The Philippine politics has long revolved around themes of governance, with discussions centering on the honesty, transparency, and accountability of public officials. While these aspects are crucial, they are not a complete picture, as politics must also tackle the question of development.
The country's struggle with long-standing structural challenges, such as low agricultural productivity, underdeveloped manufacturing, and a large informal sector, underscores the need to return development to the forefront of the national conversation. Millions of Filipinos continue to seek employment abroad due to the domestic economy's inability to generate high-quality jobs. Economic growth has been accompanied by rising consumption, but not necessarily by a corresponding expansion of productive capabilities.
Candidates often promise growth, jobs, investments, and poverty eradication, but their proposals often lack scrutiny. The “how” of development is rarely discussed, leaving the electorate uncertain about the developmental pathways that will produce these outcomes. Development involves choices – which industries and capabilities to prioritize, how to position the country amid technological change, and how to govern natural resources.
The government's role in development is also a topic of importance. Should it play a leading or supportive role? How can markets be harnessed to achieve development goals? The distribution of the gains and costs of transformation is another critical consideration. Ultimately, development must generate not only more jobs but better jobs, allowing Filipinos to build prosperous lives at home and make working abroad a genuine choice rather than an economic necessity.
However, development has become a marginal topic in Philippine politics, overshadowed by corruption scandals and failures in accountability. Development challenges unfold over years and decades, with successes emerging gradually. Sustained attention to complex issues is required, but this has not been the case in the national conversation. As a result, our understanding of governance has narrowed to questions of honesty, transparency, accountability, and corruption.
Governance is not just about being clean and honest; it also requires the ability to plan effectively, coordinate action, build capabilities, and deliver development outcomes. The coming elections present an opportunity to broaden the conversation to include the question of development. This is not just about politicians; it's also about labor, farmer, and environmental leaders, economists, entrepreneurs, technologists, and public intellectuals.
New voices are emerging, such as economist Cielo Magno, who is willing to confront issues of corruption and accountability while also grasping economic governance and the interplay of planning, institutions, and markets to achieve development outcomes. Whether or not she seeks public office, her appeal lies in her ability to speak about governance in the context of economic transformation, productive capability, and the long-term future of the Philippine economy.
The 2028 elections should not only ask who can restore decency and accountability in governance but also what kind of economy the country wants to advance and who can lead that transformation. Development must return to politics, not because it's separate from good governance, but because it's one of its ultimate tests.
