TECH4GOOD
Cabinet-level councils, committees, or task forces, especially if led by the president himself, have the potential to show how powerful a well-oiled whole government engine can be in delivering more efficient and effective public services to citizens and businesses. Is this what we are seeing today?
In an increasingly complex world, many governments are recognizing the limitations of working in silos. The traditional approach, where each department operates independently, can lead to disjointed policies, inefficient resource allocation, and a fragmented and confusing experience for citizens. To address these challenges, governments are seriously adopting a whole-of-government (WoG) approach, emphasizing collaboration and coordination across agencies to break down silos, optimize resources, and deliver more effective policies, programs, and solutions.
In the Philippines, the landscape of government projects can be very complex. Issues often transcend departmental boundaries, requiring a multifaceted response. In this environment, the traditional siloed approach, where agencies work independently, struggles to deliver optimal results. Each department tends to view a project through its own lens, neglecting potential contributions or conflicts with other agencies. Projects may achieve departmental goals but fail to address broader societal needs due to a lack of holistic vision.
Why is a whole-of-government approach a better strategy? Government agencies often possess overlapping resources, expertise, and mandates. A WoG approach identifies these synergies, allowing for more efficient resource allocation and knowledge sharing. Imagine a project requiring infrastructure development and social programs. Closer collaboration between the concerned agencies working as one team can lead to a more holistic approach to creating synergy and efficiency.
Fragmented efforts often lead to duplicated services and wasted resources. WoG fosters communication, allowing agencies to identify areas where their work overlaps and bring diverse perspectives. Streamlining processes and consolidating efforts leads to cost savings, faster project completion, better accountability, and reduced duplication.
Disjointed policies across departments and duplication can create confusion and hinder program effectiveness. WoG facilitates policy alignment, ensuring all initiatives support the programs’ objectives. For example, it would be easier to see which agency is on top of things like digitalization, workforce development, competitiveness, and innovation.
Government services often touch various aspects of citizens’ lives. WoG promotes a seamless citizen experience by ensuring programs and services are integrated and readily accessible. That is why many people see the recently launched eGovPH super app as a game changer.
Implementing a WoG approach has its challenges. Siloed thinking seems to be the easier path for most agencies rather than examining the better principles of the theory of change. I do not blame these agencies. There is too much duplication and ambiguity in most of their mandates. Overcoming established departmental structures and fostering a culture of collaboration takes time and effort. Additionally, navigating bureaucratic hurdles and securing buy-in from diverse stakeholders can be complex.
Beyond the facade of coordination meetings, there is still the need to do things on their own and show results that are supposed to be felt by their stakeholders. There is the fear that the agency leaders can be replaced if the satisfaction surveys do not show high results.
Shifting from a siloed approach requires strategic implementation. Successful WoG initiatives require a strong leadership push from the top. Leaders must champion collaboration and provide resources for inter-departmental communication and coordination. It is for these reasons that in Singapore, national flagship programs are usually managed by the office of the Prime Minister.
A clear and unified vision for key national projects, along with well-defined objectives, is crucial for aligning the efforts of diverse departments. This vision should be communicated effectively at all levels of government.
The government should revisit its inter-agency coordination mechanisms and make them more effective structures for communication and collaboration. Attendance in coordination meetings should not be delegated to agency officers who do not have the authority to make commitments on behalf of their agency.
Information-sharing platforms that concerned agencies easily access should be implemented. Streamlined information sharing is critical to fostering a collaborative environment as it allows agencies to access real-time project data and ensures everyone is on the same page. In addition, developing consistent metrics for tracking project progress and impact allows for a unified assessment of success. These metrics should consider the individual departmental objectives and the program’s overall goals. The monitoring and evaluation role is usually handled by a secretariat generally skilled in navigating inter-agency dynamics and fostering collaboration.
The whole-of-government approach is a beacon of hope in today’s complex public services landscape. It bridges the gap between policy formulation and program implementation by fostering collaboration, coherence, and accountability. This paradigm shift is the better path toward achieving impactful results. ([email protected])
The author is an executive member of the National Innovation Council, lead convener of the Alliance for Technology Innovators for the Nation (ATIN), VICE President of the Analytics and AI Association of the Philippines, and vice president of UP System Information Technology Foundation.