History of Community Organizing in the Philippines

Marcos' declaration of martial rule in 1972 altered the terrain for social movements. All progressive groups were subjected to
repression while some individuals were either eliminated or arrested by the military. During the early stages of martial rule, all
attempts at organizing ground to a halt, except for the Zone One Tondo Organization (ZOTO).
The repressive situation led a large number of activists to go underground and wage armed struggle against the Martial Law regime.
Some organizations like the FFF were co-opted by the regime. Others simply laid low.
Church-based programs which functioned as non-government organizations (NGOs) were the first to engage in organizing despite
martial law. These include the Urban and Rural Missionaries of the Philippines, Task Force Detainees of the Philippines, Episcopal
Commission on Tribal Filipinos, Share and Care Apostolate for Poor Settlers, and PEACE, among others.
Soon, however, NGOs resumed grassroots activities. The Philippine Ecumenical Council for Community Organization (PECCO) continued
with the refinement and implementation of the community organizing (CO) approach all over the country, in combination with the
Marxist structural analysis and the thinking of Saul Alinsky and Paolo Freire. Politicized NGOs used the structural analysis approach in
conscientizing and mobilizing, while the Basic Christian Community framework was developed by the progressive church as a response
to the needs of the time. Programs like education and health, economic enterprises and cooperative development were used as entry
points for organizing to avoid getting in trouble with the dictatorship.
Various political formations saw the need to set up NGOs or influence the programs and projects of existing ones in order to pursue
their own interests. On the positive side, it cannot be denied that the most effective NGOs of the period were those whose leaders and
staff had ideological leanings. On the other side, internal ideological struggles wracked some NGOs as ideological debates and rivalries
within the mass movement spilled over to the social development community. PECCO, for one, split in 1977 because of ideological
differences among its elements, leading to the formation of two separate organizationsthe Community Organization of the
Philippines Enterprise (COPE) and the People's Ecumenical Action for Community Empowerment (PEACE).
Developmental institutions eventually saw the need for more coordinated activities among themselves. In December 1972, ten
foundations came together and formed the Association of Foundations (AF). The association expanded to 40 members by 1976. More
progressive groups formed the Philippine Alliance for Rural and Urban Development (PARUD), a consortium of POs and NGOs with
more or less the same ideological bent.
Repression continued, but opposition to the Martial Law regime became more consolidated. There was widespread unrest as the
majority of the people remained mired in poverty; wages were kept at very low levels and human rights violations increased. When
Martial Law was "paperlifted" in 1981, organizing efforts multiplied and innovative approaches and tools were developed and
replicated all over the country. NGOs were instrumental in the development of the organized mass movement.
Human rights as an advocacy issue was effectively raised by pioneers in this field such as the Task Force Detainees of the Philippines
and lawyers' groups like Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) and MABINI.
International campaigns against weapons of mass destruction, environmental conservation and sustainable development influenced
the Philippine social development terrain. NGOs with these issues as primary concerns were established during the period. The
women's movement also began to flex its strength locally.
NGOs recognized the need to band together into networks for purposes of linkaging, synchronization of activities, and cooperative
exchanges of experiences and resources. Networks formed during this period include the Philippine Partnership for the Development
of Human Resources in the Rural Areas (PhilDHRRA) and the Council for People's Development (CPD). Regional NGO networks such as
Kahayag Foundation in Mindanao and the Consortium of Development Programs in the Cordillera were formed also.
Cooperatives went through a second wave of growth during this period. The government formed the Cooperative Union of the
Philippines in 1979 and required all cooperatives to register. Independent cooperatives refused to yield and instead formed the
National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO) (ACSPPA/PCHRD, 1995).
The assassination of Benigno Aquino in 1983 led to widespread street protests which became known as the "parliament of the streets."
It attracted a cross section of society including previously unpoliticized sectors, such as business and the institutional Church.
There were efforts to forge unity among the anti-dictatorship forces. Several coalitions were formed: Justice for Aquino, Justice for All
