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Central-local Relations in Japan and
the Philippines: The limits of
decentralizationRonald D. Holmes
Japan Foundation Intellectual Exchange Fellow 2010
Ibaraki UniversityAssistant Professor, Department of Political Science, De La Salle University
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Outline
Introduction the focus of the research
What has happened?
What has not happened?
Why things remain the same?
On recent developments
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Focus of the research
Examine the outcomes of decentralization efforts,
specifically whether local governments have become
more autonomous from central government
How decentralization has changed the relationship
between national and local government leaders?
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Shared and differing institutionalarrangements
SHARED
Unitary system
Laws that emphasize local
autonomy
Direct elections of local
executive and local
assembly
DIFFERING
Parliamentary system in
Japan versus Presidential
government in the
Philippines
Tiers of government- 3 in
Japan; 4 in the Philippines
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Reforms
JAPAN
Deliberations from the
17th LSRC to
Gyokakushins
Formation of
Decentralization
Commission and passage
of a series of laws or
programs
PHILIPPINES
Renewed call for local
autonomy after 1986
Transition
Decentralization under
the 1990 New Local
Government Code
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Objectives of reform
JAPAN
Streamline administration
for the purpose of financial
reconstruction
Respond more effectively
to varied demands of local
communities
PHILIPPINES
Improve service delivery
Secure greater citizen
participation
Promote local development
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What has happened?
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What has happened?
JAPAN
Abolition of agency
delegation functions
Amalgamation
PHILIPPINES
Devolution of functions
Larger IRA
Creation of participatorymechanisms
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Japan Number of Municipalities: 2004-2008
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Philippines: Internal Revenue Allotment
27.71
12.81
8.74
25.53
14.01
19.5
15.49
0
20.26
4.9
0
7.52
9.510.81
14.56
18.63
6.327.94
15.90
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Total/Average
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What has not happened?
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Fiscal Autonomy---Japan
Local Allocation Tax
Local Taxes
National Treasury Disbursements
Local Bonds
Other revenue resources
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Fiscal autonomy: Philippines
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Clearer delineation of roles/functions
JAPAN
Shared or overlapping
functions remain despite
abolition of agency delegation
(SEF as masked ADF) Reliance on central
government personnel on
loan (revolving door)
PHILIPPINES
Many statutory mandated
functions
Issue on the control of law
enforcement agents
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Fiscal discipline
JAPAN
Increasing deficits and
debts
Flypaper effect
PHILIPPINES
Under-spending
Flypaper effect
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On Cases
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Maverick localofficialsTakashi Kawamura
Tussle with local assembly
Called for cut in assemblymen salary and residents tax
Resigned and re-elected
Established Genzei Nippon (tax cut Japan)
Alliance with Ozawa
Fielded candidates for March 13 Nagoya elections and won 27 more seatsin Local Council, the only party that gained additional seats
Candidate for Aichi. No. 6 (Masashi Kawamura) constituency routed in April25 By-election.
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Maverick local officialsTORU HASHIMOTO
First term governor
Pushing for Osaka to with a Declared localfocus
Established Osaka Ishin no Kai
Aiming for control of assemblies in OsakaKen, Osaka City, and Sakai city. In the April2011 elections, won a narrow majority of the
seats in the prefectural assembly (57 out of110). In Osaka City, the party has 33 of the86 seats, the largest number of seats held bya party
Resigned recently as governor to view forthe Osaka mayoralty race
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Questions
Does the popularity of these maverick
politicians reflect a resurgence of the
anti-central local executives in the
1960s-1970s? Or are their status
merely a reflection of voters expressing
their dissatisfaction with centralgovernment through local elections?
Will the proposals of these local
politicians propel even more
decentralization or are these merely
contained populist stances thatwould dissipate as soon as there is
more stability in the central
government?
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PHILIPPINES
Quite a number of innovations in the Philippines
But these innovations represent but a fraction of the total
number of local government units
GALING POOK AWARDESS, TOTAL, 1993-2010
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NAGA CITY
Led by a progressive Mayor from 1988 to 2010 (except from 1998-2001),
now Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo
Instituted reforms in local government processes
Worked with civil society groups in ensuring sustained peoples participationthrough a local Citizens Charter
Went further in introducing election of sectoral representatives that did notsee fruition given statutory limits
Passed on mantle of local governance to new set of officials
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Province of Bulacan
One of the Hall of Famers for innovations
Led by a non-traditional governor from 1998-2007
Reforms were personalised
Former governor lost when she run anew in 2010 against a member of an
old political clan
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Why central-local
relations have essentially
remained the same?
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Some explanations
Japan
Decentralist experts versus centralbureaucrats
Political manipulation for electoral
interests
Unstable governments
Uneven spatial development
Bubble burst consequences
Socio-demographic conditions
PHILIPPINES
Statutory constraints
Organizational capacities
Systemic limits
Uneven spatial development Elite capture
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Thank you very much