Has Your Reform Survived Changes of Administration?

Recent reversions of Obama-era policies by Mr Trump reveal the fragility of policy-based reforms, and the reality of political change. When the new administration comes in, reforms introduced by the past one could be so easily thrown out.  In the Philippines, the new leader does not even have to come from an opposing party; wives replacing their husbands as Mayors or Governors have been known to ditch their better half’s policies and programs (and vice versa).

Sometimes the reform itself is not cancelled. Officials behind the reform are removed by the new powers, or choose to remove themselves. The reform dies without its champions.

But some reforms survive changes of administration - sometimes with new people in charge, sometimes with the same old folks.  They are sustained because they are relevant, needed, and beneficial both to target beneficiaries and those in power. Plus, it’s been practiced sufficiently much that there's sufficient bench depth of technical and political players.

Like public land titling. In most Philippine communities many still don’t own the land they’re occupying - and are qualified to have free patents for these. One look at continuously improving structures of newly-titled properties shows just how much people invest in their homes when their land is secure. Public land titling, under any administration, is technically correct.

And because constituents who get titles tend to show their gratitude on election day, public land titling is politically acceptable to the leaders in power.