A TALE OF GOOD GOVERNANCE The story of Mayor Jesse Robredo

By: Milwida M. Guevara

President, Synergeia
Once upon a time, a young, bright
mechanical engineer had the world under
his feet. One night, he had a dream. He
was being sent to slay four dragons in
Naga city: poverty, corruption, inefficient
public service, and the gambling dragon
called jueteng. How will I do it, he
asked? I do not have a magic sword. I
am not invincible! But the voice told
him, Do not be afraid. You have
stronger weapons of honour, vision,
sincerity, and competence.
So, the young man went where he was
told. He lived simply, humbly and
honourably. The workers at the kingdom
were amazed that that he walked without
soldiers and a coterie of assistants. He
had very few shirts: yellow, pink and
blue. Many times, he was seen sweeping
the streets himself. He never, never put
his face on posters and streamers.
What a strange man, the citizens said! It
was even stranger when he drew
diagrams to illustrate how work was done
in city hall. What a real mess! The
young man called the workers into a
meeting and imbued them with a sense
of mission. Let us give respect and
dignity to every citizen, especially the
poor. He wrote down his duties on a
piece of paper and marked how he would
deliver them in terms of time and
quality. This is my pledge. I will respond
to emergencies within 5 minutes. Now I
am asking that you each of you do
yours. He put together all the pledges
and named it the Citizens charter. He
gave every citizen a copy and demanded
that they report any officer who fails to
fulfil his commitment. From then on,
admission to public hospitals took a
maximum of 8 minutes, tooth
examination and treatment, 45 minutes,

issuance of family planning supplies 5

minutes. Delivery of public services was
placed on an assembly line. Everybody
knew the first step, and the next steps.
The young man promoted those who
performed their services very well and
banished those who were not true to
their promises from the kingdom. It did
not matter whether they were friends, or
relatives of friends, or friends of kings
from other kingdoms.
Then, he knew that it was time to put the
simpler processes into his gadgets. The
first to be computerized was tax
collection. But the young man thought,
These are just machines and are there
to serve the people! So, he invited the
people all over the kingdom. There was
no ball, no feast, no musicians, because
he was widely known to be so kuripot.
But the citizens appreciated him more for
it. He asked, What would you like our
city to become? Maogmang lugar,
they said in unison. He asked them
further what this vision meant in term of
programs. The people said peace and
order, hospitals, well-paved roads,
schools, competent teachers, a textbook
and a workbook for every child, clean
and adequate water system, livelihood
opportunities, and micro-financing. The
young man asked, These programs cost
money. Are you willing to share their
costs with me? The citizens thought for a
while and said Yes. And so it came to
pass that his kingdom is the only place in
the world where citizens pass resolutions
asking the kingdom to raise taxes.
The young man was deeply moved by
the trust which the people gave him. He
vowed never to be unfaithful to them. He
spent the money well in accordance with
their wishes. He posted the budget,
contracts of the kingdom, cost of goods,
vacancies, selection of workers, and
almost all major decisions in his gadget
that were called computers.
And then he thought. What if he leaves
the kingdom? Good governance is his

greatest legacy to his people. He knelt

down and prayed for guidance. A voice
spoke into his heart. You must give
power to the people. Guide them to
choose good leaders and organize their
leaders into a Peoples Council. Make
them official participants in decisionmaking on budgets, programs, and
procurement. The young man rose and
followed the voice in his heart. The
kingdom was so inspired by its success
that they translated Peoples
empowerment into ordinances.
And so, the kingdom which was once in
disarray came to be recognized as the
most competitive, most business friendly,
most cost-effective, most women and
children friendly, most outstanding in
excellence, innovation, and governance,
and was conferred more than 150 awards
in the country and all over the world.
More than the awards, the kingdom
achieved almost all the goals for the
millennium: 106 per cent participation in
elementary education, 0 percent
maternal mortality, 100 percent access
to safe water and sanitary toilets. The
young man brought down poverty
incidence, and unemployment, thereby
increasing per capita income. He
developed systems of health insurance,
and public construction that put kings
and queens into shame.
The young man became a legend. He
was proclaimed Dangal ng Bayan,
Outstanding Young Man, and Ramon
Magsaysay awardee for Government
Service in 2000. In all humility, he knelt
down and prayed. The voice spoke in his
heart again. Now, you must be a leader
for others, showing them how to serve
their kingdoms well. In disbelief, he
asked, But I have no wealth. I have no
magic that can turn mice into horses and
pumpkins into a coach. The voice
replied You have more than enough,
because you have credibility and
goodwill. Go and multiply.

