Is Robredo powerless in ICAD?
As lecturer and researcher in Organization and Human Behavior in Organizations, the offer to Robredo to be part of the current government’s drug war, and her acceptance to be co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Drug, (ICAD), is very interesting and intriguing. This initiative has to be evaluated as to the objective, structure, composition, and working relationships. It’s also important to determine what will be the factors that will make the organization succeed or fail, with or without her. And what will be the implications of the success or failure of the organization with her entry.
ICAD was created by Executive Order 15 as a “coordinating body to come up with an integrated strategy and tactics versus the drug menace.” The output of the body is recommendatory to the Dangerous Drug Board (DDB) and the president. It’s below the DDB and the Office of the President but above the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). Technically it is an advisory body without a line function. PDEA is the implementing arm of the drug war.
There are 20 government agencies composing the ICAD, and an assistant secretary or an undersecretary will represent the agencies in the meetings. The agencies are: DDB, DILG, DOJ, DOH, DOE, DSWD, DTI, DA, PNP, TESDA, PIA, PAO, OSG, PCG, PNP, NBI, BOC, BOI, AFP, and AMLC. While these agencies are to be clustered as to function, this is a large unwieldy group that hasn’t come up with independent recommendations but are only concurring with PDEA activities, a kind of “the tail wagging the dog.” Of the more than 20 pages of the functions and responsibilities of the DDB, ICAD, and PDEA which are all well-written, PDEA is really calling the shots. In fact, the PDEA chairman is the co-chairperson of ICAD.
Given the above organizational structure and functions, it would be very difficult for Robredo to push for or implement any policy or strategy as she needs the support of majority of the agencies to implement them. The PDEA will also have to totally agree with the policy/strategy to implement them. If the government doesn’t want Robredo to succeed or even make an impact in the war on drugs, it can easily stymie any of her proposals by having majority of the ICAD board members oppose it.
To survive this complex and complicated relationships, Robredo has to work on the real functioning organization, which would be the PDEA, with the help of the many ICDA agencies. The implementing cluster of the ICAD, which is composed of the military and police agencies, have to be convinced of her initiatives, and also the people who are functioning and implementing the PDEA activities full-time.
In an organizational “milieu” like this situation, sheer strength of personality, determination, clarity of objective and integrity may get one through. Amiability and persistence to push for the right initiatives would be unending. Transparency and newsworthiness will also be necessary to get media and public support is a must, and cooperation by and with the private sector cultivated/realized.
Without questioning or speculating on the motive of the administration offering the job to Robredo, it now appears that Robredo and the administration have a common stake to make her succeed. If she fails, people will blame the administration, but if she succeeds it will be a success for the administration and Robredo. And for the Filipino people.
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