An Assessment of the Theories and

Practices of Public Administration

applied in the Bureau of Fisheries and
Aquatic Resources Region II

Abstract
Public Administration has been already married to our country, Philippines, before we
had attained an absolute freedom from our colonizers. Nevertheless, the concept of public
administration has not yet been specifically defined during these chaotic centuries hence practice
of it is unrecognized by the nation- the people. Further, this is due to the indirect practice of it
wherein colonizers act as the most sovereign over Filipinos.
In time of Ferdinand Magellans arrival in the archipelago and other succeeding
conquerors, public administration has already been practiced by the foreigners to the Filipinos.
This is manifested on the settlement and political unification that they established in the country.
Also, from these administration settlements that the conquerors introduced in the country,
Filipinos have been into adapting the said administration practices.
Further, Public administration was slowly introduced when the Philippine Revolution
against Spanish colonists began to culminate the establishment of the First Philippine Republic.
However, in these years, Philippines had not exercised the real public administration due to the
unceasing intrusion of Spanish and American administration.
However after unending years of being led by intruders, Philippines was able to gain its
freedom when some great leaders fought for the countrys liberty. It is during this day, June 12
1972, when the real Filipino Public Administration is exercised. From that day and until today,
Filipinos are now enjoying their freedom to Public Administration.
Nonetheless, though public administration has been freely performed by the people now,
there has been sprouting glitches along the way that make the public, the people, to demand for a
better public administration.

In todays generation, we cannot help but ask and criticize our leaders if Philippines has
really exercised the rightful actions in achieving for a definite and excellent public
administration.
Thus, in this paper, it will profoundly discuss and possibly reveal the theories and
practices that the Philippiness Public Administration is accustomed with. Also, it will discuss
further the concept of Public Administration in the countrys setting together with the kinds of
Public Administration that are exercised by Filipinos.
On the other hand, on the latter part of this paper, the specific issues and aspects of Public
Administration as a public bridge to properly access government services will be precisely
described by an assessment of the theories and practices of Public administration and National
development goals used or adapt by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)
Region II as one of the Regional Line Agencies in the region that caters the need of the public for
an access of service related to the agencys mandates.

Introduction
Public Administrations theories and practices concepts have evolved in the course of
times. From the term itself, 1public administration refers to two meanings: first, it is concerned
with the implementation of government policy; second, it is an academic discipline that studies
this implementation and prepares civil servants for working in the public service.
Nevertheless, this paper shall only focus on the scope of public administration as a form
of carrying-out services that would benefit the interest of the public. Hence, the word public is
the term used to refer to the government.
Looking at the status of public administration in the Philippines nowadays, I presumed
that everybody would say it is greatly turmoil. This raveling situation can be manifested with the
issues involving the public agencies and other public institutions. Public administration head of
the said institutions are highly criticized by the public due to the inadequacy of rendering the
service that the people should have received.
As a form of addressing this issue concerning the humiliation faced by the countrys
public administration, the Philippines Civil Service Commission, moved towards the creation of
several policies that will guide the public servants responsibilities in attending to the services
needed by their clients- the public.
Albeit, there are policies implemented that all public agencies should follow there are still
distinct practices of managers or heads of each agency in attending to the needs of their clients
and in dealing with their staff or their employees. These practices make them different in setting
their goal which is their utmost priority is to an attainment public service satisfaction.
1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_administration

Hence, in order to know further about the degree of excellence of a public agency as a
public trust, it is significant to know beforehand the theories and practices that each is
accustomed with so that assessment of administration will be properly known.
Considering the theories and practices of public administration in an agencys movement
will greatly define the kind of heads that rule a particular agency. By determining these factors,
one could determine if the heads and their staff or employees are achieving a common goal.
Also, through it the public would know if how united are the public servants in achieving their
agencys mission and vision.
With this paper, it seeks to determine the theories and practices that are applied in the
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Region II as a public trust. Also, it will
particularly look into the underlying issues on theories and practices into the agencys Fisheries
Administrative and Finance Division.
This paper chose to look into the role of the theories and practices of public
administration in the said agencys division since the Human Resource Management section and
Accounting Section play an important role in giving services to their clients and to the agencys
employees.

Overview
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is a line bureau anchored to the
Department of Agriculture. It looks forward for a modernized fisheries that are technologically
advanced and globally competitive which is transformed by sound management practices of
resource sustainability, by a sound social justice system and strong private sector participation.
Meanwhile, its mission is to contribute to the national food security, to ensure the rational and
sustainable development, management and conservation of fisheries and aquatic resources in the
Philippines waters including the eez and the adjacent high seas, to reduce poverty incidence in
the coastal areas and to enhance people empowerment in the Fisheries sector. Also, the bureau
functions in the conservation, protection and sustain management of the countrys fishing and
aquatic resources. Further, it aims to alleviate poverty and provide supplementary livelihood
among marginal fisherfolk, to improve productivity of aquaculture within the ecological limits,
to utilize properly the offshore and deep sea resources and to develop post-harvest technology.
The Fisheries bureau in region two is composed of the Office of the Regional Director
and the Assistant Regional Director and four divisions which are the Fisheries Administrative
and Finance Division, Fisheries Resource and Management Division, Fisheries Production
Division, Fisheries Post Harvest and Marketing Division, and Fisheries Regulatory and Law
Enforcement Division. Each division is manned by a technical head known as the divisions head
or chief.

Theories and Practices of BFARs Management as a Public Agency

Most and foremost, the bureau is led by a regional director wherein she holds the utmost
position to direct and set the goal of the agency. One of the best practices of the bureaus director
in leading her group is conducting a Mancom meeting every Monday among all commodity
leaders, project leaders, division chiefs, and section chiefs. Also, she meets personally newly
hired employees and have a worthwhile talk with them before they report to office. Moreover, if
there are problems she noticed in the projects of the agency, she will immediately call the
attention of the project leader or even the concerned division chief to address the recurring
problem.
Actually, her role does not only end upon calling the attention of her staff to address the
problems, she even goes unknowingly on the site of a destroyed project just to see and ensure
that her staffs were able to address the problems appropriately.
Meanwhile, albeit she is the most superior of all head in the said bureau, she decides with
her staff. If there is something to decide for she evenly asks the opinions of her division chiefs
down to her commodity leaders and project leaders and to her staff as a whole.
Her management skill as a public administrator is great but a little strict in terms of the
work outputs of her employees and in achieving the bureaus goal which is to conserve, protect,
and sustain management of fisheries and aquatic resources and also to give the best service that
their clients, fisherfolk, need.
However, though it is already given that the regional director is greatly performing well
her duties and responsibilities to serve its bureaus clients, there are still occurring glitches that
affects her administration.