Polytechnic University of the PhilippinesSta. Mesa, Manila

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Arianne Jenelle A. LiquidoBPA 1-1Understanding and appreciating Public AdministrationAccording to Waldo (1955), Public Administration has dual usages: as a field of practice and a field of study. The meaning invoked is the activity or process of administering public affairs and carrying out governmental functions. We should understand that in Public Administration, it is not just being public servant after taking the course but also possibly being a public administrationist. There are two significant differences in using the Public Administration as a science or as an art. As a science, those who are in Public Administration should be called Public Administrationist/s. While as an art, those who are in public administration should be called public administrator/s. Public Administration is very important because without it, how could the community be united or governed? It covers everything. Public administration is also used in improving the government performance and in providing services to the community.

Public Administration and the BureaucracyBureaucracy is an important and characteristic institution in modern societies. According to Max Weber, bureaucracy is the normal way that legal rational authority appears in institutional form, it holds a central role in ordering and controlling modern society, also it is superior to any other form in precision, in stability, in stringency of its discipline and in its reliability. For some people, it appears to be negative. They might think that the bureaucracy is a burden in public administration because of its inefficiency, long chain of decision making, self-interest, and etc. But for some people, they think of it in a positive way. For instance, merit based bureaucracy can fosters economic growth which is important in the development of countries. It can also contribute in the reduction of poverty. In my own views, bureaucracy may be determined only, whether it is a burden or an advantage, after the people see the system of bureaucracy.

Public Administration in the PhilippinesDefinitely, there is a Philippine Public Administration. But for whom does Philippine Public Administration? Of course, it is for the people who are in the Philippines. As far as there are institutions addressing specific sectoral concerns, considering the massive role of the bureaucracy, and as far as it being a field of study is concerned, there is a Philippine public administration. As we can see in our government, it is composed of institutions concerning the people or the public and is considered to be managed by administrators. If there is no public administration, it is difficult to govern the people especially that the country is overpopulated.

Planning, Implementation and EvaluationIn Public Administration, there are many processes that involves how to plan, implement and evaluate. There are many plans that the government did. But usually, it includes the development of the country. The standard dictionary definition of the term implementation is simply this: To put into effect according to some definite plan or procedure. Think of implementation as a deliberate and sequential set of activities directed toward putting a policy into effect, making it occur. Here are some synonyms: achieve, effect, fulfill, discharge, set in motion, do, establish, accomplish, finish, realize, actualize. Something must now actually happen to the authorized policy. Within the public policy cycle, we can provide some context to a working definition of implementation: Public policy implementation consists of organized activities by government directed toward the-achievement of goals and objectives articulated in authorized policy statements. Implementation inspires little interest among the general public, the media, the elected officials, and even students of public policy.

Budgeting and Financial ManagementPublic budgetingis a field ofpublic administrationand a discipline in the academic study thereof. Budgeting is characterized by its approaches, functions, formation, and type. Authors Robert W. Smith and Thomas D. Lynch describe public budgeting through four perspectives. The politician sees the budget process as "a political event conducted in the political arena for political advantage".The economist views budgeting as a matter of allocating resources in terms of opportunity cost where allocating resources to one consumer takes resources away from another consumer.The role of the economist, therefore, is to provide decision makers with the best possible information. The accountant perspective focuses on the accountability value in budgeting which analyzes the amount budgeted to the actual expenditures thereby describing the "wisdom of the original policy".Smith and Lynch's public manager's perspective on a budget is a policy tool to describe the implementation of public policy. Further, they develop an operational definition: A "budget" is aplanfor the accomplishment ofprogramsrelated toobjectivesandgoalswithin a definitetimeperiod, including an estimate ofresources required, together with an estimate ofresources available, usually compared with one or morepast periodsandshowing future requirements.

