Service Delivery and Access: A Context Presentation

Alex B. Brillantes, Jr., PhD

Professor and Dean National College of Public Administration and Governance, University of the Philippines Deputy Secretary General Eastern Regional Organization for Public, Administration (EROPA) Presented at the Regional Forum on Reinventing Government in Asia: Toward Transparent and Accountable Governance Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia 14-16 November 2007 141

Outline of Presentation
Contextualizing our sub-theme Challenges facing Governance, Service Delivery and Access (GSDA) Issues and Concerns in GSDA GSDA and Decentralization and Local Governance Lessons from International Experiences Laying the groundwork for GSDA Next Steps and Closing Notes
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The Conference Sub-themes Sub-theme One: Reforms to Build and Sustain Transparency and Accountability in the Public Sector Sub-theme Two: Programs to Combat Corruption Sub-theme Three: Capacity and Accountability in Local Governments Sub-theme Four: Service Delivery and Access
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Our Sub-theme will focus on . . . Service Delivery and Access (with special emphasis on participation, local governance and accountability)
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Challenges Facing Service Delivery and Access in Developing Countries Today Unsatisfactory and often dysfunctional governance systems including rent seeking, corruption and malfeasance Lack of resources and inappropriate allocation of resources Inefficient revenue systems Weak delivery of vital public services
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Challenges Facing Public Managers in Service Delivery and Access

Is the public manager doing the right things, i.e., delivering services consistent with citizen preferences Is the public manager doing it right, i.e., providing services of a given quality at the lowest tax cost to citizens
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Empirical tests to doing the right things and doing things right
Efficacy test: What is the extent to which public programs meet stated goals? Efficiency test: Are public services being delivered in a least cost manner for a given quantity and quality of services? Alternative delivery test: Is the access to public services being expanded with appropriate partnership or contractual relationships between and beyond government? What activities or programs could be outsourced in whole or in part to the private or voluntary sectors? Moneys worth test: Are public funds being put to their best use?
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Issues and Concerns in Governance, Service Delivery and Access Governance quality, Service Delivery and Access is enhanced by
More closely matching services with citizen preferences Moving government closer to the people they are intended to serve Ensure greater accountability of the public sector
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Issues and Concerns in Governance, Service Delivery and Access

Measuring government performance
? National ? Local level

Installing accountabilities to prevent corruption Response time: time from a request for a service was made until the time the service organization provided a response
? Especially for emergency services (police, fire, health needs) ? Time to get registered, obtain permits, receive assistance, applications acted upon
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Issues and Concerns in Governance, Service Delivery and Access

Data quality control
? It is imperative to maintain the integrity of data so that they are reasonably accurate and credible to outsiders such as elected officials, citizens and members of media ? With manual data collection or tabulation procedures, the opportunities for inaccuracies and data manipulation are particularly high

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Issues and Concerns: Focus on Decentralization and LG Improving Service Delivery and Access through Enhanced Local Government Performance through Decentralization ? Deconcentration ? Devolution ? Debureaucratization
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Issues and Concerns: Focus on Decentralization and LG

Local Governments as frontline institutions in providing services, reducing poverty and facilitating development ? What functions and responsibilities to assign to local governments ? How to fund such assignments Local Governments working in partnership with private sector and civil society in service delivery ? Health ? Infrastructure ? Solid waste management

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Some lessons from international experiences: Improving Service Delivery and Access
Porto Alegre in Brazil has become a model for planning and participatory budgeting In Bangalore, benchmarking and continuous improvement techniques are helpful in
? (a) identifying service priorities, (b) setting minimum service standards, and (c) measuring performance

Citizens Report Card (PAC, India)

? Credible and systematic citizens feedback is a potent tool that can be used to get service providers to initiate service delivery reform
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Some lessons from international experiences: Improving Service Delivery and Access
In Colombo (Sevanatha) CSOs can work closely and effectively with the city government in assessing and improving basic services In Bangladesh, performance-linked funding can promote better local government, transparency and accountability In Nepal, compliance with social audit enhances community awareness, increases ownership and inclusion
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Some lessons from international experiences: Improving Service Delivery and Access
Naga City (Citizens Charter)
? Meaningful participation in making decision and promoting pro-poor service delivery ? I-Governance: use of website to disclose public information, e.g. calls for bidding, procurement results, use of SMS for citizens feedback

Concerned Citizens of Abra for Good Government (CCAGG)

? Monitoring and auditing of poor quality projects at the LGs ? Reporting of non-compliant projects such roads and other infrastructure; Recognized by TI 15

Some Country Presentations

Professor S.K. Rao Administrative Staff College of India, Nagarlan: Communitization of Service Delivery Governor Fadel Muhammad Gorontalo Province Republic of Indonesia
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Laying the Groundwork for Good Governance, Service Delivery and Access at the Local Level
Policy Framework for Decentralization and Devolution in Place Phasing the implementation of decentralization Context context and context No one size fits all Development of
? Fiscal capacities (finance follows function; tax base and development of OSR ? Human resource capacities: training ? Redefining role of national and local government
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Next Steps to Improving Governance, Service Delivery and Access

Enhancement of Decentralization
? Improve people participation
In planning, budgeting, implementation and monitoring and evaluation

? Enhance government accountability ? Boost transparency in governance

Development of Performance Standards Improved partnerships with private sector and civil society Regular feedback from citizens and stakeholders Continuous capacity building and capacity development
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Closing notes
Accountability and responsiveness of national and local governments are about:
? Policies, processes, and approaches of LGs for better service delivery ? Expenditure management, fund utilization, and financing of pro-poor services ? Citizens/peoples participation ? Tools, instruments and user feedback

Key role of the central government, local governments, citizens/civil society, private sector
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Closing notes
improving citizens access to information and their participation in the local governance processes would lead to greater accountability and transparency Citizens/peoples participation has been widely recognized as a deterrent to corruption particularly at the subnational governments Good governance would minimize or eliminate graft and corrupt practices in local governments? improve service delivery, access and development
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Thank you Terimakasih Maraming Salamat

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