Dysfunctional bureaucracy, corruption and weak rule of law: a case study of policy implementation in the Philippines

Abstract

In 2013, the population of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was almost twice that of the United States, one-fifth more than that of the European Union (EU) and nearly five times that of Japan (Haub and Kaneda 2013). Alongside their giant neighbours India and China, the increasing size and influence of ASEAN makes it an attractive destination for investment (Hew and Soesastro 2003). Among the ten very diverse countries of the ASEAN, six nations have emerged with more mature economies: these are the ASEAN-6 comprising Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Brunei Darussalam. These six economies within the ASEAN have 'grown rapidly' and 'become industrially competitive' (Severino 2007: 411). The recent history of the region reveals that in terms of 'economic and institutional development' as well as 'global and capital market integration' the ASEAN-6 remain far ahead of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.