Policy & Research Institute for Development (PRIDE) is a joint initiative of PH3D and Coalescing Organizations towards Locally Led Actions to Boost Development (COLLABDev), which aims to democratize the access to materials that can inform and help shape public policies. PRIDE serves as a virtual repository of the knowledge products of the two aforementioned Action for Economic Reform (AER) projects, collectively known as 3D.
The PRIDE lectures on Introduction to Data-Driven Development were first introduced to the staff and participants from the Municipality of Guiuan and Eastern Samar State University on September 2, 2021.
3D framework involves the use of data and evidence to make decisions, policies, and programs for development. It involves three principles: (1) people-centered; (2) data as a means to an end; and (3) evidence-based policy. The program features 11 free short courses, starting with an introductory course on how data can be used for effective policy-making.
“For data to be useful, they have to make sense to those who look at them, and how they can be presented in policy and in action. This is what data driven development means,” said Ms. Jenina Joy Chavez, Chief of Party of the Coalescing Organizations towards Locally Led Actions to Boost Development (COLLABDev), a partnership of AER and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Ms. Chavez also described how data and information are different but related. Data is defined as raw, unorganized facts and details that need to be processed; while information is processed, organized, and structured data presented in a context useful for analysis and decision-making. She also discussed the data revolution; moving from data to action; managing data and information; and data appreciation and maturity.
In Lesson 2, Dr. Laurence Go, Fellow and Coordinator of AER’s 3D program, talked about how data driven development can help local government units (LGUs) to “use insights from collected data to think about programs that are best for our communities.” He cited the case of an LGU in Pangasinan that used data to address the problem of dengue in their locality. Dr. Go also identified steps on how LGUs can address data gaps through digitalizing and investing in technology for data collection; centralizing datasets; and breaking down political walls to build a culture of data appreciation.
Dr. Cielo Magno, Associate Professor at the UP School of Economics and a Senior Fellow at AER, discussed the importance for LGUs to collect and report on nationally mandated data. She cited the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS), which requires LGUs to submit data on disaster risk reduction, environment, business and urban development, agriculture, health, human rights, labor, education and social services to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) every three years. Another example is Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE), which monitors tax subsidies of businesses. In total, there are five datasets that need to be collected by LGUs namely: CBMS, health, business, geospatial and care monitor.
But why is this important? “The LGUs generate and use data for planning, budgeting and implementing their programs and projects at the local level,” said Mr. Jowil Plecerda, Policy Lead of AER’s 3D Project. In his lecture, he discussed that LGUs simultaneously have to plan their programs, set aside budgets, and implement their activities every year and can only do these effectively if the data is available.
Capping off the 3D introductory course was a discussion on the Mandanas-Garcia ruling by Ms. Jessica Reyes-Cantos, AER President and Co-convenor of Social Watch Philippines. In the Mandanas-Garcia ruling, the Supreme Court ruled that the just share of LGUs from the national taxes is not limited to “national internal revenue taxes” collected by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), but includes collections or customs duties by the Bureau of Customs (BOC). Ms. Cantos explained that this means that (1) more resources will be given to the LGUs; (2) delivery of public goods and services will be implemented; (3) projects and programs will be monitored by constituents; and (4) combined with CBMS and site-specific data, LGUs can do evidence-based policy-making. To access the online course and PRIDE platform, sign up here: https://certified-edu.org/
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Action for Economic Reforms (AER) was established in 1996 and is a policy research, advocacy, and action group by publicly-engaged political economists with focus on various sectors from fiscal policy, food and agriculture, industrial policy, governance, interface, and data-driven development.
PH3D, a component of AER’s data-driven development focus and co-funded by the European Union (EU), helps Local Government Units (LGU) deliver their priority projects using data and technology, and community alliances. Using this framework, LGUs will have access to actionable evidence that will empower them to view macro and micro data, prioritize programs, manage resources, enhance capacity, and get support from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).
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