draw); that the few conducting experimentation have not done so rigorously; that a
 folklore' ofthe supposed advantages ofPHS has developed; that communicationflows
 among NGOs regarding the outcome of PHS implementation have been inadequate,
 and that the rapid implementation of technologies easily visible from main roads
 implicitly encouraged by donors and by NGOs' own philosophy has led to premature
 introduction of unproven designs and management systems, and to a neglect of
 farmers' objectives and constraints.




 Potential Public Sector Contributions
 to Enhance NGO Effectiveness

The weaknesses outlined above suggest three general ways in which government programmes
and initiatives could enhance NGO effectiveness:


Public Sector Commitment Towards the Rural Poor

Whilst NGOs may grow in size and number to fill 'gaps' left by government, they will not
be able to substitute for all the services that might normally be expected from government in
all of the areas. Their efforts are likely to be more focused and defective where government
makes a clear policy commitment to remove economic distortions against the rural sector and
provides the physical infrastructure (roads; telecommunications) and human capital forma-
tion which NGOs cannot provide in more than a piecemeal fashion. Policies of this kind are
also a prerequisite to the establishment of inter-institutional links between NGOs and GOs.


Easing Access to Resources and Information Controlled by the Public
Sector

In a recent meeting, Asian NGOs expressed their need, first, to access the skills, facilities,
genetic material, and specialist knowledge of government services and, second, to have
opportunity to influence government policies and strategies at the design stage. Large NGOs
acting in consortium have occasionally persuaded government to cater to their needs, but
simply to garner information on government plans, let alone influence them, is generally
beyond the resources of smaller NGOs. To address such obstacles, NGO desks have been
created in some Philippine line departments in order to elicit NGOs' views on draft plans and
to cater to NGO enquiries (Ganapin, 1993).


Fostering Greater Grassroots Influence over NGOs

A recurrent and widely voiced criticism is that NGOs' rhetoric on participation exceeds


GATEKEEPER SERIES NO. SA43