The barangay as a small republic

By Manny Valdehuesa

A barangay is a small republic—with a defined territory, an operative government, and sovereign citizens. The Big Philippine Republic draws its strength from these small barangay republics, of which there are over 42,000 in all.

A barangay is also a community—at least it ought to be, in the sense that community is defined as one where its members feel a sense of belonging, where being together matters to one another, and where there’s an implicit commitment to look out for each other.

Looking out for the community is the mission of government in a barangay, that it may develop, progress, and produce benefits for its members.

Towards that end, there must be cooperation and collaboration among barangay members.

If cooperation is absent or lacking, it is the supreme challenge to the barangay’s leadership, both government and civil society (non-government), to bring it about.

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Harmony and a basic unity is important in the barangay. The people must have a basic sense of unity, of community, and of willingness to work together or cooperate for the common good. Government and citizenry must synchronize and collaborate to advance overall well-being and progress.

To promote and strengthen their relationship is the supreme challenge of leadership. In a word, good governance. Unfortunately, what constitutes good governance in the barangay has not been given the attention it needs. What exemplifies it is not made clear.

As a result, there is poor enforcement of barangay ordinances and regulations; infrastructure is shabby, facilities are unsanitary, and amenities are inadequate in all but a few barangays. While all these are ascribed to poor public administration, the root cause is the absence or lack of public-private collaboration.

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Among the citizenry, there is marked unconcern amongst the barangay’s elite classes (A&B economic categories) about their essential role, particularly in respect of their presence and participation in the governing process. They hardly take part in the governing process and are largely absent from meetings or assemblies of their barangay.

So the need for citizens to participate and collaborate with their officials in the tasks of governing—e.g. planning, mobilizing human and non-human resources, implementing, evaluating, etc.—is relegated to the barangay’s less educated and less experienced sectors.

The absence of the elites accounts for the difference in appearance and infrastructure between private, gated enclaves within it and the rest of the barangay. Except in a few jurisdictions, there is this spectacle of neat, well-maintained subdivisions contrasting with shabby, chaotic neighborhoods beyond. It calls attention to the divide that separates rich and poor, educated and less educated. This contrast stands as an unfortunate reminder of the disparity between the two.

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As for the local government, poor public administration characterizes its performance. This is reflected in poor planning for people’s needs, poor project implementation, poor infrastructure maintenance, poor security and oversight of peace-and-order.

It is sad that citizen unconcern and poor public administration combine to make most of the barangays shabby and inhospitable.

For example, the least that a barangay resident should expect to be provided is ease and security in moving about, clean environment, unobstructed public facilities like easements, sidewalks, and parks, neat establishments, a park, and a library and reading center.

For transients, the least that a visitor should expect of a barangay as a destination is its “walkability” as well as ease of finding transport from one point to another. Are its surroundings pleasant, its establishments (commercial or private) well maintained? Is it hospitable, with outdoor amenities like shady sidewalks, covered drainage sewers, park benches, and comfort room facilities?

The painful truth is, the track-record of public administration in most barangays is very poor. And so is the performance of the elites of barangays in doing their duties as citizens thereof. (to be continued)

Editor's Note:  Manny Valdehuesa Jr. is a former Unesco regional director for Asia-Pacific; secretary-general, Southeast Asia Publishers Association; director, Development Academy of Philippines; member, Philippine Mission to the UN; vice chair, Local Government Academy; awardee, PPI-Unicef outstanding columnist. He is chairman/convenor of the Gising Barangay Movement Inc. (This article reposted from Mindanao Goldstar Daily under its original title: Governing the Barangay)