PERSPECTIVES: The Official Magazine of POLIS by The Bosun

EDITORIAL STAFF Project head of Perspectives e-magazine Katrina Rose R. Doctora

Logistics and Layout Communications Anica Isabella B. Franco

Communications Head Samantha R. Chan

Official layout and designs Marielle D. Ballesteros

Main members

Pocholo Louis Apad Luche Bianca F. Tanael Licelle Tomista

acknowledgements Atty. Joaquin San Diego Dean of the School of Law and Governance Ms. Genalyn G. Aquino Polis Moderator The faculty of the School of Law and Governace Enzo Gabriel M. Feliciano Illustrator Mr. Philip Peckson Bosun Moderator Rhencis Anne Recana Editor-in-chief of Bosun Shiloh Marren Laciste Cover Page Illustrator Mary Gleefer F. Jalea Cover Page Illustrator Image Sources Images 1,2, & 5 - freeimages.com Image 3 - Nathaniel Salang (http://pehfphilippines.com/gallery_photos.html) Image 4 - Glenn Abrigana (http://pehfphilippines.com/gallery_photos.html) Image 6 - http://dragon.uap.asia/

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Development Integration suffrage Self Identity The Political Economy of Foreign Aid by Ahnee Lae M. Abutin, Jan Redmond L. Dela Vega, Liza Marie S. Sira, and Clara Patricia C. Vizconde

Paving the way for better roads by Carlemil Jacosalem and Earon Estrella

2012 National Elections of Japan and South Korea: Looking into the factors affecting Voter Turnout by Renz J. Ayongao

Promoting Food Sovereignty and Self-identity of Aeta Magbukun (Indigenous People) in Biaan, Mariveles Through the Integration of an Upland Rice Agriculture to Their Traditional Swidden Agriculture by Patricia Tapan

26 sustainability 30 innovation Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps): Targeting the Improvement of Beneficiaries' Welfare through the Inclusion of Sustainable Community Livelihood Program by Renz Javier Ayongao

Proposed Feedback System Regarding Internet Availability in the University of Asia and the Pacific: A Study on Dragon Net by Ivy Bernardo, Addie Jose, Karina Pineda, and Carmel Valiente

there’s one thing that being in the Political Economy Program has taught me, it’s that wherever we are or whatever we’re doing, we are part of a community, we are part of a bigger picture. Man is an inherently social being, whose life is defined by the interactions that happen in his everyday life, whether he is aware of it or not.

This goes without saying that the way man acts or the way he behaves inadvertently affects the lives of other people. Knowing that each person has a role to play in a community, there must be actors with an awareness of what their purpose is, and a conviction to carry out his role for the advancement of all. Here in the University of Asia and the Pacific, every student, every teacher, every staff member, every class, every subject, every organization, every leader, every follower, is an actor. Deciding to be a part of this institution has gifted us with the privilege of receiving an exemplary education, but has also burdened us with the obligation to work with others in achieving a common goal, rather than simply thinking of our own needs. After my first year as a student here, the notion of Unitas reverberated strongly within me, and I knew that I had to figure out how I could better contribute to the advancement of University of Asia and the Pacific as a pillar for education and human formation. My involvement in POLIS, the student organization of Political Economy students, paved the way for my mission to help UA&P in any way that

I could. Being in Political Economy provides a training ground for well-educated and well-informed students in the fields of politics, economics, history, sociology, philosophy, and how the integration of these disciplines could provide a worldview perspective of what’s happening in the world, and its effects on the people living in it. In an effort to expose students to this way of thinking, POLIS was created as an avenue for promoting political literacy and social awareness for the other students of the University. POLIS has allowed us to create small bridges between students in UA&P, and important political events, both in the local and international spheres. Moreover, POLIS promotes the importance of analyzing societal issues through a multidisciplinary perspective in order to form students into responsible individuals who actively concern themselves with public affairs and are committed to serve as an agent for social change in the pursuit of the common good (as cited in the POLIS Constitution). In line with this mission, this year’s first-ever “Pol Eco Month” is releasing, “Perspectives,” a magazine that features papers done by Political Econ-

omy students for their major classes. The selected papers received high marks from their teachers due to its organized structure, effective writing style, and well-thought out insights on matters concerning politics, governance, society, and international affairs. These papers will give its readers an insight into how the mind of a political economist works, and the kinds of issues we concern ourselves with. With this magazine, we hope that it will guide the younger pol eco students in writing future papers, serve as a source of information for non-pol eco students on issues of the world, as well as provide a collection of knowledge that will invigorate others to be more politically and socially conscious about the things that truly matter, by knowing what matters.

