Excerpts from the Report on the Philippine Open Forum on CSO Development Effectiveness

The historical and political context where CSOs operate and the key challenges that they are facing.

 The civil society organizations (CSOs) in the Philippines are such broad, diverse, vibrant and continuously growing community. Ventures for Fundraising estimated the number of CSOs to have ranged up to 500,000.

In terms of roles, Philippine CSOs play important roles in enhancing democracy and development for the people. Philippine CSOs are effective in their various roles in democratization, service delivery, humanitarian relief, research, advocacy and public-awareness raising, and shaping social values. They organize among the mass organizations of peasants, urban poor, trade union, indigenous people, health professionals, migrants and women; build and run cooperatives, they are service providers to the grassroots ranging from health, information, social workers, media, social enterprise, livelihood or microfinance and social marketing; CSOs are advocates, campaigning around issues for policy change, and builders of democracy.

In terms of size and scope, Philippine CSOs come in various shapes and sizes – they can be mass organizations, service institutions, networks, foundation, alliance and federations; work at many levels – from the grassroots communities, national and international, and build different kinds of relationships – partnerships, networking, or coordination with governments. They can be as local as farmers’ people’s organization in remote rural communities or neighborhood organizations in urban poor communities; and they can be as national and broad as national federations of peasant organizations, women or even national networks of various organizations on special issues or concerns such as food security, climate change, good governance, etc.

The strength and dynamism of Philippine CSOs lies in its unique political activism, its commitment and resolve to fight against injustice and corruption; and also their strong conviction to work towards meaningful change for their constituencies in particular and the Philippine society in general.

This commitment and resolve has historical meaning as this contributed to the toppling of the Marcos dictatorship in 1986. Five years after, the same commitment led to CSOs protesting the ineptness in governance and corruption in the Estrada administration that eventually lead to his ouster in 2001.
 

To a very great degree, this commitment and resolve of Philippine CSOs resulted to expansion of space and formal government recognition of the CSOs in Philippine Development particularly in the period after the 1986 EDSA people power. The Philippine Constitution guarantees the freedom of speech, association and assembly, significantly however, three sections in the 1987 Philippine Constitution, namely, Articles II, Section 23; Article XIII, section 15 and 16 define and institutionalize the role of CSO in the country’s development. The Local Government Code enacted in 1991 has specific provisions “establishing the role of people power at the local level, the process of accreditation of people’s organizations and non-governmental organizations at the local level and at least a quarter’s representation from civil society or private sector in special bodies at the local level.

 There is no doubt that this official recognition enhances the legitimacy and to some extent institutionalizes the important roles CSOs play in nation and democracy building. HOWEVER, appreciation and actualization of this official recognition varies from one government administration to another. AND, CSOs’ enjoyment of this recognition depends greatly on the CSOs’ assertion of their legitimacy – their right to free association and organization.

To read the whole report, please click here.