The young man took this mission into his

heart and now goes all over the
Philippines, from the islands of Sulu into
Cagayan, preaching not by words but by
example and experience. Only three
reasons prevent him from pursuing this
task: the health of his father, periodical
examinations and PTCA meetings of his
daughters, and emergencies in his
kingdom.
He asks no special treatment from his
hosts. He sleeps his way on a slow boat
to Siasi in Sulu, takes a shower in dirty
bathrooms, eats in turo-turo, lodges in
cheap hotels, and takes buses instead of
cars. I know because he has shamed us
so many times by saying yes to all
difficulties, and going to places, where
we were afraid to go.
But like all heroes, there are villains in his
stories. Since the young man does not
practice political patronage, he is
considered unworthy of grants from
queens and kings. He faces ridiculous
lawsuits every election charging he is a
Chinese citizen. But in every occasion,
citizens rally behind him by electing all
the members of his party and
participating in all his causes generously.
Like all fairy tales, the residents of his
city, Naga, will live happily ever after.
Our earnest prayer is that he is given the
opportunities, the courage, and the
support to make all the Filipinos beyond
his kingdom, live happily ever after.
God bless you Mayor Jesse Robredo.
You make us proud to be Filipinos.

Jesse Robredo: Good

governance guru and ideal
family man
August 21, 2012 5:23pm

Tags: jesserobredo
PATRICIA DENISE CHIU and KIMBERLY JANE TAN,
GMA News

When Jesse Robredo was awarded the Ramon

Magsaysay award for Good Governance in 2000,
he was recognized for giving credence to the
promise of democracy by demonstrating that
effective city management is compatible with
yielding power to the people.
At the time, he had just relinquished his post as
mayor of Naga City due to term limits, but not
before transforming his sleepy hometown into one
of the models of good governance in the
Philippines.
Even after reaping one of the highest accolades for
a public servant in Asia, however, Robredo
continued to make Naga City grow into one of the
most progressive cities in the Bicol region, serving
three more terms before accepting the position of
Interior and Local Governments Secretary under
President Benigno Aquino III.
It comes as no surprise then, that when his body
was recovered Tuesday from the wreckage of the
plane he boarded last August 18 that crashed off
the shore of Masbate province, tributes poured
in for the 54-year old Robredo.
There were also comparisons to another man
whose life in public service was cut short: the
award Robredo got was named after former
President Ramon Magsaysay, who also died in a
plane crash in 1957. Both Magsaysay and Robredo
were in Cebu before their fatal accidents, and both
were well-loved leaders.
Robredo was also a Dangal ng Bayan awardee, the
highest government award given to government
officials or employees for exemplary public service.
The most important ingredient of leadership is
character. Most of the proficiencies can be learned,
but what's inside you is something that's difficult to
change, Robredo once said in a television
documentary.
Family values
Robredo was on his way home to Naga City, where
his family is based, following a speaking
engagement in Cebu City when his plane
crashed last Saturday.
A second-generation Chinese, Robredo was born
on May 27, 1958 in Naga City. The third of five
children of Jose Chan Robredo Sr. and Marcelina
Manalastas, Robredo grew up comfortably in the

