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Utilitarianism in Philippine Public Policy

1. The document discusses utilitarianism in the context of public policy decisions made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines. 2. It analyzes how utilitarian principles were applied to policies in law enforcement, education, health, business, and social services. 3. The critique section argues that while the government's long lockdown aimed to maximize benefits, it was undermined by other policies that prioritized the economy over public health. A truly utilitarian approach would require more stringent border controls and activity restrictions to control the virus without jeopardizing long-term recovery.

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Crisha Mae De Vera
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15 views4 pages

Utilitarianism in Philippine Public Policy

1. The document discusses utilitarianism in the context of public policy decisions made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines. 2. It analyzes how utilitarian principles were applied to policies in law enforcement, education, health, business, and social services. 3. The critique section argues that while the government's long lockdown aimed to maximize benefits, it was undermined by other policies that prioritized the economy over public health. A truly utilitarian approach would require more stringent border controls and activity restrictions to control the virus without jeopardizing long-term recovery.

Uploaded by

Crisha Mae De Vera
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as RTF, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

De Vera, Crisha Mae '

POS 414

Module 1

Elaborate
Cite one situation for each of the following public sectors in our country that the theory of
utilitarianism is being employed in their public policy formation or implementation:

1. Law and enforcement


Applying or adopting utilitarianism to the present pandemic scenario, particularly in the
police and enforcement sector, the government had impose a rigorous lockdown policy
despite the fact that millions of Filipinos have lost their jobs. Despite the fact that the
Philippine government's response to COVID-19 was classified as one of the world's longest
and toughest lockdowns (Hapal, 2021), which resulted in the economy's slump, the
government's response allowed them to stop the virus's spread.

2. Education
PSA Data indicated that educational attainment had the highest incidence of deprivation
among families, with 59.3 percent in 2016 and 49.4 percent in 2017— implying that 6 out of
10 households in 2016 and 5 out of 10 in 2016 were deprived of basic education
(Businessmirror, 2018). Despite widespread opposition to the passage of RA 10533, or
enhanced basic education, in 2013, which claimed that the additional two years of education
were ‘anti-poor,' the Philippine government believed that the K-12 program would produce
productive and responsible citizens with the necessary competencies and skills for both
lifelong learning and employment (DepEd, 2013). As a result, I think that, while many
Filipino students and citizens were unable to continue their education as a result of the K-12
program, making Filipino students or citizens internationally competitive benefits not only
the present but also the future status of Filipinos or the country.

[Link]
Priotization of COVID Vaccines
Some or many would likely argue that the government's focus or prioritization of COVID
Vaccine to Senior Citizens, People with Commorbidity, and others is "unfair," because we
are all "prone" to infection, but by doing so, we are not only focusing on the health of those
who are at risk, but we are also saving ourselves. As previously said, they are the ones who
are at risk; if they become sick, we, the ‘healthy,' will also become affected.

[Link]
Despite the fact that we live in a capitalist world, I still believe in humanity, which
includes the business sector. Some may argue that education and business are two separate
fields, but I feel that business will always be interwoven into every subject in the [Link] a
result, I believe the utilitarian principle was still applied to school policy when they decided
or were ‘ordered' not to have a tuition fee rise due to the pandemic scenario. As a result,
despite the most significant shift in the style of learning, many students were still able to
enroll and continue.

5. Social Services
Giving of “Ayuda”
Many individuals complained that the government is being unjust by focusing on
providing ‘ayudas' to the lower class while neglecting the rest of the population (i.e middle
class). However, we cannot ignore the reality that more than half of the Philippine population
is still classified as poor. With the Philippines experiencing the longest lockdown, everyone
was affected, especially the poor who couldn't afford to buy even a mask to cover their nose
and mouth. As a result, prioritizing the poor in terms of providing assistance benefits not just
the majority of Filipinos, but also the economy, in terms of business’ taxes. 

Evaluate:
I. Applying the traditional approaches that were presented, which do you think is the most
appropriate perspective in assessing ethical value of a good leader?

A good leader's values and ethics in managing others, whether in a small organization or
in government, are reflected in his or her actions. I feel that using a utilitarian viewpoint is
the greatest approach to analyze the ethical value of what makes a person a good leader.
Although there are many conventional methods offered, utilitarian ethics—which is best
defined by the adage "Do whatever generates the greatest benefit for the greatest number"—
highlights how a person makes a choice that considers the majority as well as the
minority. Furthermore, I believe that successful decision-making should be focused not just
on the present but also on the future, as represented in the utilitarian approach. What is
deemed excellent or poor has an impact on the public, making a leader's decision-making
process critical. The public expects government decision-makers to solve issues arising from
public to private, decentralized parts of social and economic relations, as well as difficulties
arising from governmental procedures and unexpected, unfavorable connections between
public and private activity. Decision-makers have the authority or duty to either improve or
worsen people's lives. As a result, by analyzing a person's ideology or understanding his or
her principles, we may get a sense of the type of leader he or she aspires to be. Will he or she
be a minority leader or a people's leader, a leader of the majority?

