I am privileged to be working with a subsidiary of the World Bank Group and currently
made part of a committee that is helping put together thought papers on
"achieving inclusive growth through the private sector." Our papers,
once evaluated, will form a part of the WB group's Country Partnership
Strategy (CPS). It was formerly called "Country Assistance Strategy" ,
but I think it is apt to call it more of a Partnership, to give the
Phils a more dynamic, participative role and image.
By "inclusive growth", we mean growth that does not leave anyone behind.
We have always read about our GDP and other development indicators
improving, but on an individual scale and day to day basis - there is
still a very high incidence of poverty in our country. What
interventions could we do in order to make growth and development
trickle down to the very basic units of society? The gap between the
rich and the poor continue to widen.
To identify such interventions, our committee went through very rich discussions, brainstorming on the following topics : (1) Which societal problems / issues we should prioritize that could possibly trigger inclusive growth, (2) What interventions could the private sector apply, (3) Who are the stakeholders that we should work with (government? other multilaterals? donor organizations? civil society?)
The whole CPS exercise was very exciting for me, ,as the first hand experience in development work affirmed and reaffirmed all the concepts in Chapter 1 of our DEVC 202 text. Poverty is a vicious cycle and a product of a smattering of societal problems, development professionals have different perspectives on what constitutes solutions to underdevelopment.
In their publication entitled, "Taking the Right Road to Inclusive Growth - Industrial Upgrading and Diversification in the Philippines," the Asian Development Bank identifies the Philippines' key development challenge: "Identifying and connecting the missing link between Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction" In the same paper, I believe ADB takes an economic standpoint in addressing development (I based my problematique map for Activity 4.2 : Economic paradigm) on this.
Another reading that was shared with us during the exercise were
excerpts from the book, "Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power,
Prosperity & Poverty," where authors Daron Acemoglu and James A.
Robinson states that "getting the economics right requires getting the
politics right." Upon deeper reading, I noticed they took the structural
paradigm of undevelopment. (check out the blog at www.whynationsfail.com)
As our groups discussed and debated on what issues to prioritize, I was reminded of the "Six Blind Men and the Elephant," in Chapter 4 of our text. Each individual had a different perspective (I, for one, feels very strongly for education as a solution for underdevelopment). One colleague felt very strongly about infrastructure in agriculture. One group focused their energy on talking about government policies.
We eventually identified around 5 sectors that we felt merit deep dives. I am part of the health and education sector, and I am really excited about the interventions that we will come up with!
Although I am happy to be part of this exercise, I can't help but wonder ... how many variations of these discussions has there been? I am pretty "young" in development work and have read countless proceedings of similar thought papers. I worked in corporate foundations and familiar with a handful of development programs that's only a mere subset of a plethora of other existing programs addressing underdevelopment. Are we actually making a difference ? If yes, why are we still talking about issues that were already issues way, way back? If MDGs are the measures of development, and some of the best minds are formulating developmen programs, why then are we barely meeting the MDGs?
With the debates that transpired during our exercise , plus the wide selection of reasons and opinions here in our discussion group about the barriers to reaching the MDGs, I'll have to say that there might be no "best" or no "correct" barrier. It's a matter of perspective. Perhaps what's happening here is a microcosm of what's happening in the development world: different opinions, quick shifting of paradigms (hence quick shifting of program priorities and allocation/ reallocation of funds) .
Yes, a case of blind men leading blind men. I wonder whether we will be able to
witness the "enlightenment of the blind" in this lifetime? For now, I
hope everyone will strive to do their part towards the enlightenment,
and of course, inclusive growth.
References:
Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty (Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson) 2011
www.whynationsfail.com
Taking the Right Road to Inclusive Growth - Industrial Upgrading and Diversification in the Philippines. ADB.
Introduction to Development Communication (Ila Ongkiko, Alexander Flor) 2003
 |
| 4.2 My Economic Paradigm Problematique Map |
To identify such interventions, our committee went through very rich discussions, brainstorming on the following topics : (1) Which societal problems / issues we should prioritize that could possibly trigger inclusive growth, (2) What interventions could the private sector apply, (3) Who are the stakeholders that we should work with (government? other multilaterals? donor organizations? civil society?)
The whole CPS exercise was very exciting for me, ,as the first hand experience in development work affirmed and reaffirmed all the concepts in Chapter 1 of our DEVC 202 text. Poverty is a vicious cycle and a product of a smattering of societal problems, development professionals have different perspectives on what constitutes solutions to underdevelopment.
In their publication entitled, "Taking the Right Road to Inclusive Growth - Industrial Upgrading and Diversification in the Philippines," the Asian Development Bank identifies the Philippines' key development challenge: "Identifying and connecting the missing link between Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction" In the same paper, I believe ADB takes an economic standpoint in addressing development (I based my problematique map for Activity 4.2 : Economic paradigm) on this.
 |
| My Structural Paradigm Problematique Map |
As our groups discussed and debated on what issues to prioritize, I was reminded of the "Six Blind Men and the Elephant," in Chapter 4 of our text. Each individual had a different perspective (I, for one, feels very strongly for education as a solution for underdevelopment). One colleague felt very strongly about infrastructure in agriculture. One group focused their energy on talking about government policies.
We eventually identified around 5 sectors that we felt merit deep dives. I am part of the health and education sector, and I am really excited about the interventions that we will come up with!
Although I am happy to be part of this exercise, I can't help but wonder ... how many variations of these discussions has there been? I am pretty "young" in development work and have read countless proceedings of similar thought papers. I worked in corporate foundations and familiar with a handful of development programs that's only a mere subset of a plethora of other existing programs addressing underdevelopment. Are we actually making a difference ? If yes, why are we still talking about issues that were already issues way, way back? If MDGs are the measures of development, and some of the best minds are formulating developmen programs, why then are we barely meeting the MDGs?
With the debates that transpired during our exercise , plus the wide selection of reasons and opinions here in our discussion group about the barriers to reaching the MDGs, I'll have to say that there might be no "best" or no "correct" barrier. It's a matter of perspective. Perhaps what's happening here is a microcosm of what's happening in the development world: different opinions, quick shifting of paradigms (hence quick shifting of program priorities and allocation/ reallocation of funds) .
 |
| Barriers to meeting MDGs: UPOU discussion |
References:
Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty (Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson) 2011
www.whynationsfail.com
Taking the Right Road to Inclusive Growth - Industrial Upgrading and Diversification in the Philippines. ADB.
Introduction to Development Communication (Ila Ongkiko, Alexander Flor) 2003
