By Foreign Eyes
The President today, May 7 2020 announced the Balik Probinsya Bagong Pag-asa Programme. This programme to relocate people from Metro Manila to other places provides a wonderful opportunity for Pagsanjan to develop as a center of government business. Pagsanjan is ideally located geographically to take advantage of this opportunity! Pagsanjan is situated on the main north south road system. The following document will present a cost-benefit analysis to be the lead article in the presentation to the 3 levels of government that would be required to endorse and support this proposal.
COSTS
1. Approval Cost
Proposal for a new programme requires feasibility studies and a proper cost-benefit analysis. It also requires liaiso n with a wide variety of stakeholders
2. Construction Costs
Construction of a dedicated building to house many national and provincial government departments requires extensive capital. Some of which could come from the BBB (Build Build Build) and some by local citizens owning a share of the building, either through personal savings or a mortgage whilst mortgage rates are low. These PPPs (Public Private Partnerships) are a common funding vehicle in some countries where governments and private equity build a facility with a long term lease guaranteening the viability of the cost outlay. The total cost of the project therefore does not need to show as Government borrowings/deficit. In exceptional cases private equity would own 100% of the building securitized by a government lease for say 10 years. This would allow banks to lend to individuals with the security of the lease for the mortgage.
BENEFITS
1. Construction Phase
The construction of a dedicated Whole of Government (WoG/OSS) “One Stop Shop” building in Pagsanjan will bring work for many Pagsanjeños trades people and small contractors
2 Relocation/operation Phase
The relocation of many government workers and their families from Metro Manila will cause an increase in land sales, house building and rental accommodation. These workers with their regular government salaries will bring much needed economic activity to the town and surrounding Barangays. Each worker who is relocated will have a 3 times multiplier effect in job creation. This creation of jobs by the transferred workers will be in the many service sectors from schools, transportation, sales and dining.
3 Daily influx of WoG/OSS users
Many people from all around Laguna will travel to Pagsanjan, just for the day, to utilise the WoG/OSS and in so doing they will create sales in transportation and food sales.
4 Pagsanjan as an example
If Pagsanjan is speedy in its approach for support to the 3 levels of government it will garner a reputation for innovative entrepreneurship
5 Permanent (financial and intellectual) Capital inflows
Government workers with their higher regular guaranteed salaries will raise the mean income level of the whole town. They also have higher educational attainments, therefore they will cause a flow on effect in education demand in all three levels of education within the town. This will apply in Preschool/elementary, secondary and in tertiary levels.
6 . What sort of National and ProvincialGovernment Departments could relocate to Pagsanjan
National
I know from experience that The Department of Immigration could easily relocate enough staff to create a viable sub branch in Pagsanjan. Many expats have to travel to Manila on an annual basis in January/February to renew their Alien Card. The Department of Immigration has an extensive computer system which could easily handle a sub branch in Pagsanjan. There is already a sub branch in Santa Rosa which is 2-3 hours away. There exists little justification for only one sub branch per province. Many people would be prepared to pay slightly extra to cover the added convenience of having a branch close. Individual operations such as The National ID implementation could easily be handled by locating the Head Office in Pagsanjan.
Provincial
Various accreditation operations could be further decentralized like the PRC (Professional Regulatory Commission). Therefor for a Pagsanjan teacher to renew their ‘License for teacher’ they must take a day away from teaching which seems counterproductive. Also the PSA (Philippines Statistics Authority) which has a branch in Lucena which is also 2-3 hours away could also have a sub branch in Pagsanjan. Vehicle License renewals can be done in Arezza but new licenses cannot be issued there.
The President has embarked on a magnificent project to decentralize some functions away from the congestion and time wastage that is Metro Manila. If Pagsanjan is ‘quick off the mark’ we will be able to revitalize Pagsanjan.
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