Shaneika Faye Bernette P. Juaneza Polis President

ol Eco Month is a new annual event presented by POLIS, the Professional Organization and Council of the School of Law and Governance in partnership with BOSUN, The Official Publication of UA&P and the Media Management Committee. Every year, POLIS establishes new themes that is relevant with the course and with the current events in the Philippines. This year’s theme is about the “2016 Elections: A Beginning of Change.” This project is a series of activities organized by Political Economy students, with the objective of enriching the political and economic environment of the University. These events highlight the process of the elections and the importance of being a well-informed voter. Moreover, this initiative shall promote the value of political literacy, especially amongst the youth. Additionally, the project will help promote, not only to the UA&P community but to outsiders as well, an awareness for the upcoming Philippine elections. Lorraine Doong and I have conceptualized the events for this project by integrating the events done by our predecessors. We integrated the events done in Pol Eco Week 2013 and Edsa Week 2015. The first event for the project was the “Pol Eco Get-Together.” The organizers have invited some of the graduates of political economy as suggested by Ms. Natividad Gruet. Here, the speakers shared their own insights about the course and their strategies on how to know the course well. This was in a form of a career talk wherein the graduates shared their experiences in the work force and the relevance of political economy to their work. Years ago, POLIS conceptualized a magazine called “Perspectives” that show-

cased Political Economy research. This time, the organizing committee together with BOSUN have planned to revive such. Aside from this, POLIS has just released its brand new Pol Eco shirt. In addition, another shirt has been conceptualized to promote the students’ awareness regarding the upcoming election this 2016. In connection to this, another event under the Pol Eco Month is the “Mock Elections” organized by the students of Political Thought under Ms. Gruet. The project aims to promote the awareness of the students regarding the platforms presented by each presidential candidate running for this year’s election. The University Debate Competition, a one-day tournament in which different schools within the University, allows students to express their views and argue on major concerning issues about the Philippines and beyond. Last year’s Edsa Week had a quiz bee called “Campus Challenge 2: The Battle Royale” composed of different schools within the University. This year, its sequel called “Campus Challenge 3: Civil War” welcomes all students taking Philippine Politics and Governance. This project serves as an avenue for students to increase their awareness regarding the significance of elections in the Philippines. Lastly, for every mission accomplished,

we never forget to give credit where credit is due. POLIS’ recognition night called “Au Courant” is a culmination night of the whole Pol Eco Month with the aim of recapping the events that have transpired during the whole month. A joyful avenue for the students and the faculty to celebrate the success of the past projects. These events make up the Pol Eco Month in which every event gives incremental perspectives of what Political Economy is all about. From the research papers done in the Pol Eco Magazine to the talk of the alumni, and even through the Mock Elections. These events give significance to our everyday lives, making us know what matters the most.

Paul Lydio Anthony S. Ariola Internal Vice President of POLIS/ Overall project head of the Pol Eco month Maria Anne Lorraine S. Doong Co-project head of the Pol Eco month

Development 6

THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF FOREIGN AID Ahnee Lae M. Abutin Jan Redmond L. Dela Vega Liza Marie S. Sira Clara Patricia C. Vizconde

