Government Corruption

Political economy of budget reform and public fund accountability

The article examines how weak budgetary guardrails in the Philippines persist due to the political economy of budgeting, where elected officials wield significant influence over resource allocation through political relationships and patronage rather than technical rule enforcement. It argues that meaningful budget reform requires political backing and ownership at the highest levels, as demonstrated by the successful Sin Tax Reform Act of 2012, since rules alone cannot counterbalance political power and competing interests.