doi: 10.3850/S1793924013003088

Reform Space and the Adoption of an Innovative Environmental Disclosure Program
in the Philippines

Ria Adoracion A. Lambino Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Yoshida Honmachi, Sakyo-Ku, Kyoto 6068501, Kyoto City, Japan. ria.lambino@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Environmental performance ratings and disclosure programs have generated interest in developing countries as an innovative policy for pollution control. The Philippines was one of the first adopters of the disclosure concept and established a national program called Ecowatch in 1998. The pilot program was able to demonstrate it worked well but its success was not sustained and implementation to date is deemed dysfunctional. This article investigates the factors that hindered the Ecowatch program’s meaningful adoption and institutionalization in the Philippine context. The lesser utilized framework of a reform space was applied to the policy transfer concept looking at the institutional conditions at two spaces: when the policy was initially transferred (landing space) and the institutionalization phase. The high reform space observed at the landing space brought about by high levels of acceptance, authority structures and ability was linked to the successful implementation and outcomes of the pilot program. However, at the transition and institutionalization phase, the lack of widespread bureaucratic and political acceptance, and limited ability undermined the legal authority for the program, creating a small reform space leading to its dysfunctional and suboptimal operationalization.

Keywords: Policy transfer, Innovative environmental policies, Reform space, Environmental disclosure, Philippines.

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