Public Administration Q&A
1. Choose 2 of the 4 theses of administration proposed by Woodrow Wilson. Elaborate
on the theses that you have chosen, and cite examples in the Philippine context,
illustrating why such theses are relevant. (10)
The two theses of Woodrow Wilson that are still relevant in the Philippine society today are the
“marked difference between public organizations and private entities”, and the “effective
delivery of public services by professional civil servants chosen based on merit.”
The first theses provide that there is a clear distinction between the public and private sector,
while the second one holds that the exercise of public services is being handled by people who
are meticulously chosen based on skills and qualifications. In particular, an employee of a public
organization in the Philippines has a different standing compared to a private one. When you are
a government employee, you cannot be easily fired. You’ll be only terminated from work if you
get an offense and if you get removed via a ruling of the court. You are also cloth with privileges
and easier access in the government process. For instance, if you’re going to fly and you’ll go
through immigration, it’ll be easier and faster. In terms of salary, the salary grade of a
government worker compared to a private is higher, specifically teachers. Above all, a
government employee is given a pension once he/she retires.
The second theses that is the effective delivery of public services by professional civil servants
chosen on the basis of merit is also relevant in the country. Public services fuel society to
function. Without the health services, transportation, educational subsidies, social welfare,
agricultural programs, environmental protection, etc., the society will be doomed, and
eventually, the people will cease to exist. The Philippines is a less-developed country that
consists of millions of people that mostly rely on the benefits and services provided by the
government. In the Philippines, these mentioned services are carried out in the field of public
administration by civil servants. These people have to pass the Civil Service Examination (CSE)
for them to be qualified in the area. Someone cannot just work in the field unless he/she is a
certified CSE passer. It ensures that the people working in the execution of policies and
programs are hired based on merit, and not on family relations. If a civil servant is chosen based
on its relation or loyalty to a certain elected leader, then the delivery of public services will be
affected if that certain official ends its term. It should never happen because Public
administration is deeply rooted in the principle of continuing the programs despite the absence of
the official that initiated it. As I have mentioned above, the structures and processes are too
complex, hence only a well-equipped and knowledgeable person should be the one working on
it.
2. Frank Goodnow dichotomized politics and administration. Compare and contrast
the two, using the Philippine Covid19 response as illustrative case. (10)
Frank Goodnow's work altered the way we think of separation of powers. Rather than seeing the
constitutional system as a separation of three powers embodied by the three branches of
, government (legislative, executive, and judicial), Goodnow claimed that there were only two:
politics and administration. Politics was the manifestation of popular will, and administration
was how that will be carried out. In light of this new separation of power, he argued that
Congress can only convey the people's will in general sense, leaving the precise rules and
regulations that carry out the public will to the other branches' administrators. He said that
although it was theoretically possible to distinguish administration and politics, it was practically
impossible to combine the two roles into a single branch of government. Goodnow argued that
politics had harmed some facets of administration and that they should have been protected.
Goodnow also claim that policy and strategy was not initiated by administration officials. They
only obey the guidelines and rules established by political authorities in terms of how these
techniques should be implemented.
In the context of the Philippines COVID 19 response, the politics is when the legislative
Department passed the RA 11469 also known as the Bayanihan to Heal as One act, a law
granting the President additional authority to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines.
This power of the Congress to pass a law demonstrates how politics play the “expression of the
will.” On the other hand, the “execution of the will” which refers to administration is when the
units concerned implement the provisions stipulated in the act. For example, the Local
Government Unit (LGU) through its designated department ensure that the community
quarantines, and health and safety protocols are observed. They also facilitate the prompt testing
of patients under investigation (PUIs) and persons under monitoring (PUMs) as well as the
immediate mandatory isolation and treatment of patients.
3. Public Administrative is rooted in three disciplines: Political Science, Management,
and Law. Explain how each discipline is shaping Public Administration. (15)
Political Science
The field of public administration is one of the most complicated processes that is frequently
subjected to greater "politicization." To differentiate, Political Science studies how resources are
allocated, and values are developed and debated within a political system, whereas Public
Administration studies how decisions and policies are made within administrative systems. The
discipline deals with public policy management and implementation. Political science and public
administration are now two closely related fields that both focus on the public sphere of human
society. Since public policies are determined by the dynamics of political forces, public
administrators cannot ignore the political environment. Similarly, politicians cannot overlook
public administrators, as public policies are implemented by them.
Management
Management is an essential tool in the field of public administration. In the implementation of
the public policies, management provides the strategy that the agency will use in coordinating
the efforts of its employees to accomplish its objectives through the application of available
resources. All policies and strategies should be discussed with all managers and employees.