The

main aim of the paper is to explain and examine the impact of foreign aid as influenced by the type of donor country. In order to achieve this, this paper focuses on comparing the aid given by the United States of America (USA) and Japan vis-à-vis aid given by Nordic countries – Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden. The variables to be studied include the percentage share of aid in the donor countries’ Gross National Product, the type of aid given and the areas where aid is focused. This paper also looks into the conditions which accompany the aid given. Finally, this paper examines the bilateral relationships between the donor and recipient countries, and how much these relationships grew as more aid entered the country. The motivation for giving aid has garnered a number of studies in the past. Motivations may be classified as either self-interest or altruism. Generally, studies have

shown that more donors provide foreign due to political or economic interests as in the case of countries such as the United States of America, Japan, and France. However, there are also a number of countries who provide out of altruistic motivations. This means that in terms of location and past relationships, the donor country does not have any motivation to provide. A study conducted by Civelli et al., (2013) has shown that 20% of countries who give aid are altruistic. Moreover, the study also showed that most of these altruistic countries are Scandinavian who fall under the Nordic

aid block. Seigli (n.d.) seconds the study of Civelli by stating that it is natural for richer and more economically stable countries to provide aid for poorer ones who have no explicit geopolitical ties with them. Thus, this study posits the hypothesis that the more altruistic the donor country is, the more effective the foreign aid is to the recipient country; consequently, the more pronounced the political and economic interests are, the less effective the aid is.

“The motivation for giving aid has garnered a number of studies in the past. Motivations may be classified as either self-interest or altruism.”

Results and Discussion

As it had been established in the study

that the main providers of foreign aid in the world are the United States of America, Japan, and the Nordic countries of Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark, the notion towards foreign aid had conceptualized from generally being viewed as a means for developing countries to lift themselves out of poverty and to encourage growth in the region towards being criticized as a means to only enhance one the donor country’s economic and political interests. An exception to this is the notion enveloping Nordic aid and how it stays devoid of self-interest while focusing on authentic development. Now, in establishing the role which donor countries play depending on the amount of foreign aid disbursed and the types of conditionalities that accompany these aid, it has been established that the effectiveness of aid is not solely dependent on the altruism of the donor country but is also determined by the conditions inherent to the recipient country and the approach with which aid is given. The findings of the study showed that contrary to the hypothesis, the effectiveness of aid does not solely dependent on the altruism of the donor country. As in the case of the failure of the Nordic aid, most factors are actually from the fact that the recipient country could not sustainably use the given aid due to corruption and institutional capacity.

“...the effectiveness of aid is not solely dependent on the altruism of the donor country but is also determined by the conditions inherent to the recipient country and the approach with which aid is given.” 9

Results and Discussion

Integration 12

Paving the Way for Better Roads

Carlemil Kennedy Jan C. Jacosalem Earon Angelo S. Estrella

2015, members of the ASEAN will undergo a regional economic integration. With the integration, simple, harmonized, and standardized trade and customs requirements would be created. This would in turn lead to the reduction of transaction costs which would benefit the economy of the region (ASEAN Secretariat , 2008). With all that has been said, it would be typical to assume that the AEC would only bring benefits to its member nations. However, some economists beg to differ. In a report they published in 2010, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies discussed the different insufficiencies of the country towards the integration. One of which is the lack of infrastructure in the country. The Philippines ranked 98 out of 133 countries around the world with an overall 3.1 out of 10 rating for the quality of overall infrastructure according to the 2009 World Competitiveness report. With the aforementioned importance of infrastructure to economic development and growth of a country, the development of the Philippines’ infrastructure is a must. However, as established by Modern Elitism, specifically Mills’ “The Power Elite,“ there exists “a close relationship between economic elites and governmental elites: the

‘corporate rich’ and the ‘political directorate“ (Evans, 1995) as it is the role of the government to maintain a climate that will be deemed fit for businesses to flourish. Power lies in positions of authority in key economic and political institutions as both corporate rich and political directorate influence the federal executive branch of government. Recognizing that the Philippines’ current government maintains a favorable climate for business, the government should team up with business elites through private-public partnerships to prioritize the development of the country’s transport infrastructure that will promote economic growth and development and will better position the Philippines in the upcoming 2015 ASEAN economic integration.

METHODOLOGY Having been required to apply a specific approach to a particular sector to answer the problem: How can the Philippines best position itself in the upcoming 2015 ASEAN Integration, the researchers decided to use the Modern Elitism approach and apply it on the Philippines’ transportation infrastructure. From this, the researchers gathered data from different resources such as journals, reports and scholarly websites. Using the data gathered, the researchers utilized a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods in analyzing the data gathered. The resulting analysis led to the formulation of the paper’s three main arguments with its respective supporting evidence.

