Capability Building on Advocacy for Good Governance and Social Reform
1. General Information
1.1 Project Name Capability Building on Advocacy for Good Governance and Social Reform
1.2 Project Proponent People’s Alternative Study Center for Research and Education for Social
Development (PASCRES)
Room 207, CCS Building
Social Development Complex (SDC)
Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Hts.,
Quezon City
Tel/Fax No. (632) 426-5657
2.0. Project Description
1.1 Background/Rationale
The Philippine Crisis at the Turn of the Millenium. The Philippines is just coming out of a
grave social political crisis. It is a crisis that had just thrust our country once again into a
seemingly endless spiral of political instability, economic recession, and social conflict.
The impeachment trial of the President and its abrupt termination exposed the political system’s
apparent failure to uphold the basic standards of accountability, rule of law, and public service. It
has indicated how the corridors of power in our country have continued to be enclaves of political
opportunism, economic plunder, and morel bankruptcy.
The Promise of People Power. As with any crisis, there is opportunity. As the volatile political
situation threatened to permanently damage our democratic institutions, it has also served to reawaken ever growing number of Filipinos who once again took a collective stand for truth and
justice, reminiscent of the broad people’s movements after the assassination of Ninoy Aquino in
1983. People’s Power in its purest sense has exhibited itself throughout our history but experience
has painfully shown time and again how we as a people have failed to sustain its transformative
power.
It cannot be denied that many of us citizens had slowly, even imperceptibly-retreated into
complacency and apathy after enormous amounts of selflessness and patriotism especially after
the EDSA Revolution 1986. We as a people have not lived up to our own expectations, allowing the
flawed political and economic systems to thrive under the banner of “democracy”.
The present crop of the so-called political leaders-from the impeached/ousted Joseph Estrada, to
the hundreds of representatives (who almost stonewalled the people’s will), to the 11 senators
who voted against the opening of the second envelop allegedly containing bank records of
President Estrada-all came to power by popular vote. The reality of Estrada being swept to office in
1998 on the shoulders of the poor majority (who, based on surveys, continued to support him until
late in his term) is the clearest indication of opportunities lost and revolutions not completed.
We share collective responsibility in our country’s crisis. But it is not yet too late. Today as the
sovereign Filipino people have gained a second chance to decisively act to reform our political
leadership and political system, we seek to learn from our past.
2.2
Objectives
This project shall have the following objectives;
a.
b.
c.
2.3
To improve the advocacy skills for good governance and social reform issues of civil society
leaders in at least 10 provinces/cities; and
To formulate civil society good governance and social reform agendas at the provincial/city
level and national level; and
To strengthen local civil society networks advocating for good governance and social reform.
Operational Mechanics
The project centers on two major interventions: Training Sessions on Advocacy and good
Governance and Local Civil Society Network Building.
a. Training Sessions on Advocacy and Good Governance (TS-AGG)
Training Sessions on Advocacy and Good Governance (TS-AGG) will be conducted in 3 areas
(covering two to three provinces/cities) and four provinces. The TS-AGG will focus on enhancing
the advocacy skills for good governance at the local levels of leaders of the local Pos and civil
society alliances. The training will seek to improve the capability of these leaders to advocate for
specific local and national issues and concerns.
The areas identified are Bicol(Camarines Sur and Sorsogon), Northern Mindanao (Cagayan de
Oro/Bukidnon and Agusan del Norte), and NCR-Rizal (Quezon City-District 2 and Pasig/Antipolo).
The four provinces are Quezon, Pampanga, Negros Occidental and Cebu.
b. Local Civil Society Network Building
This project with focus on two provinces in the Visayas (Negros Occidental and Cebu). Local Civil
Society network building in other areas/provinces will be taken cared of by a complementary
project of PASCRES.
2.4 Project Staffing and Management
A Project Coordinator for these twin initiatives will be assigned. He will convene monthly team
meetings and directly supervise the project team. The Project Coordinator will also network with
national institutions and alliances involved in good governance and advocacy.
An Educator/Network Builder will help coordinate the designing and preparation of the training
modules and will also assist the local civil society networks in the two Visayas provinces.
An Educator’s Pool will be formed to help in the design of the training modules and also to serve
as resource persons during the actual training sessions.
3. Actual Activities and Output
3.1. Conducted Training Sessions on Advocacy and Good Governance:
The project actually conducted four training seminars on Advocacy and Good Governance in the
provinces of Quezon, Pampanga, Negros Occidental and Cebu. Participants of the training included
grassroots/PO leader, youth/student leaders, professionals, church workers, and representatives of
non-governmental organizations.