family compound, but he also credits the family

patriarch for his hardworking streak.
In the biography of Robredo prepared by the
Ramon Magsaysay Awards Foundation (RMAF), he
said his father valued academic performance and
promoted a competitive spirit among his children.
There is no place for second honor, only first
honor, Robredo quotes his father telling them as
children.
Thus, after graduating with an Engineering degree
from the De La Salle University, he took up further
education in governance during a three-year hiatus
from public service. Robredo was an Edward
Mason Fellow in 2000 and a graduate of Masters in
Public Administration at the John F. Kennedy
School of Government at Harvard University,
according to the DILG website.
Robredo met his wife, Maria Leonor "Leni" GeronaRobredo, when he interviewed her for a job while
he was working at the Bicol River Basin
Development Program. During the four days the
Secretary was missing, Leni said she drew strength
from their three daughters 24-year old Jessica
Marie or Aika, 18-year old Janine Patricia, and 13year old Jillian Therese.
When he became mayor of his city in 1988 at the
age of 29, the youngest at the time, Robredo
reported to work promptly at eight in the morning.
However, he made it a point to go home for lunch
and dinner at his wifes insistence, the RMAF
biography said.
His wife Leni, a lawyer, supported his work as a
politician and also served as his adviser while
raising their growing household. One of the
couples stated principles, according to RMAF, was
that, "If our children cannot inherit anything
material, at least they will inherit a good name."
Multi-awarded mayor
His three daughters will certainly have a tough act
to follow, after their father made good on his vision
to make Naga City "a happy place" by getting rid of
illegal gambling and inefficient bureaucracy in his
hometown.
Robredo was also proud of the kilometers of roads
built during his term, the bridges and drainage
systems repaired, and the other public works
projects that have made Naga one of the most
business-friendly and livable cities in the country.

He professionalized the operations of city hall, and

encouraged the participation of the youth in local
governance. But he was also known for being
frugal and having a disdain for cosmetic projects,
preferring instead to spend funds on vital
infrastructure projects for the greater public good.
At least, may karapatan kaming sumingil ng buwis
dito at hindi namin inaaksaya ang pera, he once
told an interviewer.

death and after a long wait of more than two years,

Robredo had yet to get confirmation as DILG
Secretary from the Commission on Appointments
(CA).
Robredo was appointed in July 2010, among the
last to be named to Aquinos Cabinet. After the
governments inept handling of the August 23, 2010
Manila hostage-taking crisis, however, Robredo
was named acting Secretary instead of being
issued an ad interim" appointment for transmittal to
the CA.

DILG stint
When he was appointed as DILG secretary in 2010,
Robredo brought the same values to the agency,
focusing on drumming up public support for the Full
Disclosure Policy. This would require local
government units to disclose in public places the 12
key financial documents that show how their funds
are spent.
"Hindi rin sapat na tayo ay mahusay lamang. Hindi
lahat ng matino ay mahusay, at lalo namang hindi
lahat ng mahusay ay matino, he is fond of telling
colleagues, according to the DILG website. Ang
dapat ay matino at mahusay upang karapat-dapat
tayong pagkatiwalaan ng pera ng bayan.
Under Robredos term, the DILG has initiated the
investigation and filing of charges against
individuals involved in spurious procurement
contracts.
The agency said Robredo had also been "tirelessly
improving" the disaster risk reduction and mitigation
capabilities of LGUs by introducing the Seal of
Disaster Preparedness, an incentive mechanism.
One of his supporters, actress Mae Paner, better
known as Juana Change, posted on her Facebook
account: "Sec. Jesse rest in peace! Our prayers for
you and your family! And our deepest gratitude for
your GOOD WORK! Ipagpapatuloy namin ang
iyong sinimulan!"
Paner was referring to the DILG's ordinance
"banning names or initials and/or images or
pictures of government officials in billboards and
signages of government programs, projects and
properties." Advocacy groups have nicknamed it
the "Anti-Epal" campaign.
Awaiting confirmation
For all his accomplishments, at the time of his

