Cory and Ramos Administrations

Cory 1986-1992 Ramos 1992-1998

Context Refer to martial law 1. Characterized by political
period uncertainties and socio-
economic difficulties
EDSA people power
1992 elections caused divisiveness
revolution among political parties

Underground elements (CPP, MNLF,

MILF) capable of
destabilizing actions

Effects of withdrawal of US bases

from the country

Criminality on the rise, people losing

confidence in our justice system
 Cory and Ramos Administrations
Cory (1986-1992) Ramos (1992-1996)
Context Economic growth at a standstill (1991 GNP
growth at .5%, 1992 at 1.6%; inflation
rate at 8.9%; fiscal deficit; power crisis)

Unemployment rate at 10.5%

Massive rehab in Pampanga and

neighboring provinces due to Mt Pinatubo
eruption

2. Grappling with the demands of

nationhood in an increasingly
integrated global community
 Cory and Ramos Administrations
Cory Ramos
Program of govt/thrusts Objectives of the Aquino adm: Five priority programs
and priorities 1. re-democratize the 1. Political stability and
country national unity
2. remove the vestiges of 2. Economic
the Marcos dictatorship development
(de-Marcosify) 3. Protection of the
environment
Thrusts of her adm/guiding 4. Infrastructure
principles of reorg development
3. Promotion of private 5. Energized
initiative, thereby defining bureaucracy
the role and scope of govt

4. Decentralization as a
concrete step towards
govt’s avowed principle of
democratizing power
 Cory and Ramos Administrations
Cory Ramos
Program of govt/thrusts
and priorities 3. Accountability to curb
the wanton exercise of

discretionary powers
which became the source
of abuses of the past
4. Efficiency of frontline
services (timeliness,
operating efficiency,
accessibility, equity,
relevance)
5. Cost-effectiveness of
operations
 Cory and Ramos Administrations
Cory Ramos
Characteristics Highly centralized despite Extensive direct production activities
of the LG Code where the national
bureaucracy government assumes direct
On the whole, there was a responsibility even for the
career service in the CS but production of private goods
intervention by politicians Pervasive regulation in the various
continued sectors
Overcentralized govt operations
Participation of CSOs in where even the production
govtl affairs and delivery of local public are
still done primarily by the
Military continued to be a central government
dominant player in Weak basic governance functions
government Inefficient bureaucracy manifested in
duplication, proliferation and
Top-heavy overlapping of functions,
large overhead expenditures
and poor public services (refer
to slide on reorg)
 Cory and Ramos Administrations
Cory Ramos

Reforms toward - 1987 Phil Constitution

redemocratiz- - Re-installed Congress
ation - Re-enshrined right of
suffrage, civil liberties
and other democratic
processes
- Restored freedom of
the press
 Cory and Ramos Administrations
Cory Ramos
Reforms - CARL actively implemented policies of
- Reorg, early retirement the Aquino adm esp
Major policy - Local Govt Code liberalization/
reforms - Code of Conduct for Govt deregulation
Officials and Employees 1. Emergency powers to
address power (Electric
- SSL 1 Power Crisis Act) and
- BOT/privatization water crises
- Revised Adm Code of 1987 2. Deregulation of oil,
- Party-list representation in water, transport,
Congress/golden age of telecommunications,
people empowerment etc.; BOT
- Family Code of 1987 3. Privatization of big-ticket
GOCCs
4. VAT
5. Death penalty
6. SSL 2
7. Peace process -MNLF
returned to the folds of
the law
 Cory and Ramos Administrations
Cory Ramos
Reforms Others Peace talks with the MILF;
- Initiated peace talks/process ARMM
- Released political prisoners
- Terminated the US military
bases agreement

In the PAS
- Created the a) Presidential - Re-established the Dept
Commission on Good of Energy (DOE)
Government (PCGG); b) - Created the Presidential
Presidential Committee on Anti-Crime Commission
Public Ethics and (PACC) and the
Accountability (PCPEA) Presidential Commission
- Abolished the Min of Energy against Graft and
and the MHS Corruption (PCAGC)
- followed Marcos’ model of
summary dismissals
 Cory and Ramos Administrations
Cory Ramos
Reforms - Conducted a govt-wide reorg; Was not given Congressional
reorganization created the Presidential authority to reorg; reorg thru an
Commission on Govt Reorg MO
(PCGR)
Created in 1995 the Presidential
Summary of general proposals Committee on Streamlining the
of PCGR Bureaucracy (PCSB) under the
1. Rationalization of the DBM to conduct a
government corporate comprehensive organizational
sector study of the government
2. Strengthening of the
local govt system General finding – national govt
3. Streamlining of the has increasingly expanded its
ministries role and control of societal
4. Regulation activities to the point of stifling
5. Improvement of frontline the private sector while
services generally ineffective in its basic
6. Civil service and others governance functions and
sectoral operations
 Cory and Ramos Administrations
Cory Ramos
Reforms Major reforms to address these
dysfunctions
1. Liberalization program
2. Efforts toward streamlining
agency operations and
reduction of huge personnel
expenditures
3. Joint financing of government
development programs
Cory and Ramos Administrations
Cory Ramos
Problems in reorg – contentious
reorg
1. Slow pace of agency reorg
mainly due to disagreement
between PCGR consultants
and the agency heads
2. Signed reorg plans did not
necessarily adhere to
PCGR’s guiding principles as
turfs, greater access to the
President or the Executive
Secretary, and other similar
issues became important

3. No end date for reorg

Cory and Ramos Administrations
Cory Ramos
Problems in reorg
4. Frequent Cabinet changes
and the desire of each new
head to put his own mark on
the organization
5. Destabilization of the
bureaucracy due to
irrational and politically-
motivated method of
purging
6. Opposition to reorganization
due to perception that it
was operationalized in a
manner that went against
the notion of merit and
fairness
7. Reorg did not benefit from
participation of affected
parties
 Cory and Ramos Administrations
Cory Ramos

Results Reorganization of 71 Streamlined the bureaucracy

agencies in the form of - reduced manpower size in the
abolition, transfer of national govt by 9.2%, i.e. from
functions and mergers, 1,122,542 in 1992 to 1,019,106 in
of which only 14 were 1997 for a total of 103,436 regular
able to implement their positions
plans by 1987
- generated P8.1B savings in
bigger bureaucracy personal services
despite layoffs
- reduced the number of technical
positions by 26%, administrative
positions by 9%
Cory and Ramos Administrations
Cory Ramos
6. Marcos loyalists
became part of her
administration
(balimbing),
Kamag-anak Inc.
7. No election for
local officials/
designation of OICs
8. Needed to improve its
image in terms of
accountability and
integrity, efficiency,
productivity and
innovativeness in
dealing with social
complex problems
 Cory and Ramos Administrations
Cory Ramos

Other problems 1. Several coup attempts charges of corruption (Clark

2. Strong earthquake on Centennial Expo, contracts with
16 July 1990 power/electricity companies)
3. Mount Pinatubo
eruption on 15 June Asian financial crisis
1991
4. “Boom and bust”
economy
5. Power crisis (10-12
hours of brownout)
6. Kamag-anak, Inc.
Cory and Ramos Administrations
Cory Ramos
Assessment of the Aquino Accomplishments
govt (Carino)
1. Maintained Marcosian Attributed to him were renewed
economic policies investors’ confidence, economic
2. Cautious in meeting growth and political stability
social imperatives
such as land reform
and labor demands
3. Appeared more as a
restoration rather
than a revolution as
economic influentials
have regained political
and economic
prominence

Transition govt Phils 2000/Phils Inc