ETHOS Roundtable: Humanising Government in the 21st Century

PARTICIPANTS:

Ms Patricia Yvonne “PY” Mangrobang Caunan, Undersecretary, Policy and International Cooperation, Department of Migrant Workers, The Philippines

Dr Hatem Amer, Associate Minister, Health and Population for International Relations, Egypt

Dr Mzukisi Qobo, South Africa’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organisation

In your view, what is the relationship between public trust and governance?

PY: Public trust is both the basis and foundation of governance, as well as what we ultimately want to gain from good governance. It is very difficult to govern in general without trust from our constituents. To govern, it is necessary for the people to trust in the institutions and processes that we have. In the Philippine context, the loss of this trust had led to civil unrest in the past.

The little things we do every day to effectively render service to our people have an impact on public trust. If there is a lack of transparency in processes, including processes that take a long time, it can build distrust.

HATEM: Trust enables good governance and, at the same time, it is a measure of good governance. This is why governments need to hold themselves accountable to the people, and to maintain transparency in doing so.

If a people do not believe in their government, then they would tend to be wary or even baulk at decisions made, especially in times of crises. The world saw examples of this during the COVID-19 pandemic.

If people trust in their government, it enables the government to continue on the good path they have taken—there is a positive feedback cycle.

Trust enables good governance and, at the same time, it is a measure of good governance.

MZUSKISI: If a government is to govern with confidence, it needs the confidence of those it leads, and those it leads need a sense of security that what is promised will be delivered.

It is about the integrity of those who govern—that they will do what they say they are going to do. If for some reason they cannot implement their promises, they should go back to the people and communicate why certain things were not implemented. I think people are forgiving if they see that any failures are explained sincerely. This is fundamental, because once the connection between the public and those who govern is adulterated or tainted by a lack of integrity, it is very difficult to rebuild it.

We have seen a generational shift in expectations about how leadership is exercised. It is no longer about a top-down, hierarchical, barking out of instructions. People now demand explanations. They want to be consulted; they want clarity and communication—this is not just for governments, but also different types of organisations.

The challenge for government in the 21st century is to balance soft power and hard power. If we deliver on areas that are extractive, such as collecting taxes or enforcement, but have weaknesses in delivering on social services, education or other areas that enhance citizen wellbeing, trust can be strained. Similarly, we could be strong on social infrastructure but fail to provide good rule of law, this may also damage trust.

How do new technologies, including emerging ones like AI, impact public trust in government?

PY: As with many things, technology is a two-edged sword. From a service perspective, we in the Department of Migrant Workers have a strong mandate to digitalise our official processes to make them more accessible to our constituents, who are located all over the world.

At the same time, it is a challenge to maintain transparency and trust today, because the majority of our client population of overseas Filipino workers relies on social media for news. While it is often the only way for us to communicate with our constituents, social media is also a source of fake news.

There is also a generational aspect to this communication gap. Those in Gen Z are savvier about fake news and misinformation. But an older generation may not find it as easy to identify this, and this can affect their trust in public institutions.

This why government departments like ours must have strategic and effective communications.

Technology should be designed or adapted for the public, not the other way around.

MZUSKISI: The drive to use technology in government can tend to become an end in itself, especially when we forget that it is meant to serve the public. Technology should be designed or adapted for the public, not the other way around.

Technology must also make a noticeable difference when it arrives in the hands of a citizen. Say the citizen were an elderly person—they must not be intimidated by technology; they must look forward to using it and see it benefiting them.

These are the principles that should determine how systems are designed for digital governance—we must not be too caught up by the excitement that we are modernising.

Clear, targeted clear communication is going to be key. We must communicate why it is important to roll out these technologies, and what advantages they confer to users.

HATEM: While digitalisation can reduce human interaction, it also has the benefit of reducing the risk of corruption. This is because processes that have been standardised and digitalised remove room for negative human interaction. Of course, this also reduces waiting time and can increase the overall service experience. These all boost public trust.

New technologies such as AI have become important tools to help analyse public health data in Egypt—let me share an example. Egypt has a large population of 106 million people, not including 10 million migrants and refugees. Recently, we started a mass screening campaign for Hepatitis C and were able to screen almost 65 million people. At the same time, we tested for hypertension and blood sugar. This resulted in a huge amount of health data. Using AI analysis, we were able to find out which areas in Egypt had populations with the highest tendencies for these diseases, allowing us to then provide targeted campaigns to prevent them in future.

