The Rural Community Organizing Standard
Community Organizing Standard in the
 The rural Cos published a common view
on the definition and success indicators
of rural community organizing to foster
unity
 Success indicators for each organizing
phase in the following areas:
1. Organizational Development
2. Critical, Creative and Collective
Consciousness Raising
3. Coalition Effort and Advocacy Work
4. Overcoming Gender and Other Biases
5. Basic Services and Infrastructure
6. Resource Tenure Improvement
7. Economic Self-Reliance Strengthening
8. Agricultural Development and
Ecological Nurturance
9. Democratic Participation in Governance
 1995 National Rural CO Conference,
Cebu City
- The participant organizers agreed to
accept the standard, with the understanding
that it is open to further development.
 Application of the Standard
- An instrument was developed and pre-
tested in 31 barangays (9 in Luzon, 9 in
Mindanao and 13 in the Visayas)
 For the instrument to be effective in
assessing the state of organizing in a
barangay, its users must be leveled-off
on how to read and interpret the Rural
CO Standard.
 Promotion of a Common Rural
Philippines, April 1998
- the framework used in the application
of the standard
- by the Philippine Community
Organizers Society (Philcos) Secretariat
 Each area of concern is divided into
variables
 Variables – their state varies from the
first to the third phase of organizing as
a result of the intervention done by the
organizers
 The indicators served as a yard stick in
measuring the success of the organizing
work in a particular area of concern.
 Success indicators can also be used to
assess the state of the people’s
organization
 The formulation of the Rural CO
Standard – a common framework by
which to assess organizing work –
implies a common understanding of
how rural organizing should be pursued
in a community
Organizational Development
 Refers to the quality of organizational
functioning in the people’s organization
as it fulfills its aspiration
 Specifically, OD seeks to the following
features of the organization are clear
and operative:
1. Organizational Goals and Objectives
2. Organizational Structures
3. Leadership/Membership
 4. Education Programs
5. Mechanisms for Internal Relationships
Enhancement
6. The Financial Capability of the PO
Critical, Creative, and Collective Consciousness
Raising
 Refers to the level of awareness or
consciousness of the leaders of the
members of the PO.
 Specifically, this area of concern seeks
to assess the PO’s:
1. Socio-Political Awareness
2. Community Orientedness and Group
Centeredness
Coalition Effort and Advocacy Work
 Efforts initiated by the organizer and
eventually undertaken by the people’s
organization to establish common
ground with their POs and sectors on an
issue-to-issue basis
 Alliance formed is strategic in nature
 Advocacy work is the effort of the
PO/NGO to call the public’s attention or
the resource holder/controller to an
issue that needs immediate action from
the group of the public
Overcoming Gender and Other Biases
 Ability of the PO to recognize the
gender issues within the public and
private sphere of their community
 Capability to develop appropriate
programs and measures that will ensure
equality and respect for the rights of
women and other marginalized sectors
Resource Tenure Improvement
 Seeks to evaluate the impact of the
people’s organization in improving their
relationship with the major natural
resources—land, water (lakes, rivers,
municipal waters/deep sea) and forest
resources in the community
Economic Self-Reliance Strengthening
 Refers to the capability of the people’s
organization to develop and manage
economic projects or enterprises for
increased incomes, economic growth,
social equity, and environment
sustainability.
Agricultural Development and Ecological
Nurturance
 Refers to the ability of the PO to plan
and implement programs that will
develop the natural resources of the
community to meet their basic needs,
while ensuring the right of future
generations to these resources.
Democratic Participation in Governance
 The Pos capability to participate directly
in the governance of their community.
This also relates to their participation in
mainstream political activities.