Management of Human ResourcesThe function of human resources management is to provide the employees with the capability to manage: healthcare, record keeping, promotion and advancement, benefits, compensation, etc. The function, in terms of the employers benefit, is to create a management system to achieve long-term goals and plans. The management allows companies to study, target, and execute long-term employment goals. For any company to have an efficient ability to grow and advance human resource management is a key. Human resources are designed to manage the following: Employee Benefits, Employee health care, Compensation, Annual, sick, and personal leave, Sick banks, Discipline, Records (tax information, personnel files, etc.), Recruitment and employee retention strategies, Salary and Wages Administrations

Policy making in the GovernmentPublic policy refers to the actions taken by government its decisions that are intended to solve problems and improve the quality of life for its citizens. At the federal level, public policies are enacted to regulate industry and business, to protect citizens at home and abroad, to aid state and city governments and people such as the poor through funding programs, and to encourage social goals. Policy formulationmeans coming up with an approach to solving a problem. Congress, the executive branch, the courts, and interest groups may be involved. Contradictory proposals are often made. The president may have one approach to immigration reform, and the opposition-party members of Congress may have another. Policy formulation has a tangible outcome: A bill goes before Congress or a regulatory agency drafts proposed rules. The process continues with adoption. A policy is adopted when Congress passes legislation, the regulations become final, or the Supreme Court renders a decision in a case. The implementation or carrying out of policy is most often accomplished by institutions other than those that formulated and adopted it. A statute usually provides just a broad outline of a policy. Successful implementation depends on the complexity of the policy, coordination between those putting the policy into effect, and compliance. Evaluation means determining how well a policy is working, and it is not an easy task. People inside and outside of government typically usecost-benefit analysis to try to find the answer.

ControlsThe contemporaneous mechanisms to check whether work is being done and done in the proper manner as specified on time is Control. Recall election, a procedure by which voters can remove and elected official from office through a direct vote before his or her term has ended, is one of the control of the public. Control is important because without it, the administration will be on chaos and the whole community will be affected for the disorganization of the government.

Ethics and Accountability in Public AdministrationAccountability is to take complete responsibility bya person or an organization for what he/she or the organization did or failed to do (which was their duty) and must be able to give a satisfactory reason for it and the use of authority entrusted in them to carry out that responsibility. It is to check whether a work was done or not and Accountability as a process is performedafter the work is completed or is supposed to have been completed.Civil servants though not directly accountable to the People or their representatives but they are Vigilance authorities and Ombudsman in all organizations to keep a tab on them and also they are indirectly accountable for their action/exercise of authority to the people throughthe political executive and Courts of Law. If there is no accountability then the civil servants would turn in to despots(unfair/cruel rulers),arbitrary and corrupt.Association of South East Asia Nation IntegrationOn the 11th of February, the Circle of Public Administration held a forum that talked about the Association of South East Asia Nation or ASEAN Integration. Firstly, it gave us the overview of the issue.The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) encompasses a dynamic and diverse region. It has enjoyed remarkable economic growth in recent decades but has also witnessed rising inequality and the persistence of poor quality job. The 2015 ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) was adopted and signed by ASEAN Leaders in November 2007 in Singapore during their annual Summit Meeting. One of the main objectives of an AEC is to create a single market and production base by ensuring a free flow of goods, services, investment, capital and skilled labor. Tariffs and non-tariff barriers will be reduced which will have implications for intra-regional trade and investment. New opportunities for growth and prosperity are likely to emerge, but the challenge is to ensure that growth is inclusive and prosperity is shared. The impact of the AEC on labour markets will be critical in making sound policy choices that can shape the lives of the 600 million people in the region.The Philippines is one of the signatories in the AEC Blueprint, which means the country, along with other ASEAN Member States (AMS), should be open to zero import duties for ASEAN products and services by 2015. AMS nationals, meanwhile, should be able to work anywhere in the region without a work permit.The Integration is expected to boost investments, job creation, and incomes in the region. While the ASEAN Integration is expected to level the playing field among industries in the region, it is also expected that Philippine firms should brace for intense competition with their ASEAN counterparts. An intense competition will therefore raise the bar for innovation, quality and productivity, which will enable businesses to compete head on with the players.