DATA GATHERED

Despite being agreed upon during the first and second Initiative for ASEAN Integration Work Plan (IAI-WP) and the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint, the Philippines has yet to increase infrastructure spending that promote infrastructure development to levels that matches that of its neighbor countries. Investments in Infrastructure in the Philippines only amount to 2% of the country’s GDP. According to a study conducted in 2014 by PIDS, public infrastructure spending as part of GDP from 2008-2012 ranged between a low of 1.4% to a high of 2.09% only. Furthermore, the underspending in 2010 and 2011 cut GDP growth by 0.1%. The Philippines ranked 98th, 87th, 104th and 112th respectively. Despite not being the lowest among the ASEAN countries, these figures still reflect the state of Philippine infrastructure being underdeveloped. (Asian Institute of Management Policy Center, 2013).

Ever since President, Benigno Aquino III started his term, his support for PPPs has never dwindled. In his budget message for 2014, he recognizes that the private sector “must also contribute in promoting economic growth in the country alongside the administration’s efforts“ (Aquino, 2013). After it has been established how the President favors the private corporations in promoting economic growth through PPP, it is proper to identify who are these companies that are participating in PPPs. Among the 7 PPP projects that are awarded and signed under the Aquino administration, 2 are classified as road projects. These projects are the Daang Hari-SLEX Link Road Project and the NAIA Expressway project (PPPC, 2014), whose main proponents are the Ayala Corporation and the San Miguel Corporation, respectively (DPWH, n.d.). Again, this fact is important since according to Mills, an economic elite must be connected with government elites (Evans, 1995). Compared to other countries, the Philippines has the highest road length in Southeast Asia however, only 22% of the road network is paved, one of the lowest in the region (Asian Development Bank, 2007, p. 25). Furthermore it is important to note the importance of road infrastructure to the other industries of the country. One is that the Philippines’ transport system is heavily dependent on the road networks. It accounts for 90% of the country’s passenger movement and 50% of freight. (Llanto, 2007 as cited in Asian Development Bank, 2007). Road infrastructure also affords for the distribution of economic growth and development. Compared to other regions, the National Capital Region is more developed due to the abundance of road infrastructure. With the lack of road infrastructure in rural areas, investors would be less likely to invest and develop these areas due to uncertain economic returns (Asian Development Bank, 2007, p. 45). With the presented data, it is evident that road infrastructure is important to the different sectors of the country. The status of this infrastructure affects other industries

“Ever since the current Philippine President, Benigno Aquino III, started his term, his support for PPPs has never dwindled as the “Philippine Government recognizes the role of the private sector as the main engine for national growth and development” (PPPC, 2011)

“Compared to other countries, the Philippines has the highest road length in Southeast Asia however, only 22% of the road network is paved, one of the lowest in the region. This percentage is lower compared to neighboring countries Thailand (99%), Malaysia (81%) and Indonesia (58%).”

and sectors of society as well. With the upcoming ASEAN Integration it would be better for the country to improve road infrastructure to ensure inclusive growth not just in the National Capital Region but in other regions.

s the ASEAN Economic Integration in 2015 draws near, the Philippines has limited time to fully prepare the country for it. The Philippines has yet to increase infrastructure spending that promote infrastructure development to levels that matches that of its neighbor countries. However, the Aquino administration is supportive of public-private partnership (PPP) programs, the government’s act of coordinating with private corporations to supplement the improvement of infrastructure in the Philippines will ensure its success. Lastly, since the present state of road infrastructure results to loss rather than gain, there should be a focus on these infrastructures for economic growth and development. With all of that, there is a need to recognize that since the Philippines’ current government maintains a favorable climate for business, the government should team up with business elites through private-public partnerships to prioritize the development of the country’s transport infrastructure that will promote economic growth and development and will better position the Philippines in the upcoming 2015 ASEAN economic integration.

