Towards A Strong Republic: Enhancing the Accountability of the Philippine State

Abstract

Democracy, autonomy and capacity are the standards of accountability of a strong republic, which is what the Philippine state aspires to be. The liberalization agenda, including regulatory governance, privatization, public-private partnerships, public enterprises, local regulation, and civil society involvement, and non-economic reforms, are assessed against these standards. While some reforms result in greater democracy, autonomy and capacity, weak institutionalization and haphazard enforcement, amidst continued elite privilege and societal acceptance and involvement in corruption, hamper attempts at accountability enhancement. The Philippines has a long way to go before it truly qualifies as a strong republic.