Can we now execute plans?

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and Acting Economic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua gave an impressive and inspiring presentation before the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX) last week.

What bugs me is the matter of execution.

For one thing, no budget for the plans were presented. No execution plans and time frames were presented as well. It is a dream plan.

For another thing, execution of the marvelous plan is not up to Dominguez or Chua. Everything depends on line agencies. Based on experience, these agencies always have problems in executing the wonderful plans of our policy makers through various administrations.

Indeed, I had been thinking Dominguez should be named prime minister or deputy president to make sure his visions are accomplished. I know our Constitution doesn’t have a prime minister position, but I just want to emphasize the need for a proactive senior leader, who also commands respect, running day-to-day government.

Duterte looks tired and he is bored by the details of governance. He says no classes until we have a vaccine, only to have his staff say the opening of classes in August is a go.

Duterte has serious blinders. He is stubborn about people close to him who had done wrong. He just rotates their positions. A really good manager would have fired them.

An excellent economic team is useless if they have to depend on a Duque or a Honasan to implement their best thought out plans. Medialdea may be the Little President as Executive Secretary, but he doesn’t have the wide understanding of governance issues the way Dominguez does.

Last week, we saw how Dominguez and Chua have been burning the midnight oil while we are all on lockdown. From their presentations, they deftly navigated the no-win issues of life or economy in their proposals to get the country back on its feet. They also didn’t waste this crisis to fast track long needed reforms.

Truth to tell, the credibility of Dominguez and Chua, as well as BSP Governor Ben Diokno, is the major factor why international financial institutions still have a high regard for the country. If it were just Duterte and his incompetent favorites, we would be down on the list of countries to be taken seriously.

Let us take the plans presented by Chua to FINEX. Here is the list:

First: Health infrastructure, production of pharma-grade medical supplies, strategic inventory of medicines and equipment, UHC implementation, R&D, virology center, pharma development center.

All great, but sounds like an ambitious wish list. But yes, our horrible health infrastructure had been exposed by this epidemic. It is said that millions of Filipinos live and die without ever seeing a doctor or health worker.

The overhaul of our health system is long overdue. We should invest real money on improving it. Indeed, we should probably prioritize building health centers and improving capability of hospitals nationwide over more roads.

Building modern hospitals can be done by PPP. But the sad experience of Megawide when it tried to modernize the National Orthopedic Hospital will make private investors hesitate.

Implementing a true Universal Health Care is a must. I mean citizens must not have to worry about the high cost of getting sick. For profit private hospitals are unaffordable for most Filipinos. PhilHealth is a joke so far… and rather corrupt.

Next is agriculture… productivity enhancement and support, value-chain intervention, consolidate land management to enhance production and food security and progressive idle land tax.

They got all that right. Luckily for us, we have a good agriculture secretary in William Dar. Are they also suggesting we reform the agrarian reform system to enhance production?

Hopefully they are also able to tackle the problem of logistics so that farmers don’t end up throwing their produce while consumers in urban areas go hungry.

That brings us to the third concern, logistics. Rationalization of freight system, establishment of strategic warehousing, cold-chain systems and food terminals.

The lockdown showed us how bad our logistics system is. Equally bad is how government officials down the line lack understanding of how food logistics work. Checkpoints have almost threatened our food security during the lockdown.

The government should encourage the private sector to invest more in a good logistics system. Metro Pacific, Air 21 and San Miguel are already big on logistics. They probably just need direction and incentives for them to invest more.

Next is digitalization. Streamline processes and online transaction with government and private sector.

The coronavirus disease 2019 or covid-19 lockdown made even luddites like me who distrust fintech to give such systems a second look. The national ID is top priority. Getting business permits should be doable online.

The improved ability to deal with government and private companies online is an important goal to have. That cuts red tape. Same reason why bureaucrats will sabotage any attempt to digitize their operations.

Unfortunately, the prime government agency supposed to spearhead digitalization is now run by officials who do not have the proper knowledge and exposure to digital technology. It is a case of the blind leading the blind at DICT.

Digitalization will not happen unless we have a good internet broadband service nationwide. Luckily, before the honest and competent Eliseo Rio, Jr was replaced, he had enough accomplishments to provide a momentum.

The international submarine cable project with Google and Facebook shepherded by Rio will be available this August. Rio also shared many other good news that we can handle in another column.

Five other concerns are on Chua’s list. But we have run out of space so we will tackle them next time.

One of those is the EDSA bus rationalization that’s supposed to start today. Looks like DOTr Sec Art Tugade has finally become impatient and is pushing for franchise and other reforms we long needed, but are now essential in the post Covid normal.

If plans are to be believed, we are on the right track. But it is execution that worries me. I am ready and eager to be surprised.

Boo Chanco’s e-mail address is [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @boochanco