Suffrage 16

2012 National Elections of Japan and South Korea: Looking into the factors affecting Voter Turnout Renz J. Ayongao

The

literature on voter turnout is very voluminous suggesting a myriad of factors that affect voter turnout in different countries. In this regard, the main objective of this paper is to know what affects voter turnout in Japan and South Korea in the 2012 national elections that happened respectively in these two countries. Specific objectives also include (1) to know, analyze, and compare the effect of the form of government in Japan and South Korea (i.e., parliamentary for the former and presidential for the latter) in voter turnout based also from the literature discussed in this paper, and (2) to come up with a sound conclusion based from the analysis of the author with regard the factors affecting voter turnout. In meeting the objective, a theoretical framework developed by Daniel Stockemer is utilized. The framework that Dr. Stockemer used in his study employed one dependent variable of voter turnout and three independent variables which include: first, institutional factors; second, socio-economic factors; and lastly, the contextual factors surrounding elections in each country mentioned. Under the variable of institutional factors, three sub-variables were considered which include compulsory voting laws, the electoral system type, and the decisiveness of the election. There are two sub-variables taken into account under socio-economic factors including the wealth of a state measured through the per capita income, and the size of the country by virtue of its population. These factors are very much important in the analysis of this comparative study as it is stated in the review of the literature of this paper that there is a general global trend that as the country’s economic development improves, so does the level of democracy of that country which translates to a higher voter turnout also. Lastly, the third variable is the contextual factors that surround elections in both Japan and South Korea. Under this factor, Dr. Stockemer only took into consideration the competitiveness of the electoralrace. However, the researcher believes that it is also very significant to discuss other important contextual factors to characterize better the voter turnout of Japan and South Korea and not just rely solely on the basis of electoral race competitiveness.

“The analysis of this paper shows that it is very evident that the form of government, as an institutional factor, affects the dependent variable in this study which is voter turnout.” The analysis of this paper shows that it is very evident that the form of government, as an institutional factor, affects the dependent variable in this study which is voter turnout. Japan acquired a low voter turnout of only 59.32%; whereas, South Korea garnered a relatively high voter turnout of 75.84%. The form of government of these two countries is a major contributor to this result in turnout based from the analysis done in this paper. Japan, employing a Parliamentary form of government, received a low turnout that could be explained by the notion that in such system, the people do not directly elect the head of their government. This could lead to a lower turnout inasmuch as the people have no direct authority and power to choose who will be put in the executive position. Another explanation that stems from this idea is that people might not feel represented in the government in this respect since it is the members of the parliament who elect among themselves who to put in the position.

In the case of South Korea, it has garnered a relatively high voter turnout and this could very well be explained by the form of government also employed in this country. As what has been discussed in this paper, South Korea follows a presidential form of system which gives people the opportunity to directly elect their representatives in the government for both the legislative branch and the executive branch. This could result in higher voter turnout because people feel more empowered as compared to only voting for the members of the parliament. Also, the more actual power vested directly in the people, the more democratic a nation is supposed to be following the logic of the classic characterization of democracy which is a government for the people, by the people, and of the people. However, the researcher of this paper would also argue that although contextual factors seem to be the same in both countries, this may not be entirely be the case as well. By simply looking at the other contextual issues surrounding the elections for both Japan and South Korea, one would not be mistaken to conclude that both countries experience issues when it comes to party competition and candidates’ platforms and backgrounds. However, in doing so would result only in a very simplistic view of the issue. In further analyzing the contextual issues, it would also be acceptable to conclude that the varying degrees of contextual issues discussed in this paper may also have a reasonable contribution to the voter turnout of both countries since these issues directly affect and concern the voting public.

“In further analyzing the contextual issues, it would also be acceptable to conclude that the varying degrees of contextual issues discussed in this paper may also have a reasonable contribution to the voter turnout of both countries since these issues directly affect and concern the voting public.” 19

Self-identity 20

“The researcher recognizes the mandate of the Philippine Constitution to uphold the identity and tradition of IPs... [that] requires the need to preserve and protect the existing traditions of the Magbukuns. The researcher then comes to the idea that integrating the modern rice agriculture to the indigenous community’s traditional swidden agriculture will be a solution for simultaneous innovation and preservation.”

