One lesson that can be derived from our unfortunate experience with anomalous government projects, such as flood control, is the absence of a clear success scenario. This can be couched in simple and relatable language, and answers a fundamental question: “What will change or what will be different for the people after project completion?“ It is not necessary to distinguish between outputs and outcomes. What is important is that people can easily understand and relate to what benefits they can expect. For example, reduced flooding because of the presence of a functional drainage system, roads still passable after torrential rains, fewer disruptions despite bad weather, and others.
To illustrate, the following paragraphs are respective success scenarios, which can be quantified, for health and education projects.
“Within a year, target remote barangays have trained Barangay Health Workers, resulting in an increase in completed prenatal checkups, faster referral of high-risk pregnancies, and a reduction in preventable maternal and child health complications. Health centers consistently report improved patient triaging, and community members can access basic health consultations without traveling long distances.”
“By the end of the school year, Grade 7–10 students in the program schools use digital learning modules at least 3 times per week, leading to an improvement in reading comprehension and an increase in math proficiency scores. Teachers report reduced time spent preparing materials and improved student engagement, while school administrators demonstrate sustained integration of digital tools in teaching plans.”
It is high time that government development projects, public services, and infrastructure initiatives clearly spell out a success scenario. If there is clarity on both outputs and outcomes at the beginning of a project, people will know what to look for. They can not only validate whether the project was done, but also whether it actually benefited them directly or indirectly. The government will pay more attention to accountability issues because people can ask questions about the use of the funds and the delivery of results. And more importantly, there will be continuity in monitoring, or it will take place in the course of implementation. People can track progress, identify deviations, and demand corrections while the project is underway. They don’t have to wait for the end of the project.
Up to now, government projects have been launched with ambiguous expected results, and mostly limited to the physical output (e.g., a bridge or flood control structure). The long-term benefits are sidetracked. This lack of clarity leads to ghost projects, unfinished structures, and the use of substandard materials going unchecked.
It is worth mentioning here that a success scenario covers both efficiency and effectiveness. In the context of a success scenario, efficiency refers to the proper utilization of funds and completion of activities as planned. In contrast, effectiveness means achievement of the expected outcomes (improved access, reduced costs, better services, and improved lives).
Embedding a success scenario in every government project empowers the people to participate actively in monitoring. This changes the mentality of finding out about the project after completion to engagement by adopting an oversight function.
Even protest actions and rallies can benefit from making use of success scenarios. Many rallies or advocacy efforts state their grievances, but not the changes they want to see, or whether those changes were ever achieved. Without a success scenario, momentum is lost, and actions become disconnected.
What is the way forward? The government should adopt the success scenario as a standard requirement in every project. This enhances governance, accountability and transparency, and guarantees that projects benefit the people, especially the neediest.
A success scenario requires simple, not technical, language. It only needs clarity: What will be different, and how will people benefit? When this becomes part of every project, governance performance becomes easier to monitor while the project is underway, communities become more empowered, and government funds produce meaningful results.
The header features a photo of a creative protest in a flooded neighborhood in Cainta, Rizal, to spotlight the need for climate accountability. Ahead of the President’s SONA (State of the Nation Address), Greenpeace Philippines activists placed a cardboard depicting President Marcos in floodwaters, and held up a banner declaring: “This is the State of the Nation.” (Image: Eco-Business, Noel Celis/Greenpeace, July 29, 2025)
About the author
NESTOR “NONO” FELIX worked in various capacities for an INGO for more than 25 years before retiring in 2011. From 1997 to 2010, he was the corporate planning and M&E manager covering Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Nepal, the Philippines, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam.
He contributes commentaries and opinions to the Philippine Daily Inquirer (bylined Nono Felix). He also writes poems for the Philippines Graphic. He is a recipient of the 2024 Nick Joaquin Literary Awards’ Graphic Salute Award bestowed by the Philippines Graphic in the poetry category, an award he also received in 2023. He lives with his family in San Felipe, Naga City.