Eventually, Robredos name was submitted to the

CA, but he was one of the five Cabinet secretaries
whose confirmation was bypassed after Congress
adjourned its session last June 6.
Robredo also had an occasionally testy relationship
with the President, who revealed to the media that
he had disagreements with Robredo during the
2010 campaign, especially when it came to
scheduling.
Despite the personal setbacks, Robredo remained
steadfast in his vision for the DILG and the country.
Pinapangako ko po na marami pa tayong
pakikinabangan sa mga repormang pinalakas natin
sa DILG. Paiigtingin pa natin ang pagbabago sa
lokal na pamahalaan at sa Interior sector upang
suportahan ang ginagawa nyo sa national, reads
his prepared statement for his scheduled
Commission on Appointments hearing.
Sa tulong ng opisyal at kawani ng DILG, gagawin
ko ang lahat ng aking makakaya para maabot natin
ang pangarap ng isang bansang matuwid at
maayos ang daan, he vowed.
Sadly, it will now be up to his DILG colleagues to
make Robredo's dream for local governance come
true. YA, GMA News

JESSE ROBREDO AND

GOOD GOVERNANCE
Jesse Robredo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I always say that we have already
raised the bar of public service.
However, its not enough that we are
good or effective. We need to have both

qualities so that we can be rightful

custodians of public coffers.

for the police. Thus, more crimes now lead

to the arrest of suspects and filing of cases in
court.

Jesse Robredo
E Effective
Once again, death seals a legacy of
greatness.
Mostly ignored and taken for granted during
his lifetime, Department of Interior and Local
Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo
is now hailed as the epitome of a servant
leader. The low-key cabinet official has
inspired people from all over the country
with stories of his touring his hometown of
Naga City in a bicycle, engaging with his
constituents clad in shorts and slippers, and
being extremely approachable and humble.
Until his untimely demise last August 18,
2012, he was still to be confirmed by the
Commission on Appointments a sad fact
that reflects on the political maneuverings
taking place in the inner circles of
government.
What made Jesse Robredo an effective
leader? It can all be summarized in his good
name: JESSE ROBREDO.
J Justice-driven
According to an article by Rina Jimenez-David
published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the
DILG headed by Robredo coordinated with
the Criminal Investigation and Detection
Group (CIDG) to file charges against
individuals involved in questionable
procurement contracts. As the handler of
the Philippine National Police (PNP), he
supported initiatives for better civilian
security to counteract terrorism, carnapping,
and kidnapping. Thus, crime volume
dropped 17.41 percent from January to June
2012 compared to the same period in 2011.
Police visibility also increased with the
deployment of 90 percent of the police force,
as opposed to 85 percent previously.
Robredo also provided bigger logistical funds

Jesse broke down barriers that separated

people and ideas. He was a consensus
builder; he truly helped people, and in effect,
he touched lives. He was effective because
he cared, not because he exhibited what he
knew as an educated individual.
As Mayor of Naga City, Jesse encouraged
people participation in governance. His
system involves various sectors being
involved in planning, implementing, and
monitoring projects. He accomplished things
efficiently, not forcibly. And best of all, he
never used coercion or an iron fist to attain
his objective.
S Servant Leader
Energy Secretary Rene Almendras coined the
term tsinelas leadership for Secretary
Robredo. The tsinelas, or rubber
slippers, is the usual footwear worn by the
common man. Tsinelas leadership is about
the readiness to wade in floodwaters the
determination to go where no man dares to
go to serve people. He was said to be one of
the most well-traveled Cabinet members,
because he went to many places where most
national officials would back out, just to
reach out to those in need. Thats servant
leadership.
S Simple
According to Atty. Leni Robredo, Jesses wife,
his multi-awarded husband was also just a
regular husband and a regular father who
also had to do household chores. He was the
one the family turned to when their house
needed repairs, and he would do it on
weekends when he gets home. He was very
simple with ordinary interests. During the
weekend, when he is in Naga City, he would