The project’s training seminars involved at least 53 NGOs and Pos nationwide. A total of 122
PO/NGO leaders participated in these training seminars. PASCRES also conducted similar seminars
in Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, Cagayan de Oro/Bukidnon, Agusan del Norte, Quezon City,
Antipolo/Angono, Compostela Valley and Davao del Norte. These were sponsored by a
complementary project of PASCRES.
PASCRES produced training modules and readings which were included in the kit distributed to
each of the trainers for their use in their respective communities. We also produced and distributed
a primer on People Power 2 and New Politics/Good Governance.
3.2
Local Civil Society Networks
The project was also able to facilitate the formation of local civil society (CS) networks in all the
provinces, including the four provinces supported by SEACA:
These groups led in the further refinement of the Local Peoples Agenda in their areas together with
local candidates (from councilors to congresspersons). Multi sectoral Consultation/for a were also
conducted in the various areas. These for a were also the venue for the signing of the covenants
between the local Civil Society networks and the local candidates that passed the network’s criteria
for new politics candidates. Many of the core group members of the networks got involved as
campaign managers or tacticians of these local candidates/politicians. The Civil Society networks
themselves campaigned for clean election and new politics.
Before and after the May 2001 elections, the local civil society networks also participated in the
national consultations called by the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) to involve civil
society in defining and advancing the anti-poverty agenda. Last May 2001, they participated in the
evaluation of the first 100 days of the Arroyo Administration and in formulating the agenda for the
next 200 days. Last July, many of them were also involved in the NAPC consultation on the
KALAHI (Kabit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan) program.
The various network also worked on the accreditation of their respective organizations in the
City/Municipal Development Councils, and the local special bodies such as the Health Boards and
the School Boards. They are also working on continuous with the elected local government officials
that they supported to strengthen transparency and accountability.
The plans of the networks now center on advancing their local people’s agenda through advocacy,
including the establishment of partnerships and healthy alliance with “alternative/new politics”
local government officials.
4. Major Problems Encountered
Generally, the project went on smoothly
The main problems encountered were related to the scheduling of the training and other activities
because the various member-groups of the local networks were busy with their own
programs/actions. In many areas, this affected the schedule for the training seminars. Also
particularly affected was the consultation/for a with the covenant building with the local politicians
given the hectic schedule both the Pos and NGOs and the local candidates during the campaign
period.
5. Plans/Recommendations
It is important that the local civil society networks are strengthened through regular core group
meetings (for planning/evaluation information sharing and analysis, etc.) continuous political
education, and capability building sessions and activities.
We plan to support the principled engagement of these networks with the local governments in
pursuit of their local people’s development agendas. This would probably extend to their
engagement in advocacy related to the barangay elections scheduled for next year.
PASCRES would like to explore the possibility of SEACA and other funding agencie’s support for our
partnership with these local civil society networks along the these lines.
Description of the Training on Advocacy and Good Governance
DAY 01
AM
Arrival / Registration
Preliminaries (Expectations Setting, / Introductions / Program Overview):
After drawing – out the participants’ expectation regarding the seminar, the facilitator will provide
an overview of the training program, explaining the framework to be followed as well as the
rationale behind such a program design.
Between People Power and Popular Empowerment: A post-EDSA Political Situationer
(Conjunctural Analysis) – The facilitator shows a video (by Jose Javier Reyes) on the events of the
People Power 2, reflection/discussion on the current political-economic-cultural situation then
follows:
PM
Pagbanyuhay ng Kalagayan ng Sambayanan (Structural Analysis): Studies the deeper
societal problems/issues and their structural roots.
Pagbanyuhay ng mga Kulturang Pinoy (Cultural Analysis): focuses on political culture,
especially electoral culture and indicates potentials for reinforcing or transforming these, cultural
institutions and ethics.
New Challenges Towards Social Change : Discusses the continuing challenges for political
action such as identifying their roles in pursuing the transformation of the society and to choose
multi-approaches towards social change.
Day 02
AM
Tungo sa Bagong Pulitika (New Politics/Active Citizenship): Focuses on New Politics and
Active Citizenship as a means to achieve social changes; participants identify the values and
principles of New Politics, establish criteria/norms for classifying adherents of New Politics.
