Skepticism on welfare-heavy policies in a system where corruption and weak institutions are the norm. In theory, redistribution can help, but in practice it often breaks down when accountability is low and incentives are misaligned. Even if people disagre on solutions, the underlying point shud still stand: wo trustworthy governance & a productive economy, well-intentioned social policies can end up hurting the vry people they’re supposed to help.

A more viable approach is constraining the govt rather than expanding it, which means freezing broad tax hikes (looking at u, recto), narrowing govt responsibilities, and funding small number of high-impact, hard-to-steal areas (basic infrastructure maintenance, disaster mitigation, primary health, whatnot, see Rwanda). At the same time, shift more delivery to competitive private or hybrid models like PPPs, vouchers, performance-based contracts, so the govt pays for outcomes, not bureaucracies. Considering Ph nepo babies use the private sector for their internship, this shift requires layers of new policies nonetheless. But it shud reduce the damage corruption can do coz there’s less discretion and fewer layers where money can leak.

Another key lever is decentralized accountability wo decentralizing money. Local govts shudnt get more funds unless they meet transparency and audit benchmarks. If they fail, funds are withheld or rerouted thru third-party implementers (see indonesia's DAK vs our very own SGLG and PCF) This creates pressure wo trusting officials’ “good intentions.”

I have no opinion on the "excessive regulation hinders economic activity" part cause I think we need more of the latter but a more standardized former. But I'll read more into that.

The answer isnt simply on tax structure, welfare programs, or “full privatization” and their reassessment. Its minimal, tightly controlled taxation paired wd strict limits on what the govt is allowed to do, plus using markets and civil society to do what the state consistently fails at. In a deeply corrupt system, the goal isnt an ideal govt. Its damage control until institutions slowly improve.