just wear his t-shirt, shorts, and slippers,

biking around town sans security. Most of all,
he refused to live in plush neighborhoods,
choosing to stay in a simple apartment in
Naga.
E Efficient and Productive
Under Robredos leadership, the City of Naga
conceptualized a program to bring out the
citys potential as an economic hub. This
involved the provision of services to meet
the requirements of the people. Robredo
focused on getting optimum results with
minimal spending, without sacrificing quality.
Services were also made accessible and
acceptable on the principle of the greatest
good for the greatest number.
R Responsive
Congressman Dato Arroyo, son of Former
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, said that
when he was still in college, then-Naga City
Mayor Jesse would tell him not to hesitate to
call or ask for help. Even as DILG Secretary,
Jesse would still extend a helping hand to
Dato- even if they belong to opposing
political parties. Such was Robredos
responsiveness going beyond political
barriers.
O Objective
Secretary Robredo adopted a Performance
Management System tool to objectively
measure the performance of local
governments. This assessment tool is
validated by a third party to ensure
impartiality. As a result, the number of local
governments which got high overall
performance ratings jumped to 1,261 last
year from 1,050 in 2010 and 913 in 2009.
B Burden Easer
According to Department of Transportation
and Communication Secretary Manuel Mar
Roxas, Jesse always eases the burden of his

superiors whenever there is a crisis. He tells

everyone that he will be the one to do it
himself. No problem was too small to merit
the attention of Jesse. He resolved the big or
small problems that were presented to him.
He is there after a every natural or manmade calamity, and he would be very frugal
and responsible in public spending.
R Religious
Catholic Bishops Conference of the
Philippines (CBCP) President and Cebu
Archbishop Jose Palma took privilege and
honor in officiating a mass for Robredo.
Palma noted that he was touched upon
learning of Robredos habit of going to
confession regularly. He also mentioned that
the fact that his wake was held at the Naga
City Cathedral shows his closeness to the
church.
E Egalitarian
It is said that Jesse Robredo prioritized the
needs of the poor. He improved public
services in Naga City, and established day
care centers in barangays. He raised
productivity through a merit system that
rewards performance in order to avoid
favoritism and nepotism. His empowerment
ordinance was embraced by the people. And
when it was time for him to step down, he
refused to establish a political dynasty,
giving other people a chance at leadership.
If there is anything that will establish the
legend of Jesse Robredo, it would be his
ability to treat everyone equally.
D Dutiful
During his commencement address to the
graduates of Ateneo de Manila University
Class of 2003, while he was still the mayor of
Naga City, Robredo emphasized that desire
and commitment to duty far outweigh
knowledge and skill. He uttered that success
is measured in terms of how pleased you are
with the results of your labors- not as to how

other people define it. For Jesse, neither

successes nor conquests give satisfaction. It
is paying back to the community that
nurtured you that matters.
O Obedient
According to Valenzuela Mayor Sherwin
Gatchalian, who volunteered to help Jesse
with the Commission on Appointments, Jesse
was so humble to follow his
recommendations for confirmation. On his
last day here on earth, it is said that he was
in Cebu because he was ordered to be there
by the President himself. He obeyed, even if
it meant that he might not be able to make it
to an awarding ceremony for his daughter in
Naga City. In his attempt to make it on time
for his daughter, he chartered an ill-fated
plane, leading to his demise.
Goodbye, Secretary Robredo. You will surely
be missed.
MANILA Matino at Mahusay: Best Practices of Jesse
Robredo, a book containing late Interior and Local
Government Secretary Jesse Robredos best examples
in good local governance and honest public service,
was launched last Wednesday at Club Filipino in
Greenhills, Quezon City.
The 96-page book was produced by the Jesse M.
Robredo Foundation (JMRF) and the Friedrich
Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF).
It is amazing that Jesse Robredos legacy endures in
the way it does, FNF Philippines Country Director
Jules Maaten said.
Jesse utilized good governance as a technique to
address public administration issues. But it was also
his philosophy something that he actually believed
in so he was able to convince people about his
programs, and why until now, more than two years
after his death, his work continues to inspire us,
Maaten added.
The book was written and published in response to
the clamor of numerous local government officials
wanting to learn and exercise Robredos leadership