(JAJA), Kongreso ng Mamamayang Pilipino (KOMPIL), Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) and others. But these organizations did
not last long due to ideological differences among its members.
Major organizations among the ranks of the peasant, fisherfolks and indigenous peoples were organized for the purpose of advancing
sectoral agendas.
Other venues of development work were explored further. Programs that focused on livelihood, gender equality, ecology, alternative
legal assistance, support for migrant workers and others were implemented.
One of the issues that divided the social development sector during this period was the question of whether to participate in the 1986
snap presidential election. The mainstream national democratic movement and the NGOs and POs under its influence opted to boycott
the election, while the other left-of-center formations decided to participate, albeit critically.
During the First Quarter Storm of the seventies, CO was introduced through the Philippine Ecumenical Council for Community
Organization (PECCO). The group organized communities in Tondo and established the Council of Tondo Foreshore Community
Organization which proved to be an organization of leaders. Re-training was carried out to improve the organizing skills of PECCO
personnel. The Saul Alinsky method of conflict-confrontation developed in Chicago was adapted to conditions in Tondo. As a result, the
Zone One Tondo Organization (ZOTO) was born. The program was replicated in other parts of the Philippines, including the rural areas
and usually introduced through Church structures. The Alinsky CO method was refined to include reflection sessions, which were, in
turn taken from Paulo Freire's "Pedagogy of the Oppressed."
When Martial Law was declared, organizing efforts continued. During this time development workers began pushing for people's
participation and CO became the tool for achieving this. Both international development groups and government began advocating
and funding CO programs. Thus, community organizing proliferated.
Even before PECCO adopted Alinsky's practice of community organizing, the progressive section of the Catholic Church were already
started organizing Basic Christian Communities (BCC) in Mindanao with the proclamation of Vatican II. It soon spread to some parts of
Luzon and Visayas and the organizing was basically liturgical, employing Bible studies and other creative forms of worship. But during
the Martial Law period, the BCC became a means for witnessing the Teachings and Example of Christ through socio-political work.
Understanding community participation:
a health programme in the Philippines
1. Geert Laleman
1
and
2. Sam Annys
+Author Affiliations
1. Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
1.
1
Correspondence: Dr Geert Laleman, Department of Microbiology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, 2000 Antwerpen,
Belgium.
Abstract
The principle of community participation is so well recognized in international health circles that no
declaration about primary health care is made without it.1 Yet in actually planning and implementing
programmes it is very difficult to find clear ways of following this principle. This paper analyses the concrete
aspects of community participation in the Munoz-community based health programme, a small nongovernment
health programme funded by Missionary Medical Actions (MEMISA - the Netherlands) and established in
Munoz, Nueva Ecija, the Philippines.
The programme started as a parish based charity clinic with a policy of free consultations and medicines but
underwent a gradual evolution towards a mother and child health (MCH) programme, with a growing
emphasis on the participation of the (pregnant) mothers and community health workers (CHWs) in the
villages. The sponsoring agency, staff members and CHWs agreed to strive for financial independence by the
year 1990-91. This would require a better cooperation with the Rural Health Unit (the government public
health sector) at the programme level, and a higher degree of community participation at the level of the
community if the MCH-programme was to be maintained after the discontinuation of external financial
support.
An intensive debate among staff members and CHWs revealed a lack of clear understanding of the concept of
community participation. Specifically, the absence of an instrument to assess the process of community
participation resulted in a vague and unsatisfactory analysis of the situation. Recently, an analytical framework
for such an analysis has been developed2 which focuses on participation as a process, enabling an assessment
of participation to go beyond the limits of a merely quantitative analysis. It appears to be a useful instrument
for analysing community participation, describing what has been achieved and identifying some of the
elements that influenced this process. We have applied this framework retrospectively to our programme as
described here. ( Oxford University Press)

