Innovations in Fighting Poverty, Year 2000

The CODE-NGO Localized Anti-Poverty Campaign: 
From Personality-based to Information-based Mode of Advocacy 

In February 2000, out of 1300 entries all over the world, CODE-NGO's "Localized Anti-Poverty Campaign" was adjudged as one of the 44 "Most Innovative Ideas to Fight Poverty at the World Bank Development Marketplace. The project was implemented in four pilot sites, namely: Abra, Catanduanes, Guimaras and Compostela Valley by it member NGO networks. Beginning October 2000, local partners began the data gathering in these pilot sites using the instrument, known as "Minimum Basic Needs - Improved Community-Based Poverty Indicator and Monitoring System (MBN-CBPIMS)." MBN-CBPIMS is a barangay (village) - based information system for gathering, analyzing and utilizing data regarding the 24 core indicators of minimum basic needs of local residents. This is a provincial level poverty monitoring system initiated and developed by National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) with the support of the United Nations' Development Program (UNDP). 

Both in methodology and perspective, the CODE-NGO Localized Anti-Poverty Campaign encourages a shift from personality-based, subjective mode of advocacy to one that is grounded on information, reason and objectivity. Because of this, local people felt more able to push their cause as they saw the possibility of supporting their demands with data made credible by the fact that the undertaking (for poverty monitoring) will be a common effort of the communities and their governments. Local officials, on the other hand, expressed more openness to the idea of accountability, as they saw how a more logical, concrete and validated rationale can now validate people's demands for basic services and asset reform. They felt less threatened by partisan intervention, as the basis of accountability will depend on an instrument that will rely on the actual situation of the people. 

Furthermore, CODE-NGO had found that the project cannot be done in isolation. It needs to be complemented with corollary programs, primarily because the project has a long gestation before actual results and outcomes are produced. To sustain people's interests, local partners have engaged the communities in activities that will make the people reap immediate gains while at the same time working on the foundations of a more solid advocacy work.

In Compostela Valley in particular, building barangay dynamism for participatory governance was effectively adopted as a strategy by the Agri-Aqua Development Coalition in Mindanao. The Localized Anti-Poverty campaign has promoted a closer interrelationship between elected officials and the people in the barangays. It has contributed to the breaking of the political culture of silence, openness to participation by the POs and barangay officials, regular claim-making and collective pursuit of the common good in the community. The conduct of the CBPIMS survey is an added value because it provides a more scientific-generated data against which the barangay consultations results may be cross-checked. It has given people in the community the needed information for effective lobbying with their officials for action.

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Innovations through the Years

In the past ten years, CODE-NGO and its member networks had initiated several pioneering projects promoting and sustaining community development work and policy advocacy.

Self Regulation

In 1991, member networks signed the Covenant for Philippine Development. With this act they have also committed themselves to upholding the Code of Conduct for Development NGOs. This marked the beginning of CODE-NGO’s pioneering effort to professionalize NGO work in the country within the context of diminishing resources for  development projects and the growing number of NGOs accessing these funds.  After a few years, CODE-NGO decided to take this to a higher level by undertaking a reform initiative within its member networks.  During its 2^nd National Congress in 8 February 1998, CODE-NGO launched its internal reform initiative where over seven hundred NGOs signed the manifesto to become more responsive and responsible social organizations.  

CODE-NGO was also responsible for the creation of the Philippine Council for NGO Certification, an organization that its responsible in maintaining quality standards of NGO work in the country. CODE-NGO encourages its members (networks and individual NGOs) to obtain certification from the PCNC which ensures that members meet the minimum standard for accountability, transparency and effectiveness of non-profit organization.

Debt for Development/Environment Swaps

Debt for Development/Environment Swaps is a strategy that addresses two critical problems that hinders development in the country -increasing foreign debt and decreasing financial assistance for development projects from donor countries. Engaging in actual development debt conversions is not an easy task and not all NGOs in the Philippines can undertake this. It will take the concerted effort of a large network of NGOs to actually begin the process. CODE-NGO in partnership with the Swiss Coalition of Development Organizations has successfully negotiated with the Philippine and Swiss Governments for the cancellation of Philippine commercial debt to Switzerland and the utilization of the counterpart funds as an endowment fund. The endowment fund was entrusted to the Foundation for a Sustainable Society, Inc., a Philippine NGO-managed foundation formed for the purpose of managing the CPF.  Interests from the funds will be used to finance sustainable projects and programs of non-governmental organizations, people’s organizations, cooperatives and similar private organizations.

Another NGO-brokered debt swap in the Philippines is the debt-for-nature swap between the governments of the Philippines and the United States. The endowment fund was entrusted to the Foundation for Philippine Environment to fund environmental projects.

Official Development Assistance (ODA) Advocacy

Since the early 1990’s CODE-NGO has established linkages with the Australian, Canadian and American NGOs to try to collectively influence official development assistance to the Philippines. In order to help NGOs and POs understand the dynamics of official development assistance to the Philippines, CODE-NGO has commissioned a study in 1996 to assess ODA from 1986 to 1996 and to develop advocacy positions by NGOs in dialogues with donors and the Philippine government. An update of this study was done last year which assessed ODA trends worldwide and in the Philippines with a specific focus on ODA funding trends for NGOs. It examined the feedback from donors on their relationship with Philippine NGOs and gave recommendations on the future positioning of NGOs.