and principles of good governance, education, public

health and disaster risk reduction and management.
People would always ask me about his activities
when he was mayor of Naga and as secretary of
interior and local government. This book has the
stories that we would like to impart to public officials
as well as ordinary citizens, Robredos widow and
JMRF chair, Camarines Sur Third District
Representative Leni Robredo said, sharing that she
had always wanted to make a compilation of her late
husbands projects.
The book will not only serve as a support for the
training but as guidance and encouragement in the
course of their work, Leni Robredo added. In the
book are lessons that are not necessarily meant to be
copied but only serve as a model, [which] they can
replicate and improve on.
Under Jesse Robredos 18-year reign as Naga City
mayor, the area transformed from a third-class to a
first-class city. He was voted and trusted for practicing
transparency, accountability and people participation.
We hope that this book will be able to help more
local government leaders to follow the shining
example of the late Jesse Robredo. We will also work
with colleges and universities to develop a subject on
his Leadership and Governance, JMRF Board Member
Harvey Keh said, mentioning that a thousand copies
of the book were currently given for free to local
officials and academic institutions.
Jesse Robredo died in an air crash accident due to a
bad weather condition on August 18, 2012. Fast
forward to three years, his legacy and noble example
lives on.

Naga City in Bicol has long figured

prominently in local governance. Its
international, national and regional awards
and citations (now totaling more than 140) in
almost all aspects of local governance speak
volumes about how this tiny, landlocked and
ancient city (established in 1575) is serving as
a veritable touchstone for other local
government units.
Its former mayor, Jesse Robredo, who
eventually became interior and local

government secretary, is generally credited for

transforming the city into what it is now. This
point of view was further strengthened in the
aftermath of his tragic death two years ago
today.
Robredo laid the groundwork for peoples
participation to thrive in Naga. During his first
term as mayor (1988-1992), he formulated the
Good Governance Model which would serve
as the template of all the peoplesparticipation-driven programs being
implemented in the city. This model consists
of three elements: progressive perspective,
functional partnerships, and participation. It is
based on Nagas collective experience in
managing its affairs.
Robredo envisioned a city for the people,
where growth with equity is the paramount
concern. He thus established and encouraged
partnerships with various sectors, ensuring
that Nagas limited resources would be
augmented and even enhanced by private
entities, including nongovernment and
peoples organizations.
But he did recognize the limitations of
partnerships, arguing that at the operational
and practical level, partnerships have to occur
between institutions and organized groups,
resulting often in the exclusion of the
community at large, reducing them to a
spectators role in governance. He therefore
advocated peoples participation to
mainstream the marginalized, and actively
engaged them in governance. Participation, in
effect, served as the very foundation of the
Good Governance Model.
From this model evolved award-winning
programs, all of them institutionalized (and,
therefore, still being implemented in Naga)
and anchored on peoples participation. These
are, among others, the i-Governance Program,
Naga City Peoples Council, Productivity
Improvement Program (PIP), Urban Poor
Development Program, and Quality Universal

Elementary and Secondary Education in Naga

(QUEEN) Program.
The PIPs impact in the Philippine setting can
be best appreciated by reading the foreword,
written by Robredo himself, of the second
edition (2006) of the Naga City Citizens
Charter. A citizens charteran enforceable
contract between the city government and its
constituentsis a concept that has long been
there, up in the air, tickling our minds, lurking
in the depths of the city halls institutional
memory, he wrote. He then proceeded to
trace the roots of Nagas pioneering efforts to
document its services to the PIP, specifically
the ubiquitous Performance Pledge that
became part and parcel of every City Hall
office.
The connection is evident: The Performance
Pledges three-column structure (service,
response time, responsible persons) was
retained in both the first (2001) and second
(2006) editions of the Naga City Citizens
Charter. Other national and local government
agencies would later expand it as mandated
under the Anti-Red Tape Act (Arta), but this
trinity of key information which, as Robredo
noted, unilaterally removed the cloak of
anonymity in public service, still forms the
core of every citizens charter in the country.
By the time the Arta took effect in 2008, and
scaled up the innovation nationally, Naga was
on the third edition of its citizens charter.
The i-Governance Program is built on the
bedrock principle of information
opennesswhere government actively
discloses data to the various publics on local
government finance, budgeting, procurement,
legislation, and service delivery. The key
assumption is that citizens will take advantage
of the information made available to better
engage their government. Under iGovernance, active disclosure is a defining
characteristic of Nagas open-government
regime, which distinguishes it from the
freedom of information bills that previous
Congresses had failed to pass.

