Can BSOs Influence Public Infrastructure Funding?

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Since 2012 we have been working with selected organizations of businessmen (Chambers of Commerce and Business Clubs, also known as Business Service Organizations or BSOs) to see how they can influence public spending for roads. Businessmen need roads to move goods from production and processing sites to customers, and to deliver services to their clients. They have a natural interest in having certain roads fixed. The challenge was, could they get Government to spend for these roads?

They did. They proposed road projects to strengthen their Province’s economic drivers, and got funding for their roads. How did they do it?

Some used the old-boys’ network. They tapped Chamber members who have social capital with specific Key Actors at the Provincial and Regional levels. These members asked for the latter's support at key points in the project identification and funding process. 

Some secured the Chairmanship of key Provincial and Regional Development Council Committees. The best examples, to me, are Mr Ed Du (Negros Oriental Chamber) who is Chairman of the Economic Development Committee and Mr Frank Carbon (Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry) who is Chairman of the Infrastructure Committee.  Working together through the Negros Island Region RDC, they managed to have significant projects included in the General Appropriations Act for 2017. 


Existing RDC guidelines require the participation of BSOs in RDC Committees. That opens the possibility for BSO leaders to vie for Chairmanship of these Committees. Then perhaps they can more effectively influence public infrastructure funding in their own Regions.

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