I read with interest your report on “Development with Equity Forum”, especially when you quoted Mayor Robredo’s speech: “The LGUs are best-placed to pursue development with equity. They are the units of government closest to the people, and to the problems they face. And they are naturally obliged to be responsive to the needs of the greater number, as local officials their constituents’ votes to survive.”

        Your report reminded me of a passage in Dr. Jose Rizal’s El Filibusterismo: “Governments were set up for the welfare of the people, and to comply properly with their end they must follow the manifestations of the citizens, who best know their needs”.

        The subject of NEED is part of social evolution of our civilization. Philosophers, writers, politicians and rascals all have say on the subject of need. The subject of need even incited revolution, some were peaceful, majority were bloody.

        As Michael Ignatieff, an aspiring Prime Minister of Canada wrote in his book – The Need of Strangers: “To ask what our needs are is to ask not just which of our desires are strongest and most urgent, but which of our desires give us an entitlement to the resources of others”.

        Obviously, the problem now is how to resolve the issue of entitlement and resources. Meeting the needs of the public requires public funding through taxation, people must decide which one is more important and urgent. Assuming, public officials will not (which is a challenge) ask for monetary compensation, the allocation of tax money should pay only the needs that are beneficial to the greater public at the least cost.

        The principle of greatest bang for a buck, should guide this forum.

Manny Ilao
Vancouver, Canada