However, it added «the Center continues to note with dismay, however, that governmental
accountability and responsiveness have remained highly insufficient (despite delivery
of considerable voice to citizenry under the 4th Republic); public corruption remains pervasive; progress
of the constitutionally - mandated political, administrative and fiscal decentralization has stalled; the economy remains characterized by jobless growth; income and spatial inequality are on the rise in spite
of poverty reduction; and the nation's two main political parties which have alternated in power in the 4th Republic have increasingly taken on the features
of rival cults (whose
primary purpose seemingly is to win elections, achieve «state capture» and practice «winner - takes - all» politics).
As with the process
of allocating Title I funds to schools, student approval for free or reduced - price school meals has been the
primary source
of information on the low - income status
of students for Title I
accountability purposes.