 XX. A Case in Point 87 CONTENTS Page Part III Technical Assistance Introduction 89 Chapt,:r XXI. The Roles of Public AdrninistratiQn 90 XXII. PAD/USOM/PHIL 94 Part IV Action XXIII. Action 97 FOREWORD This is a report in four Parts, each relating to a different aspect of public administration in the Philippines as seen in brief review in July and August 1959. Part I devotes detailed attention to the position classifica­ tion and pay programs, because of the hail of criticism to which it has been subjected. Part II is a less detailed general evaluation of all other aspects of public administration in the Philippine Government. Part III is limited to observations about the U. S. program ,f technical assistance in public administration, mainly from the standpoint of the USOM/Philippines. Part IV summarizes a satisfying degree of action taken on the spot during the course of this study, Although this is a report prepared for the International Cooperation Administration, m:ch of it is directed to an ultimate audience in the Philippines. The author hopes that copies will be made available to all Philippine Government officials concerned with public administration, in recognition of the fine progress al­ ready made and in encouragement of all that yet needs to be done. Louis J. Kroeger San Francisco August 28, 1959 THE MISSION The mission undertaken by this study as stated in the con­ tract under which the work has been done is as follows: (Article I, Section A) "The general purpose of this contract is to review the operations of the Wage and Position Classification Office and its relationships with the Bureau of Civil Service in matters of personnel classification ... Revie' , public administration activities *.. Determine appropriate courses of action to meet the public administration needs revealed through review and consultations. " On the day of the contractor's arri al in Manila the mis­ sion was further defined by Budget Commissioner Dominador R. Aytona as follows: "Review what has happened in the administrative and technical development of the classification and pay plans since their adoption; analyze the complaints and special problems experienced both by the WAPCO and by the operating departments, determipc the nature and basis of criticism directed at the organization and at the Plans in Congress; and suggest what must be done to make these Plans acceptable and effective. "Review and comment freely on any other public administration activity that time and opportunity per­ mits, - t­ THE METHOD First attention was given to the classification and pay plans. Information about what has taken place since the plans were adopted and about prevailing complaints and attitudes toward theWage and Position Classification Office (WAPCO) and Is problens was ob­ tained by interview: and by extensive rcv!e-_ of documents in the WAPCO, in the operating departments and in the Congress. Information on other phases ,f adminstration was obtained in like manner from intervieks and a revie\,' of the record, The Philippine Governmevit \vas kept informed of progress through conferences with the Budget Commissioner, and the USOM was kept informed mainly by frequent conversations with the Chief of the Public Administration Division. Office space, transportation clerical assistance and supplies were provided by the Budget Commission, principally through the Management Service and the WAPCO. The principal intervieks in the WAPCO were with the Dir­ ector, Ladislao Yap; the Assistant Director, Tomas Flores; and Supervising Classification Analysts Lazaro Abigania, Amado Agorilla, Eugenia Beleno, Fidel Banares. Florencia del Prado, Andres Diaz, Dominador Lapuz. Cesario Llobrera, and Simeon Silva. Administrative officials consulted included Dr. Jose Locsin, Chairman, National Economic Ccuncil; Florencio Moreno, Secre­ tary of Public Works and Communication; and his staff; Dr. Elpidio Valencia, Secretary of Health and Lis staff Dominador Aytona, Budget Commissioner; Undersecretary for Natural Resources; Amado del Rosario, Civil Service Commission; and Deogracias Dayao, Personnel Officer, Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The original intention to interview a much longer list of de­ partmental officials, particularly about their experiences with the WAPCO, was changed when it was found that their comments were generally baseri on statements already filed in response to an in­ quiry from the Chairman of thc Senate Finance Committee. Atten­ tion was thereafter concentrated on the files of that Committee instead. - iii­ Members of Congress consulted included Senator Cipriano P. Primicias, Senate Majority Floor Leader, Senator Gil Puyat, Chairman, Senate Finance Committee, Congressman Tobias Fornier, Chairman, House Appropriations Committee, and Congress­ man Lucas Paredes. Further information and suggestions were solicited from the USOM staff, many of whom provided useful information and in:sighto Through the circumstances of using desk space in the Man­ agement Service, constant assistance was provided by members of that staff, particularly by Leon M, Lazaga, Chief, and Emma Arce, Supervising Management Analyst. Attendance at a meeting of the Society for Public Administra­ tion of the Philippines provided added detai' about the problems of implementing the new civil service law. To all the above, and many others, who furnished informa­ tion, viewpoints and suggestions, the Contractor hereby expresses thanks. The conclusons drawn and the recommendations advanced in this report, while influenced by those consulted, are necessarily the responsibility of the Contractor alone­ - iv­ PART I POSITION CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION INTRODUCTION This part of the report is devoted to an evaluation of position classification and compensation administration in the Philippines. It constitutes the greater part of the total report because in the past year, for a variety of reasons, the entire program was threatened through the near- abolishment of the Wage and Position Classification Office. Although many specific cases said to need correition were brought to attention during this study, no attempt vas nade to judge their merits. The equitable adjustment of individual cases is part of the continuing responsibility of the WAPCO. Attention has been given, instead, to suggesting the ways in which the WAPCO can better fulfill its assigned mission. It is to that end that this section of the report is devoted. - 1­ CHAPTER I SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS The present state of postion classification and pay in the Philippines is a complex of many intricately inter-related factors. For a full understanding, the full text of this report needs to be read. For those only genera .v concerned with the matter, this general summary of conclusions is submitted. 1. There are no inherent defects in the classification and pay plans. 2. There are mistakes in detal to be corrected, Some are errors in the original plan because of the magnitude of the job and some lack of understanding of the significance of the facts sub­ mitted. Some are the restiPt r,{ inahi'ify or faillure to keep the plans abreast of later developments. 3. The quality of the tec mcal staff is good. Their under­ standing of their problems and cf the steps needed to solve them is clear. 4. The technical staff is hampered by inadequate admini­ strative leadership within the WAPCO,. 5. There are severe handicaps external to the plans them­ selves. These are principally (al conflicts with civil service laws and procedures, (b) the restrictions of a line item bndget; partial (c) only implementation of the pay plan and (d) widespread understanding, lack of due in large part to lack ' f adequate information. 6. The WAPCO should return to some of the original con­ cepts of its own internal operation, which have been neglected or abandoned. 7. There needs to be a substantial change in attitude by some of the WAPCO staff to re-establish confidence in the Office. 8. Many of the specific complaints leveled at the WAPCO are either unfounded or are valid complaints which should be dir­ ected elsewhere. -2­ 9. There is relatively little recorded complaint from one group which constitutes fully half of the total coverage; i. e., the public school teachers. 10. All obstacles and complaints can be overcome by specific remedies set forth in detail in