The Impact of Decentralization on Large Scale Irrigation: Evidence from the Philippines

Decentralization has often been prescribed as an institutional panacea for a wide range of problems facing developing countries. This study investigates the impacts of decentralization on the ability of individuals to solve collective action problems in a large-scale common pool resource. Using econometric analyses of a data set from the largest (83,000 hectares [ha]) irrigation system in the Philippines, the study finds that decentralized subsystems are more likely to solve collective action problems such as free-riding, conflict resolution and rule enforcement. These findings are consistent with the theoretical and empirical literature but they highlight the importance of credible enforcement. These preliminary findings offer insights for the design of institutions for collective action in situations of large-scale collective action

The Political Economy of Policy Reform in the Philippines: 1992-1998

From 1992 to 1998, the Philippines saw a period of sweeping policy reforms when 273 economic, social and political legislations were adopted. When and why do policy reforms happen and what explains the scope, pace and sequencing of their implementation? My analytic narrative differs from the literature in its emphasis on: (1) the attributes of the players, particularly the role of leadership; (2) the attributes of the policy; and (3) the political rules of the game, including electoral cycles, tenure limits, veto rules and “turncoatism.”Political economy, macroeconomic policy reform, Philippines,