1. Choose 2 of the 4 theses of administration proposed by Woodrow Wilson. Elaborate
on the theses that you have chosen, and cite examples in the Philippine context,
illustrating why such theses are relevant. (10)
The two theses of Woodrow Wilson that are still relevant in the Philippine society today are the
“marked difference between public organizations and private entities”, and the “effective
delivery of public services by professional civil servants chosen based on merit.”
The first theses provide that there is a clear distinction between the public and private sector,
while the second one holds that the exercise of public services is being handled by people who
are meticulously chosen based on skills and qualifications. In particular, an employee of a public
organization in the Philippines has a different standing compared to a private one. When you are
a government employee, you cannot be easily fired. You’ll be only terminated from work if you
get an offense and if you get removed via a ruling of the court. You are also cloth with privileges
and easier access in the government process. For instance, if you’re going to fly and you’ll go
through immigration, it’ll be easier and faster. In terms of salary, the salary grade of a
government worker compared to a private is higher, specifically teachers. Above all, a
government employee is given a pension once he/she retires.
The second theses that is the effective delivery of public services by professional civil servants
chosen on the basis of merit is also relevant in the country. Public services fuel society to
function. Without the health services, transportation, educational subsidies, social welfare,
agricultural programs, environmental protection, etc., the society will be doomed, and
eventually, the people will cease to exist. The Philippines is a less-developed country that
consists of millions of people that mostly rely on the benefits and services provided by the
government. In the Philippines, these mentioned services are carried out in the field of public
administration by civil servants. These people have to pass the Civil Service Examination (CSE)
for them to be qualified in the area. Someone cannot just work in the field unless he/she is a
certified CSE passer. It ensures that the people working in the execution of policies and
programs are hired based on merit, and not on family relations. If a civil servant is chosen based
on its relation or loyalty to a certain elected leader, then the delivery of public services will be
affected if that certain official ends its term. It should never happen because Public
administration is deeply rooted in the principle of continuing the programs despite the absence of
the official that initiated it. As I have mentioned above, the structures and processes are too
complex, hence only a well-equipped and knowledgeable person should be the one working on
it.
2. Frank Goodnow dichotomized politics and administration. Compare and contrast
the two, using the Philippine Covid19 response as illustrative case. (10)
Frank Goodnow's work altered the way we think of separation of powers. Rather than seeing the
constitutional system as a separation of three powers embodied by the three branches of
, government (legislative, executive, and judicial), Goodnow claimed that there were only two:
politics and administration. Politics was the manifestation of popular will, and administration
was how that will be carried out. In light of this new separation of power, he argued that
Congress can only convey the people's will in general sense, leaving the precise rules and
regulations that carry out the public will to the other branches' administrators. He said that
although it was theoretically possible to distinguish administration and politics, it was practically
impossible to combine the two roles into a single branch of government. Goodnow argued that
politics had harmed some facets of administration and that they should have been protected.
Goodnow also claim that policy and strategy was not initiated by administration officials. They
only obey the guidelines and rules established by political authorities in terms of how these
techniques should be implemented.
In the context of the Philippines COVID 19 response, the politics is when the legislative
Department passed the RA 11469 also known as the Bayanihan to Heal as One act, a law
granting the President additional authority to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines.
This power of the Congress to pass a law demonstrates how politics play the “expression of the
will.” On the other hand, the “execution of the will” which refers to administration is when the
units concerned implement the provisions stipulated in the act. For example, the Local
Government Unit (LGU) through its designated department ensure that the community
quarantines, and health and safety protocols are observed. They also facilitate the prompt testing
of patients under investigation (PUIs) and persons under monitoring (PUMs) as well as the
immediate mandatory isolation and treatment of patients.
3. Public Administrative is rooted in three disciplines: Political Science, Management,
and Law. Explain how each discipline is shaping Public Administration. (15)
Political Science
The field of public administration is one of the most complicated processes that is frequently
subjected to greater "politicization." To differentiate, Political Science studies how resources are
allocated, and values are developed and debated within a political system, whereas Public
Administration studies how decisions and policies are made within administrative systems. The
discipline deals with public policy management and implementation. Political science and public
administration are now two closely related fields that both focus on the public sphere of human
society. Since public policies are determined by the dynamics of political forces, public
administrators cannot ignore the political environment. Similarly, politicians cannot overlook
public administrators, as public policies are implemented by them.
Management
Management is an essential tool in the field of public administration. In the implementation of
the public policies, management provides the strategy that the agency will use in coordinating
the efforts of its employees to accomplish its objectives through the application of available
resources. All policies and strategies should be discussed with all managers and employees.