The Philippines was

one of the first countries in Asia to recognize the existence of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in its country and constitutionalize their protection. This is better known as the IPRA of 2007 or the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act which mandates the government to seek special programs and policies directed to promote the unique identity and culture of these communities and its protection against exploitation. One of these diverse communities is the Aeta Magbukun living in the highlands of Bataan. This

study focuses on the Aeta Magbukun found in Mariveles, Bataan in formulating a policy proposal that is applicable and plausible for this specific community with the aim to uphold the values presented by IPRA. Through in depth research on the former and current situation of the Aeta Magbukun of Biaan, Mariveles, the researcher was able to identify the main issue faced by the community which is the insufficiency of rice – a staple food, and the changes on their

economic experiences brought about by government policies such as the charcoal production ban (Executive Order No. 23 of 2011) and the limits on swidden farming or slashand-burn (Revised Forestry Code) which directly upset the main economic resources and traditional lifestyle of the community. Although, the Aeta Magbukun tries to cope up with these economic changes through the participation in an informal commerce (in the local market or by the road), the self-identity unique to the community is

threatened in the process. In this event, the researcher saw the need to formulate a policy proposal that will both answer the issues of food sovereignty of the community through the aid of certain government institutions while upholding and promoting the unique identity and traditional way of life of the Aeta Magbukun. This policy will require an integration of a modern upland rice agriculture to the Magbukun’s traditional swidden agriculture in order to combat food shortage and at the same time preserve their traditional economic lifestyle. The policy paper made use of existing data gathered through the field research of other non-governmental organization to determine the community’s socio-economic structure and lifestyle. Furthermore, an interview from a key in-

formant who is the head of the Cultural Minorities Committee, current Municipal Councilor of Mariveles and an Aeta Magbukun himself was made to confirm the issues and findings that aroused. Data are also supplemented by the information provided by the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) – Bataan, a local branch of the national commission centralized for the specific causes directed to the Indigenous Peoples of the country established by IPRA. In order to address the social issue faced by the Magbukun, the researcher believes that the enabling factor for the Magbukun’s food system lies on the two factors: (1) the development of land domain and (2) the formation of knowledge lifestyle of the Magbukun. and skills for this development.

“The IPs in general are marginalized despite their notable percentage in the whole country’s population (around 12-15%). Therefore, through a policy that specifically caters to this sector of the society, and by providing better living conditions for the poor and the marginalized as well as the opportunity to go beyond their current status, a more holistic national development can be achieved.” First, since the main problem in food sovereignty of the community specifically translates to their demand for rice, the researcher looked for possible alternatives to satiate this demand and believes with the idea that this would be through the production of upland rice from the introduction of a modern agricultural method. The applicability of this method is proven through the research made on the climate, soil type, and the lifestyle of the Magbukun However, the researcher found out that former efforts to introduce rice agriculture for the Magbukuns failed due to their lack of necessary know-hows. Therefore, for the second factor, the dissemination of necessary knowledge and skills to operate such an agricultural process must be provided, and that the local government should be required to provide for these through the help of specialized people and experts on the process to impart them to the Magbukuns. For this instance,

the municipality could opt to seek aid from the Philippine Rice Research Institute responsible for a similar integration project on the Tagbanuas of Palawan ora other field professional. Aside from these enabling factors, the researcher recognizes the mandate of the Philippine Constitution to uphold the identity and tradition of IPs. This recognition therefore requires the need to preserve and protect the existing traditions of the Magbukuns. The researcher then comes to the idea that integrating the modern rice agriculture to the indigenous community’s traditional swidden agriculture will be a solution for simultaneous innovation and preservation. Due to the laws that recognizes the right of the IPs for a free, prior, and informed consent, the researcher confirmed through the Cultural Minorities Committee of Mariveles, that this problem is indeed the most pressing concern for the community, and that they would want to resolve it through

government intervention. To further emphasize the rationale behind the policy proposal, the principles of solidarity, subsidiarity, universal destination of goods, and the preferential option for the poor are invoked. The IPs in general are marginalized despite their notable percentage in the whole country’s population (around 12-15%). Therefore, through a policy that specifically caters to this sector of the society, and by providing better living conditions for the poor and the marginalized as well as the opportunity to go beyond their current status, a more holistic national development can be achieved. Although it is the responsibility of the government to provide access to the basic services to its people, the policy proposed is aimed to reinforce the food sovereignty of the Magbukun through their own work by providing them the knowledge and skills to eventually be independent of government’s aid in order for them to preserve their culture and their authority for self-identity.

