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| Reference Material |
| Filipinos disenchanted with democracy, UP survey shows By Jose V. Abueva, Contributor May 3, 2002, Philippine Daily Inquirer LEADERS attending (or boycotting) today�s political summit need to know how Filipinos nationwide think about the country�s political system. Well, Filipinos are becoming disenchanted with our kind of democracy and system of government . They tell us, quietly but clearly, in a national survey the author conducted for the UP Center for Leadership, Citizenship and Democracy last November (2001). The survey is based on interviews of 1,200 citizens 18 years and older, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent. To the statement, �on the whole I am satisfied with the way democracy works in our country,� 42 percent disagreed and 34 percent agreed, yielding a margin of minus 8 percent. In the more politically conscious and informed National Capital Region, 57 percent disagreed and 25 percent agreed, for a margin of minus 32 percent.. To the statement �I am proud of the system of government of the Philippines, 43 percent disagreed and 32 percent agreed, for a margin of minus 11 percent. In the NCR, almost 60 percent disagreed, while only 21 percent agreed, yielding a margin of minus 39 percent. While 72 percent of our survey respondents nationwide still affirm that �Democracy is the best political system in all circumstances, 72 percent also agreed on the possibility that Filipinos will completely lose faith in peaceful means of promoting democracy.� Here we have a clear warning from our citizens that time is running out on blind complacency and politics as usual on the part of our political leaders and citizens alike�.. According to Freedom House, the Philippines is �high in political freedom and civil liberties,� along with Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, India and Thailand. However, the Philippines is much lower in "human development� as measured by the United Nations Development Program, compared to democratic Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand, and to authoritarian Singapore and Malaysia�� It appears that the single most important factor that has set us behind the so-called �tiger economies� in East Asia is our lack of �good governance.� The latter may be defined as responsive, efficient and effective policy-making and implementation under the rule of law. Good governance depends crucially on effective political institutions, the political will of competent and committed leaders, effective and accountable political parties, and the support and cooperation of a dynamic business sector and civic-spirited citizens. To use Gunnar Myrdal�s metaphor, our �soft state� prevents us from governing effectively to help solve our basic problems and meet our people�s needs. There is growing consensus among leaders, scholars and experts that nothing less than the transformation of our political system is in order. This requires the revision of our present Constitution, basic reforms in our party system and electoral system, and appropriate policy changes. Also needed in the long term are societal changes and the development of a civic culture of responsible leaders and responsible citizens�.. In a word, our monumental challenge as a nation is to transform our �electoral or procedural democracy� into �substantive democracy� which delivers to most people its promised social, economic, political, cultural and spiritual blessings. President Macapagal-Arroyo has the unenviable responsibility of governing this nation in this critical juncture of our history and development. She also has the historic opportunity to lead the process of fundamental reform and transformation. (A former president of the University of the Philippines, Abueva is president of Kalayaan College at Riverbank Center, Marikina). *** See also Tony Abaya�s columns: RP: Failure of Liberal Democracy, Revolutionary Government; Why Not? and Gloria Lavandera o Gloria Revolucionaria? |