People’s Agenda: Draws-out the main features of the alternative social order we aspire for an
explains the main points of the People’s Agenda drafted by KOMPIL 2 and other groups.
Introduction to Advocacy Campaign Management: Explains the electoral, education, alliance
building skills necessary to wage an effective advocacy campaign.
PM
Local Agenda and Planning: Allows the participants to set their own local people’s agenda and
formulate their plan for the advocacy of new politics and good governance in their areas.
Regions/Province
1. Pampanga
Date of Activities
March 13-14 2001
2. Negros
March 23-24, 2001
Participating Organizations/ No. of Participants
BMPCI,SIWMPC,
Nutrilinc, Akbayan,
Sacop, AMS, AC-Urban
Poor Alliance, Pampango
Kalis-Guagua, SCAP,
BMPCI, SLF, PPC, Pasada (#24)
PYM, Causa-UNO, FELU
PPC-PEUD, Kasahi
Balayan, WNC-Felu
Kasamaka, Pandayan
BAUPO, Febatodi, Causa
TFM-Negros, BCFPTA,
Rahai, PCAI (#30)
Regions/Province
3. Cebu
Date of Activities
March 28-29 2001
4. Quezon
March 31-April 01, 2001
Participating Organizations/ No. of Participants
HMPC, Kasamaca
AMPC, Huluyaw, ARCBMBC, CSMPCI, DUFLA
DUFAMCI, CHFAMCI,
Women Federation (#4)
PYA, Sumpit, Katuparan,
Small Fishermen
Association, SAC, Sampan
UGMA, SAMACA,
BQTODA, SJMPC,
Tanggol Kalokasan, St.
Jude Multi Purpose
Coop, Local Government
Unit, SAMALO (#27)
LIST OF CORE GROUP IN REGIONS/PROVINCES:
Name
Area: Negros Occidental
Noli Espina
Nathaniel Jamardon
Edsil Yasay
Joseph Chiu
Erna Aguilar
Mildred de la Pena
Helen Castro
Rico Adeva
Christian Ardiente
Joji Bantug
Henry Cobrado
Eli Donoso
Area: Pampanga
Rosemarie J. Herrera
Delfin Guinto
Jerry de la Pena
Edwin Beltran
Jeffrey del Mundo
Nina Saflala
Rudy de Guzman
ED Manuque
Area: Quezon
Arlene Alvarez
Noli dela Cruz
Melito Verdan
Glenn Forbes
Tessie De Castro
Marlyn dela Cruz
Area: Cebu
Reina Morales
Gilberto Entoma
Zosima Entoma
Rizalino Villavelez
Emilita Mangapis
Rosa Miller
Magdalena Telefrancia
Organization
Address
West Negros College
(WNC)-FEU
WNC-FEU
Progressive Youth Movement
CAUSA-Youth
Bacolod Urban Poor
Organizations (BAUPO)
BAUPO
FEBATODI
Task Force Mapalad (TFM)
Professional
Media
PCAI Hoa
PCUP
City Heights, Bacolod City
Pampango
BMPCI
Akbayan
SACOP
SCAP
SLF
Pasada
Kalis
San Fernando City
Angeles City
Princeton St., San Fernando
Maimpis, San Fernando
Angeles City
Sta. Rita Pampanga
Angeles City
Betis, Guagua
Social Action Center
Mamamayan
St. Jude Multi-Purpose Coop
Tanggol-Kalikasan
Ugnayan ng Magbubukid
Sa Quezon (UGMA)
Sumpit
Isabang, Lucena City
Brgy. F. de Jesus, Unisan, Quezon
Brgy. Cotta, Lucena City
Brgy. XI, Lucana City
Brgy. Camandison, Catanauan,
Quezon
Brgy. F. de Jesus, Unisan, Quezon
HMPC
Kasamaca
AMPC
ARCB-MPC
CSMPCI
AMPC
Women Federation
Sta. Cruz Ronda, Cebu
Dalaguete, Cebu
Bolisang, Argao, Cebu
Baurong, Naga, City
Casay, Dalaguete, Cebu
Tulic, Argao, Cebu
Dalaguete, Cebu
Brgy 41., Bacolod City
Brgy. 36, Bacolod City
Roxaz Ave. Bacolod City
Calong-calong Bacolod City
Taculing, Bacolod City
Tangub, Bacolod City
Silay City, Negros
Bacolod City
Paglaum Village, Bacolod City
Alijis, Bacolod City
Handumanan, Bacolod City