We are aware that there is a risk if such data were to fall into the wrong hands, so data privacy is important. We also saw several instances where the AI algorithms were biased—so these had to be identified and corrected for.

How we communicated this campaign was important. Since Egypt was the country with the highest prevalence of Hepatitis C, the issue was very close to Egyptian hearts. Our President came out himself to reassure people that we would screen them, and if we detected these diseases, we would treat them free of charge, at the state’s expense. This made the campaign popular with the masses, with a high rate of voluntary participation in the nine months of the campaign, including our migrants and refugees, who were also covered by the campaign. Such inclusivity enhances public trust.

How can governments continue to serve the public interest and uphold trust, in an environment where many factors driving change are not fully in the hands of their officials?

PY: It is already a reality that our societies are affected by things happening outside our domestic jurisdictions—and it is not just that these have an impact, but the speed at which that impact takes place. And it gets into and out of the news very quickly.

We must embrace collaboration and cooperation in the international arena, because in the end, if something affects one, it affects all.

My answer would be that we need to build more partnerships and linkages—with the Googles and Metas and other corporations of this world, along with non-governmental and international organisations as well as bilateral and multilateral countries. We must embrace collaboration and cooperation in the international arena, because in the end, if something affects one, it affects all.

MZUSKISI: What often happens between government and multinational corporations is that interactions often begin with mistrust, and then we talk to each other through the media. Instead, we can choose not to see each other as problems but sit together around the table and ask: how do we solve this?

Public-private collaboration is essential. There is no point alienating Big Tech or other similar large entities. Governments should cultivate good relationship with such entities, and then explain government priorities, objectives, values and where lines are being crossed. We do need to regulate but should explain why we are regulating in a particular manner. We can hold these entities to their own lofty standards and remind them of their responsibilities, working with them to solve problems.

HATEM: It is important for a government to uphold national sovereignty and be clear about our goals and our essential role as guardians of the public interest. Our priority should first and foremost be the wellbeing of our citizens.

But that does not mean we have to sideline others: whether the private sector, NGOs, civil society, or others. We also need to work with global, regional or sub-regional institutions, developmental partners and friends abroad—such as the United Nations or the African Union, in Egypt’s case.

Without such a holistic approach, we will not be able to overcome the challenges of the 21st century—be it pandemics, climate change, or other cross-border concerns that are impacting our planet as a whole.

What can public officers, in Singapore and elsewhere, do to be more ready to partner, engage and build trust across lines in the 21st century?

MZUSKISI: We need to broaden our conceptual and cultural horizons beyond our region to take in the world. For instance, Singapore is no longer an entrepôt emporium, it is not just a transshipment hub—Singapore is a global player, whether it believe it or not, or knows it or not.

That said, Singapore has done well in many important dimensions—economic performance, education, innovation, global competitiveness, being open to business and investments. These can be harnessed a lot more: do more of the good things that you are doing to generate positive outcomes in society, and share it with the world.

It will be important for the younger generation, from a very young age, to be exposed to other cultures, other means of thought and other people in general.

HATEM: I believe it will be important for the younger generation, from a very young age, to be exposed to other cultures, other means of thought and other people in general. This interaction is what creates the empathy that is needed.

We have to believe we are in this together, and work together to overcome our common challenges. Such interactions—letting them hear from one another and learn from one another—will help them grow into the leaders we need for the future.

PY: We need empathy. It starts with listening and being able to connect and really appreciate the other parties’ point of view. And empathy demands authenticity. I believe the new generation wants to see more authenticity—not just in governance but in everyday life—all the more because social media represents only a particular façade or persona.

Instead of allowing technology to make us more robotic, we must learn to use technology to be more human.

It is also important for empathy to be applied not just for our own people but for everyone. When we advocate for better standards for migrant workers, we do not only push it for Filipinos but for all migrant workers. It is about working outside our silos, with heart.

We know technology will be important for the future. But it is often viewed as cold. I think one of the countries that help us learn how to make technology a little warmer is Singapore. Instead of allowing technology to make us more robotic, we must learn to use technology to be more human.

The ETHOS Roundtable was conducted in August 2024 with a group of participants in the 16th Leaders in Governance Programme (LGP). Organised annually by the Civil Service College, the LGP draws from Singapore’s development experience to offer practical insights into the fundamentals of good governance and effective policy implementation for sustainable economic development and social cohesion. Over the seven-day programme, participants interact with thought leaders, and visit key government agencies to understand their operating philosophies and values.

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