Sustainability 26

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps): Targeting the Improvement of Beneficiaries’ Welfare through the Inclusion of Sustainable Community Livelihood Program Renz Javier Ayongao

2007, the Philippines took the step to employ a poverty reduction program that contributed greatly in the human capital development of Latin American and African countries. This program has been known as the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) which became the model for the Philippines to launch its own, dubbed as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). 4Ps aims to reduce poverty in the country by giving regular cash grants to poor households which will equip them to improve the health conditions of the family members, as well as the level of education of their children who are under the program. The beneficiaries of the program have to comply with certain conditions such as regular health check-ups, attendance to school, and presence in the Family Development Sessions (FDS). This paper, therefore, aims to have a review of the implementation of the program in order to propose a policy that would improve the welfare of the beneficiaries.

“With the inclusion of this policy, it would allow the beneficiaries to be self-dependent and self-sustainable as it targets to create a community level livelihood business venture.”

After conducting a series of literature review regarding the development of CCT in Latin America and the evolution of 4Ps in the Philippines, coupled with a field investigation in three different communities (i.e. Brgy. Tina, Dumarao, Capiz; Brgy. Pineda, Pasig City; and Brgy. Kalawaan, Pasig City), the author found various inconsistencies in terms of 4Ps’ implementation in these three different areas. Although generally, there has been positive results that the program has brought in terms of improving nutrition and school attendance, one important need that the beneficiaries through personal interviews, had repetitively expressed is the lack of sustainability. Since being enrolled in 4Ps only grants a household a 5-year limit, the questions that concern most of them is how to become stable during the five years of receiving cash grants and what to do after. It is in this idea that the researcher saw the need to propose a sustainable livelihood program to be included in the implementation of 4Ps throughout the country. With the inclusion of this policy, it would allow the beneficiaries to be self-dependent and self-sustainable as it targets to create a community level livelihood business venture. Under this program, more than just giving cash grants to poor household which does not really give them the opportunity to be out of poverty but only a temporary condition, the government’s role is not just to provide these poor people the opportunity to acquire skills for creation of certain products, but also to introduce and link them to possible markets through arrangements with business firms and conglomerates.

“To further emphasize the rationale behind the proposed policy, the principles of universal destination of goods and preferential option for the poor are invoked along with the values of solidarity and subsidiarity.” To further emphasize the rationale behind the proposed policy, the principles of universal destination of goods and preferential option for the poor are invoked along with the values of solidarity and subsidiarity. Since the goal of 4Ps is to reduce the number of poor Filipino households, the current implementing guidelines do not meet the necessary elements which could really take these poor households out of poverty because of the lack of sustainable provision. Rather than just ease the poverty felt by the people by giving them cash grants, a better alternative would be to make them more self-dependent by equipping them the necessary skills and the needed linkage. These requirements are the very elements of the proposed policy of the researcher.

Innovation 30

Ivy Bernardo Karina Pineda Carmel Valiente Addie Jose

Proposed Feedback System Regarding Internet Availability in the University of Asia and the Pacific: A Study on Dragon Net

Stable

and trustworthy internet connections can be considered as the backbone of some studies at present. Thus, it is important for institutions, especially universities, to provide this for students and teachers. The University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) offers internet connection in most areas of the campus. This connection known as Dragon Net was established in 2012. Although it has been running for almost three years, students have been experiencing problems related to accessibility, connectivity, and speed. These concerns have not been properly raised to the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Office due to the absence of a feedback mechanism. A feedback mechanism between the students and the