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Sustainable Integrated Area Development (SIAD)

The Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Asia (PhilDHRRA), Partnership of Philippine Support Service Agencies (PHILSSA) and National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATTCO), member networks of CODE-NGO are promoting the concept of a Sustainable Integrated Area Development.  PHILDHRRA advocates for the importance of NGO and PO participation in the area development planning.  Through this project, NGOs and POs operating at the provincial, city and municipal levels are equipped with the perspective and tools that will enable them to influence local land use plans.  

Corporate Social Responsibility

CODE-NGO is proud to have the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), a primemover for corporate giving in the country, as one of it’s member networks.  PBSP is dedicated to promoting business sector commitment to social development. Organized in December 1970 by 50 of the country's prominent business leaders, PBSP has grown to become the nation's largest and most influential business-led social development foundation. From an initial membership of 50 business companies, it has grown to 169 members, worked with some 2,400 partner organizations, provided over P1.4 billion in financial assistance which supported over 4,000 projects, and benefited close to 2.2 million poor households.

For the past 30 years, PBSP has been the business sector's vehicle in delivering organized, professional, and sustainable assistance to the Filipino poor, particularly the landless farmers, fisherfolk, rural workers, urban poor, and indigenous cultural communities.  Its key strengths are development technology, which is founded on the premise that development is about helping people to help themselves; and corporate support, in the form of financial resources, time and competencies that its member companies invest to help improve the quality of life of the Filipinos.

Consensus Building and Policy Advocacy

Consensus building is a vital process promoted and frequently utilized by CODE-NGO in resolving conflicts as well as fostering unity among civil society organizations on particular issues. Two examples where this process was gainfully used are the formulation of the Social Reform Agenda and the assessment of the first six years of the Local Government Code during the Ramos Administration.

Social Reform Agenda. In partnership with the Ateneo De Manila University’s Center for Social Policy and Public Affairs, CODE-NGO convened a broad representation of NGOs and POs in order to assemble a people’s agenda for the government that would take over from the Fidel Ramos cabinet. Aside from the 13 CODE-NGO member networks, hundreds of NGOs, people’s organizations in the National Peace Conference, Philippine Sustainable Agriculture Forum, Agrarian Reform Now Coalition, Green Forum and Women’s Action Network for Development. After a year of consultations and round table discussions, the group came up with the People’s Agenda for Development and Democracy II which became the basic dialogue document of a broad representation of civil society.

Local Governance. CODE-NGO collaborated with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in undertaking a multi-sectoral assessment of Local Governance during the Ramos Administration. The said policy assessment is the first of its kind since the Local Government Code was passed in 1991. Delegates gave substantial inputs on improving specific areas of decentralization such as people’s participation, delivery of health and other social services, agriculture, the management of natural resources and finance.

Coalition Building

The Trisectoral Approach for Good Governance. One of the latest innovations of CODE-NGO is the tri-sectoral approach of coalition building. The tri-sectoral conference is a three-way partnership between Philippine Civil Society-Government -Business Conference. It is an effort to build consensus on their changing relationships and identify collaborative programs to promote effective governance. The Philippine Trisectoral Conference covers three areas of concern: education, asset reform and regulatory mechanisms.  It is a confidence building action and a major step in the pursuit of genuine participatory governance.   

Strengthening Democracy: The Ouster of Joseph Ejercito Estrada. The ouster of Joseph Ejercito Estrada is the victory of civil society. Since January 2000, known personalities from the NGO community has been carefully studying the filing of the impeachment case against deposed President Estrada. In October 2000, civil society complainants filed an impeachment case at the House of Representatives against deposed President Estrada charging him of graft and corruption, betrayal of the public trust, culpable violation of the constitution and the law.  Once the case was filed, more than a hundred networks of NGOs, POs, church based groups, political blocks, business groups banded together to revive the Kongreso ng Mamamayang Pilipino (KOMPIL II). KOMPIL II played a major role during the impeachment trial and the ensuing People Power II in January 2001. KOMPIL II served as the backbone of the contingent in EDSA and its regional counterparts also led massive campaign in the provinces nationwide. CODE-NGO served as the Secretariat for the activities of KOMPIL II and the locus of communications for regional KOMPIL and KOMPIL-like formations.

Strengthening Democracy: Defending the Gains of People Power II. The difficult task of picking up the pieces of what was left of the nation’s economy followed after January 2001. Civil society and government has to work together in order to rebuild the nation. In the midst of the healing process is the prosecution of  Joseph Ejercito Estrada. Once again civil society complainants filed a case against Erap at the Ombudsman who in turn filed a case of plunder against him at the Sandiganbayan. His recent arrest brought out thousands of supporters into the streets and to the EDSA Shrine demanding his release and reinstallation into the presidency. As the mob of supporters attempted a siege of Malacañang on Labor Day, the military and the police gallantly stood their ground and quelled the rebellion. In literal defense of the gains of People Power II, civil society groups led by KOMPIL II gathered in Mendiola, Nagtahan and Ayala to symbolically defend Malacañang. Outnumbered, the anti-Erap group sought refuge at the San Beda College while another contingent of the People Power II Forces Coalition reclaimed EDSA Shrine. 

In the face of a grave threat to the gains of People Power II, KOMPIL II played a major role in reaching out to other EDSA Forces and building a consensus among them. CODE-NGO liaised with the government and gave ad hoc secretariat support for the contingent in Mendiola and at the Labor Day Celebration at the EDSA Shrine.