Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/93548 
Year of Publication: 
2012
Series/Report no.: 
UPSE Discussion Paper No. 2012-01
Publisher: 
University of the Philippines, School of Economics (UPSE), Quezon City
Abstract: 
We investigate the effects of two accountability measures on the decisions of the local governments under decentralization. Using a panel of Philippine municipalities and cities in three election years, we find that term limits have negative but weak effects on the provision of health insurance coverage to poor families and on expenditures on local services. However, yardstick competition (i.e., more subsidized insurance coverage for the poor in neighboring local governments) induces them to cover more poor families, but also reduce other public expenditures. To respond to critiques of health decentralization, our results suggest that the objectives of local politicians can be aligned with those of the health sector. The key insight is the incumbent may extend health insurance coverage like a redistributive transfer to pursue reelection objectives. However, the resulting trade off between subsidized insurance coverage and other public services must be considered.
Subjects: 
Local governments
term limits
yardstick competition
health insurance
poor
Philippines
JEL: 
H72
I18
H4
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size
871.41 kB





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.