US Navy officer's (Ret) memo to leaders in PH Govt: Strengthen 'Institutional Performance' to diminish 'Drivers of Conflict'

Admins' note: There has been no respite this year for the widely-perceived incompetent Aquino Govt: the Tausug siege of Sabah that saw Suluks and Tausugs murdered by Kuala Lumpur troops while Pres Aquino merely delivered ultimatums from PM Najib of Malaysia, the billion-peso 'pork barrel' scam of which the 'accused' Janet Napoles has not been charged formally as of this writing, revelations of corruption scandals one after another, culminating in the armed conflict in Zamboanga which observers fear could ignite a full-scale war in Mindanao. The author issues a memo to remind leaders in Govt that... 
 
Unless the PHL strengthens "Institutional Performance," it will never be able to diminish "Drivers of Conflict."

By Sam Marcelo
25 September 2013

We had wargamed this before and had had proven that in a conflict environment, institutional performance is paramount in diminishing drivers of conflict. Alas, with the corruption brought about by pork barrel, and the Aquino administration miscalculation that caused the Zamboanga MNLF uprising, drivers of conflict will continue to flourish.

Drivers of conflict include but are not limited to: political impact of illicit wealth, economic incentive for conflict, effects of economic decline, injustice, impunity, political violence, threat from ex-combatant, popular support for violent factions, external destabilization, social disintegration, population displacement, social cleavages, and etc.

Institutional Performance include but are not limited to: public confidence in the govt, transparency, accountability, fiscal integrity, infrastructure, access to basic needs, provision of basic social services, public order and safety, equality before the law, administration of justice, respect for human rights, reconciliation processes, and etc.

The "Drivers of Conflict" and "Institutional Performance" have their respective measures and methodology that needed to be implemented and preferred trends that needed to be observed.

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Sam Marcelo is a United States Navy officer (retired). Sam comes from a long line of naval officers. His father, VAdmiral Virgilio P Marcelo, (AFP) was one of the most respected flag-officers-in-command of the Philippine Navy. This memo is also posted on the Philippine Sabah Claim Forum where Sam is a member.