ICT is essential since students may voice out their concerns while the ICT may respond to these and post announcements, updates, and the like. Therefore, the group decided to address these problems through the formulation of a policy paper. Methodology, Data and Result or Arguments and Supporting Data First, the group conducted a study on Dragon Net, the existing internet service. This was done to assess its performance and identify the main areas of concern.The data gathered were both qualitative and quantitative. For the qualitative data, the group interviewed Mr. Keith Panganiban, the Network Administrator of the ICT Office. The group also analysed the existing policies, if any, related to Dragon Net. Next, the group distributed surveys either personally or online to a sample population that represented

the UA&P population. The respondents were chosen through the stratified random sampling method. The number of representatives per year level of each school were computed and chosen using a random number generator. The randomly picked participants were asked questions about their Dragon Net experience. Based on the interview with Mr. Panganiban, it was found that all floors of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) building, APEC Communications Building (ACB), the ALB Pond, the Multi-Purpose Court (MPC), the Lopez and Ejercito Libraries, the CAS Garden, and the Cafeteria had routers. At present, 8mbps worth of internet speed is provided by Globe Telecommunications. Though, the ICT Office has been working to upgrade the internet speed up to 50mbps. However, the current firewall cannot

“A feedback mechanism between the students and the ICT is essential since students may voice out their concerns while the ICT may respond to these and post announcements, updates, and the like.” properly monitor all Dragon Net users. As a contingency, proxy servers were established so that other users would not be able to breach the security measures of the University’s provided service. It was also discovered that the ICT Office is not aware of the problems experienced by the students. In relation to this, there is only one existing policy on Dragon Net, which is the Web-Use Policy. It is filed under the ICT’s list of policies in the Policies section of the University of Asia and the Pacific website. The said policy merely focuses on regulating the usage of Dragon Net. It limits the accessibility of websites and the overall use of Dragon Net by enumerating certain regulations. As for the surveys, sixty percent (60%) of the respondents use Dragon Net. Almost thirty-six percent (35.5%) rated its performance as poor while only nine percent (9%) considered it as satisfactory; none of the respondents thought that it was performing very satisfactorily. Twenty-three percent (23%) were not aware that students pay for internet in school. Therefore, the results showed that students are not satisfied with the current perfor-

mance of Dragon Net, and would like improvements to be made. The group’s policy paper is entitled

The Devisement of a Feedback Mechanism and Ease of Internet Access of the Dragon Net for the University of Asia and the Pacific Students or the Dragon Net Policy of 2015. It was based on the analysis of the data previously collected, and incorporated the existing Web-Use Policy. Aside from a systemised method of distributing the students’ usernames and passwords, the feedback mechanism was also added to the new policy. First, a Twitter account shall be created and managed by either a staff member of the Information and Communications Technology Office or a group of students who are knowledgeable in Information Technology, troubleshooting internet problems, and the like. Its purpose is to reply to the submitted concerns or suggestions, and post updates and announcements. Aside from this, the ICT shall make an online evaluation window that contains a survey on the system’s performance in terms of (but not limited to) internet speed, accessibility, price, availability of web-

sites, and procedure. Students will be required to answer this before or after they enlist or view their grades. The study of the group emphasized the utmost importance of a strong and reliable internet connection. Students may be able to perform and deliver the quality of work that professors expect from them. This may be compromised when technical problems arise; it becomes an even bigger concern when there is a lack of communication between the provider and users of the system. This is where the feedback mechanism can be extremely beneficial. There would be a bridge to the information asymmetry present between the ICT and the students. This is within the confines of a social media site that is more utilized and accessible for students, thus creating an environment that promotes and builds communication between the stakeholders.

“Sixty percent (60%) of the respondents use Dragon Net. Almost thirtysix percent (35.5%) rated its performance as poor while only nine percent (9%) considered it as satisfactory 3. There would be a bridge to the information asymmetry present between the ICT and the students.”

You have reached the end of the very first issue of Perspectives. We thank you for reading and we hope you enjoyed. For more academic researches, thesis and studies related to Political economy, you may visit the school of law and governance office located at the 7th floor of ACB. - Editorial staff