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Bali, Indonesia, 23 FEB 2010—There is hope for the bureaucracy. It can be done.

Running A Bureaucracy: A Guidebook for LGU Administrators, Other Public Managers, and Elected Officials author Ma. Gladys Cruz-Sta. Rita brings her timeless message of inspiration and hope for good governance and democracy in the Philippines and the Asian region, during her recent trip to Bali, Indonesia, where she spoke before regional and local government leaders, public management scholars, and students in a workshop dubbed a Forum on Indonesian and Asian Democratic Transition and Reform Experiences.

The forum, sponsored by the Institute for Peace and Democracy and International IDEA, the government of the Republic of Indonesia,¬ and the Norwegian government, put together the brightest minds and most illustrious local government leaders from all over the region to tackle issues in the unfolding era of new democratic reforms in 8 Asian countries.

Sta. Rita, a veteran public manager, having been provincial administrator of the premiere province of Bulacan for 17 years, joined the panel of the afternoon session of Day 2 of the forum, which discussed Asian experiences in “Decentralizing the State and the Economy”. Bulacan has been a stalwart figure in the Philippines’ bid for local autonomy through decentralization, as mandated by the groundbreaking Local Government Code of 1991.

For her part, Sta. Rita, shared how the Philippines fared in decentralizing powers and functions of the national government down to the local government units of provinces, municipalities, cities, and barangays. She highlighted the creative approaches and innovations of local governments like that of Bulacan which mitigated the impact of absorbing devolved functions and personnel from the national government, while developing unique economic and capability-building programs at the local level.

Sta. Rita also alluded to the Local Government Code as “the most revolutionary piece of legislation” which catapulted formerly dependent local governments to fiscal independence, operational efficiency and excellence in public service.

“A prime example of the empowerment that the Philippine Local Government Code provides local governments, is the province of Bulacan, which is now considered the wealthiest province in the country,” she narrated. She also attributed this honor to visionary leadershipS of the provincial government that had facilitated the province’s successful engagement of new public management and information technologies for the past 2 decades.

“Decentralization is a powerful mechanism to effect change and harness the unlimited potential of people participation in governance, while ensuring that local governments deliver quality services to its constituents,” Sta. Rita explained.

As she presented a synopsis of her paper before the Bali forum, Sta. Rita encouraged Indonesian leaders and governance scholars in attendance to seek political resolve and unity in pursuit of their own brand of people power government.

“In the end, there is no form of government or democracy that would work without a true change in the hearts and minds of the people. It is in the realization of ordinary Filipinos, Indonesians, Malaysians, Thais, and other democratizing countries of Asia and the world, that in their hands rest the latent power to change their lives, their government, their nation, and our planet,” Sta. Rita concluded.

Ma. Gladys Cruz-Sta. Rita now sits as the Executive Vice President of the Southeast Asian Commodities and Food Exchange, Inc.—the public private corporation behind the pioneering, mega-agrofood market now being established in Bulacan, the North Food Exchange. (JB)