When Robredo was tapped by President

Aquino to head the Department of Interior and
Local Government, he took the opportunity to
use its supervisory powers over LGUs and to
use it as a platform to promote and scale up
policies that opened local governments to
their constituencies.
The memorandum circulars that collectively
formed the cornerstone of his full disclosure
policies can very well be traced to the iGovernance Program and his opengovernment philosophy. These policies form
the core of reforms that his widow, now
Camarines Sur (Third District) Rep. Leonor
Gerona-Robredo, filed as her first bill in the
House of Representatives.
The QUEEN program was conceptualized and
implemented at the tail-end of Robredos 19year incumbency as mayor of Naga. Still, it
underscored his determination to use peoples
participation in an area that can make or break
the nations very future: education.
To sum up, the legacydefined by Macmillan
Dictionary as something that someone
achieved which continues to exist even after
his deathof Robredo insofar as peoples
participation in local governance is concerned,
can be considered secure not only in his
beloved Naga but in the entire country.
As Robredo once said: We will emerge
stronger and better because this kind of
governance is inclusive, propelled by the
power of the very people it embraces to
serve.
Gabriel Hidalgo Bordado Jr. worked closely
with Jesse Robredo for almost 25 years. He
was Robredos vice mayor for two terms
(2004-2010). This article was drawn from his
field study submitted to the University of the
Philippines College of Public Affairs and
Development, where he obtained a masters
degree in development management and
governance last April.
Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local

Government (DILG) Jesse Manalastas Robredo

a highly-regarded, multi-awarded public servant, and
an internationally recognized expert in local
governance died after the small plane he was in
crashed on August 18. For two days, vigils were held,
hoping for good news for the fate of Secretary Jesse
and his companions (one of whom survived). Upon
confirmation of his death on August 21, tributes
poured in and President Aquino accompanied his
remains to his hometown of Naga City in the Bicol
Region.
Secretary Jesses claim to fame is no mean feat. As
mayor of Naga City for 18 years, he transformed this
once lethargic city into a premier city in the Bicol
region. He always generously thanked The Asia
Foundation for nominating Naga to Asiaweek as a
most improved city though ironically the award
itself came during the 3-year interregnum between his
two long stints in office (while he was at the Harvard
Kennedy School as a Mason Fellow) and it was Mayor
Cho Roco (brother of Robredo ally Senator Raul Roco)
who was pictured in the article.
By the end of his first stint as mayor (1988-1998),
Robredo had transformed the city into a model of
local governance in the country, and a laboratory of
governance innovations making it a favorite
destination for other local governments worldwide in
search of governance models. Under Secretary Jesse,
Naga City pioneered the implementation of citizen
charter and performance pledges to exert
accountability among the city bureaucratslong
before the Anti-Red Tape law was passed in the
country. He adopted i-Governance to engage citizens
access and representation in local decision-making
process of the city. He made important information
about government services accessible through an
interactive website, streamlined government services,
and afforded the citizens with a platform to provide
feedback on city government performance. Most
importantly, Secretary Jesse empowered the people of
Naga City, and made them an important partner in
the development of their city.
Jesse Robredo was indeed proof that the 1991 Local
Government Code could foster much improvement at
the local level as were a number of other mayors
and governors who were repeatedly cited by
the Galing Pook awards over the years. But what Jesse
demonstrated was that good governance was indeed
good politics. While initially allied with his uncle Luis