II. Critique the government’s response to this Covid-19 Pandemic using any of the ethical
theories above. Use one-page short bond paper for your answer. 

Despite the fact that it is still in the early phases of a global pandemic, the new
coronavirus (COVID-19) has killed more people than the SARS coronavirus. The
Philippines' first suspected case was investigated on January 22, 2020. Critics have expressed
their dissatisfaction with the Philippine government, claiming that the virus might have been
avoided if the country had closed its borders to other nations, particularly Wuhan, China,
where the virus originated. The administration, on the other hand, appeared to continue to
welcome visitors and individuals from other countries for the sake of tourism, which, as we
all know, contributes significantly to the economy. One may argue that while this move
would help the country in the short term, it would not be beneficial in the long run.
Furthermore, the Philippines has the world's longest and strictest lockdown in effect, yet we
are still far from recovery. The government's reaction to the epidemic has been a disaster.
Although one could argue that applying the utilitarian principle of ethics with the maxim,
"Do whatever produces the greatest good for the greatest number," we were able to "control"
and "lessen" the number of covid positive cases, saving millions of lives, through the
government's lockdown implementation. This is where I see the government's response as
ironic. As previously said, we have the longest and most stringent lockdown in history; yet,
the government continues to allow malls to operate for leisure and other entertainment
purposes. Although, admittedly, if the government does not do so, the country will face a
severe economic downturn. We cannot, however, ignore the reality that we borrowed money
from other states to "survive," that we had a lockdown to "survive," and that, at the end of the
day, the community lockdown or quarantine was lifted, and travel was permitted. Although
the government has made it a policy to follow social distance, the wearing of face masks and
face shields, if we are to survive this epidemic, we must continue to be rigorous with the
shutting of borders between towns and cities. Concentrating on putting a stop to the epidemic
by doing everything we can to save the present without jeopardizing the future.

Common questions

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The application of utilitarianism in the Philippines' law enforcement sector during COVID-19 involved implementing a strict lockdown policy despite the economic downturn and job losses. This approach reflects the ethical consideration of achieving the greatest good for the greatest number by prioritizing public health and trying to control the virus spread . Even though this meant economic hardship for many, the government viewed the long-term benefit of containing the virus as paramount .

Analyzing the Philippines' pandemic response through utilitarian principles teaches that ethical leadership involves complex decision-making, where benefits to public health must be weighed against economic fallout. This highlights the importance of transparency, adaptability, and balancing various ethical considerations to maximize societal welfare while mitigating adverse impacts, revealing challenges in satisfying all stakeholders equitably .

The utilitarian perspective impacts leadership ethics in crisis by emphasizing decisions that benefit the majority. A leader employing utilitarian ethics prioritizes actions that produce positive outcomes for the most people, relying on foresight and implications for future well-being. This decision-making guides leaders in balancing immediate needs against long-term benefits, crucial in crisis management .

Utilitarian ethics shaped financial aid distribution by prioritizing the lower class, who were the most affected by pandemic restrictions. Although this led to perceptions of unfairness among the middle class, the decision aimed to address the needs of the majority struggling to meet basic needs, thereby achieving the greatest good for the largest number of people affected .

The introduction of the K-12 program, despite being criticized as 'anti-poor', was seen under utilitarian principles as a means to produce competent and skilled citizens for the workforce. This decision aimed to benefit both individuals and society by increasing international competitiveness, thus providing greater good in the long term despite short-term educational deprivation for some families .

The prioritization in healthcare policy, such as vaccine distribution to high-risk groups, closely aligns with utilitarianism by aiming to reduce overall morbidity and mortality rates, thus achieving the greatest benefit. This decision underscores utilitarianism's focus on maximizing positive outcomes for the most vulnerable, which simultaneously enhances collective public health resilience .

Prioritizing groups such as senior citizens and those with comorbidities for COVID-19 vaccination is supported by the utilitarian reasoning that by focusing on those most at risk, the overall public health outcome is maximized. This approach saves those most vulnerable and prevents broader healthcare system overload, thus benefiting the whole population indirectly .

The Philippine government's pandemic response, including long and strict lockdowns, exhibited contradictions in utilitarian principles. While aiming to reduce COVID-19 cases for public health, the government allowed recreational and commercial activities to avoid economic collapse. This paradox highlights utilitarianism's complexity, where actions intended for public good inadvertently introduced negative consequences, such as borrowing funds to sustain the economy while prioritizing public health .

The utilitarian decision-making in Philippine economic policy during the pandemic focused on strict lockdown measures that ultimately led to significant economic challenges, including high unemployment. Although this approach aimed to preserve public health, it also faced criticism for its economic impact, highlighting the challenge of balancing immediate health benefits with long-term economic stability. The strategy reflected utilitarianism's focus on the broader public good but arguably fell short in addressing economic sustainability .

The trade-offs during the lockdown, where strict public health measures clashed with economic survival, illustrate utilitarian dilemmas by highlighting the tension between immediate health benefits and long-term economic consequences. This situation emphasizes the difficulty in making utilitarian-based decisions that balance public good with sustainable economic practices, revealing underlying dilemmas when considering all affected populations .

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