News and Events
Teens Organize Birthday Parties
Brgy. Quilao, Tolosa, Leyte - On April 9, 2014, the Quilao kids and
teens had a fun monthly birthday celebration at the Tolosa Child
Friendly Space program site. Two parties were held, one in the morning
and the other in the afternoon. The morning party was attended by
more than 200 kids while the afternoon party was enjoyed by around
30 teens.
The birthday celebrations were memorable because the teens
organized it - from the conception of the party theme to the execution of the plan. For almost two weeks,
the teens worked together, grouping themselves into four committees: decor, food, invitations and program.
Each committee had specific roles contributing to the success of the celebrations. The four committee
leaders were: Aljun, Madonna, Joy Mariel, and Cleo supervised their members with passion and dedication.
The teens had the opportunity to learn from the experience while contributing to the well-being of their
community. As a result, the teens are looking forward to organizing the next birthday celebration with even
more confidence and gratefulness.
Everybody had a blast. The teens learned a lot. This is what youth empowerment is all about!
Recovery in the Philippines
Situation Report January 10, 2011

A child smiles knowing her whole family is safe.
Weeks after a powerful typhoon swept through the Northern Mindanao region of the Philippines, leaving
hundreds dead and thousands without food or shelter, much work remains to be done.
HOPE worldwide Philippines and its partners are working tirelessly to meet the physical, psychological and
spiritual needs of so many who are suffering. Your continued prayers are greatly appreciated.

HOPE worldwide Philippines has been able to:
o Coordinate two local disaster response teams
o Establish partnerships with five local relief organizations within five days of the
disaster
o Distribute 427 relief packages(consisting of sleeping mats, bags, pails, vitamins,
laundry soap, canned goods and clothes) to communities in need
271 packs were distributed to affected families inside the Xavier Heights evacuation
center in Lower Balulang, Cagayan de Oro
Another 19 packs went to affected local volunteers of HOPE worldwide
A community in Macasandig, one of the hardest-hit in Cagayan de Oro, received
137 relief packs
o More than 1,000 children have been servedthrough specially designed psychosocial
activities including puppet shows, storytelling and drawing exercises

The community and local partners have also been hard at work aiding in the response
operations:

Relief operations with local partners.
The Metro Manila Christian Church donated assorted relief goods and water
138 local volunteers from the Cagayan de Oro Christian Church assisted with the immediate disaster
response operation
The Springboard Foundation donated 400 sets of relief packages
HOPE worldwides local partners have been extremely generous in their support





Centers of HOPE
The Center of HOPE worldwide-Laguna, is a treatment center for abused
children in the Philippines, specializing in child sexual and physical abuse
cases primarily. The center offers short-term and long-term residential care,
treatment and placement meeting the holistic needs of each child.
Residential care is primarily conducted through a total family approach
wherein each child is given a father and mother (house parents) and
brothers and sisters structure. The treatment of each child is being handled
by a multi-disciplinary case management team, offering a wide range of skills, including psychological and
psychiatric assessment.
The Center of HOPE worldwide-Laguna, has a goal to see an abused child and their families become whole
again in which they have attained social functioning in an environment where they interact constructively,
have developed a sense of hope and that encourages the child and their
families to succeed.
The community-based Centers of HOPE worldwide addresses problems such
as child sexual abuse, children on the streets and child neglect. The Centers
acts as a safe-harbor for children where trained full-time staffs gain access
to at-risk children.
Centers of HOPE worldwide community-based have been in operation since
1996 in several urban poor communities like Baseco, Pier South Manila and
Payatas, Quezon City.
Below are some general listings of the programs provided:
Drop-In Program
Day Care Program
Essential Nutrients Program
Food for Life Nutrition Program
Family Development Program
Community Bakery



Advocacy Programs
Through this program, at risk children are taught prevention education while abused children are brought
full circle from identification to referral for healing and reintegration. Youth Advocacy is conducted through
groups of 10 to 20 beneficiaries at a time and includes activities that provide knowledge and skills to prevent
and protect against all forms of abuse. The youth also go through
assertiveness and self-esteem building exercises. Multi-disciplinary case
management is provided to children who are abusedand includes such
services as counseling and therapy on either an outpatient or inpatient
basis. Below is a list of our specific programs:
Prevention of Child Abuse Program
HOPE Mobile Puppet Theatre
Stop Child Abuse Now! (SCAN) Program
Community Based Treatment of Abuse Program





Disaster Response Teams
HOPE Emergency Assistance & Rehabilitation Team (HEART)
Facilitates activities to normalize the living conditions of children in disaster-stricken communities through
the operation safe place, phsycho-social intervention, case management and referrals, temporary shleter for
orphans, relief and recovery program and the advocacy and awareness on the prevention of child abuse.
The team is also involved not only in the disaster response but also in the disaster preparedness,
prevention, mitigation training and advocacy to ensure that uncontrollable forces of disaster will be managed
accordingly.