R. Villafuerte, they parted ways early in Robredos

first term, and thereafter the kingpin of the
surrounding province of Carmarines Sur ran
candidates against the Robredo slate. Given his
support by the empowered populace, he was able to
see off the Villafuerte challenges at least within
Naga City.
However, Secretary Jesses cause did not stop in Naga
City. He did not try to run for higher office (a move
which rarely works) but instead, became in 2010 the
secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local
Government (DILG) and focused on improving local
governments throughout the country. With barely two
years in office, he was instrumental in regaining the
trust and hope of civil society to work with
government institutions, while at the same time
raising the bar for civil society-government
engagement. In many ways, through civil society
organizations, he gave the public the opportunity to
pro-actively work with city hall officials on the city
budget, the annual investment plans, policies related
to the use of funds for health and education projects,
and projects to improve the city environment. Until
today, that ordinance serves as a model for local
executives.
Just at a time when people saw no real hope for it,
Secretary Jesse championed the full disclosure of
financial transactions to encourage transparency and
accountability in local governments. In fact, he was
intolerant not only of graft and corruption but also of
inefficiency, ineptness, and mediocrity. For him, after
20 years of decentralization, it should no longer be
business as usual for local governments it was time
to link islands of good governance into an
archipelago.
The Asia Foundation is one of many development
partners that have benefited enormously from
Secretary Jesses leadership at DILG. Since 2002, the
Foundation, through the USAID-supported
Transparent Accountable Governance (TAG) project,
has been promoting transparency and accountability
in local governments, primarily in cities across
Mindanao. However, it was not until 2010 when
Secretary Jesse took the helm at DILG that the
Foundation finally had the full support of DILG to
promote our TAG program. Through DILG
Memorandum Circular 2010-83, DILG acted on the
recommendation arising from the 2010Rapid Field
Appraisal (RFA) of Decentralization to encourage
local governments to disseminate accurate

information on its budget and expenditures. Secretary

Jesse was a staunch supporter and promoter of the
Foundations Budget Tracking for Transparent
Accountable Governance (BTTAG) initiative a
pioneering effort of civil society organizations to
increase transparency and make local budgets public
in the Philippines. Secretary Jesse never got tired of
attending BTTAG events. He was there at the launch,
during the policy fora, and at the conclusion
tirelessly providing the keynote messages to inspire
TAG partners in each occasion.
Left to right: Maria Rendon, Chief of the Office of Economic
Development and Governance, USAID/Manila; Patricia
Sarenas, Chair, Caucus of Development NGOs; Steven Rood;
Hon. Jesse Robredo, DILG Secretary; Erwin Alparaque, Davao
City Administrator; and Paul Paraguya, Executive Director,
Balay Mindanao Foundation, Inc., attend the launch of the
Foundations Budget Tracking for Transparent Accountable
Governance initiative.

The considerably short period that Secretary Jesse

was at DILG was also probably the local government
departments most productive time in recent years.
Secretary Jesse put the house in order, upgraded the
department website, led the example of full disclosure
and expanded the DILGs network of partners. As city
mayor for 18 years, he is well aware of the issues
surrounding local governments: graft and corruption,
bloated budgets, lack of transparency, and limited
resources. But as he successfully demonstrated, these
limitations need not hamper nor discourage local
governments from bringing innovations, testing the
waters nor challenging the full extent of the
devolution all for the greater good of the people.
In the same manner, he recognizes that despite
significant successes, local governments have to
constantly create the environment for active
participation and citizenship in local communities. A
mission thats difficult in most areas of the country
where power has been denied to the people for
centuries and where traditional structures have held
sway for generation. Jesses stellar performance and
contributions to good governance have been honored
with international and national awards, but the best
award will be the memory that will live on in the
hearts of the people of Naga City and the entire
nation. Jesses untimely death is a deep loss to the
cause of good governance, national and local. He had
the vision, the passion, and the capacity to introduce
more reforms to our public administrative and

political processes. We hope that his life of

achievement inspires a new breed of leaders who will
carry on his cause.
Maria Belen Bonoan is The Asia Foundations
Philippine director for Local Governance, Steven
Rood is Philippine country representative, and Juan

Mayo Ragragio is a Bicolano and former chief of

party of The Foundations Local Governance,
Elections, and Civil Society project in Timor-Leste.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of
the individual authors and not those of The Asia
Foundation.