The CODE-NGO's very first National Congress was a high point
in the history of the development community, as CODE-NGO achieved the seemingly
impossible task of forging a broad unity among their diverse and divided ranks.
It was a triumph of solidarity. Together, they defined a collective vision for
development, and together declared a commitment to observe the highest standards
of development work.
Towards this end, participating delegates in the first national Congress
collectively forged what is now known as the Covenant on Philippine Development.
To this day, this historic document remains the fundamental basis for the broad
unity established under CODE-NGO. Since its ratification, the document has
served as a policy framework upon which various governments of the NGO community
have built advocacy platforms.
Yet another landmark document borne by the first National Congress is the CODE
of Conduct for Development NGOs. This document sprung from the desire of
CODE-NGO founders to establish rigorous standards that would set development
NGOs apart and enable them to police their own ranks amidst a thriving "NGO
industry" where numerous "fly-by-night" organizations masqueraded
as development NGOs. The Code of Conduct constitutes what is most possibly among
the first attempts by an NGO community to establish provisions for
self-regulation. Since then, the document has inspired other NGO communities in
different parts of the world to formulate similar sites.
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