Fördert Dezentralisierung lokale Entwicklung? Der Fall der philippinischen Provinzen Cebu und Leyte

Abstract

The Philippines are one of the most decentralized industrializing countries. Yet, findings on the impact on local economic development remain mixed. This paper's aim is to ask whether the two analyzed Philippine provinces Cebu and Leyte could benefit from the increased local autonomy to upgrade their local economies. They differed in their starting conditions at the beginning of the decentralization reform in 1991. While Cebu began to industrialize after 1986, Leyte's economy remained oriented to natural resource extraction and agriculture. Despite these socioeconomic differences, both provinces suffer from institutional infirmities in their local planning system to promote local development. These manifest themselves in various capacity constraints, such as coordination and cooperation patterns or a lack of data and knowledge resources. Differences exist in terms of financial means, as more developed areas dispose of a larger tax base. Nevertheless, the decentralization reform offered new room for maneuver for local elites. The dynamic Cebuano elite used the political and legal opportunities more successfully than elites in Leyte.