A POLICY DESIGN APPROACH TO DEVELOPMENT POLICY: CASES FROM THE PHILIPPINES

Abstract

The thesis formulates a policy design approach to examining the effectiveness of development policies. It builds on the recent concept of ‘goal instrumentality’ to interrogate the role of policy goals in the amelioration of policy problems. Goal instrumentality is central to the framework of ‘second-best policy design’ where policy conflict and ambiguity constrain the realisation of a first-best or ideal design. In-depth case analysis of four development policies from the Philippines demonstrated the usefulness of the framework in unravelling the relationship between conflict and ambiguity with the focalisation of certain development policy goals. The expression of formal goals and its subsequent tinkering can motivate action towards the attainment of these focal goals while suppressing the achievement of other non-instrument goals. In elaborating goal instrumentality in policy design, the thesis complements the scholarly focus on policy instruments by expounding on how the formulation of goals can undermine development policy effectiveness.