2023-04-06
Our COVID-19 Recovery Agenda-Setting Process
By Deanie Lyn Ocampo, Executive Director of the Caucus of Development NGO Networks Inc. (CODE-NGO), Philippines
The spread of the COVID-19 virus in the Philippines started in February 2020. In early March, the government implemented a nationwide lockdown to control population movement and to further limit the spread. In the National Capital Region, Quezon City, the largest city, and Manila City, the densest city, reported the highest number of cases. The lockdowns and restrictions were adjusted during the year depending on the national situation. The Philippine government also introduced the Social Amelioration Program that provided subsidies to poor and vulnerable households, which comprise 70% of the Philippine population. By the end of 2020, there were 474,000 reported cases and 9,200 had died.
At our 29th General Assembly in 2020, the body resolved that CODE-NGO and its member networks should monitor, study, and address the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on civil society organizations (CSOs) and their operations, programs, and sustainability. This article narrates how we developed the COVID-19 Recovery Agenda for the Philippine CSO Sector with support from Forus in collaboration with the French Development Agency (AFD).
1. Desk Review of Local Studies
We reviewed two separate studies conducted by our member networks on how the pandemic affected Philippine CSOs and communities: Doing Good Index 2022 by the Association of Foundations Philippines, and Treading into the ‘New Normal’ by the Partnership of Philippine Support Service Agencies. We also referred to the CSO Sustainability Index Philippine Reports 2020 and 2021 to understand the larger Philippine contexts and CSOs’ state of sustainability.
2. Project Steering Committee (PSC) Roundtable Discussions
Our PSC was composed of the Chairperson of the CODE-NGO Advocacy Commission; three leaders from CODE-NGO member networks working with non-government organizations (CENVISNET), people’s organizations (PHILSSA), and cooperatives (NATCCO); and the CODE-NGO Executive Director.
Important highlights from the PSC meetings were:
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This Agenda would focus on the recovery of the CSO sector, i.e. the sector’s existence and survival, and not on the sector’s development agenda and issues/challenges pertaining to the sector’s sustainability in the long-term. If the sector is not able to recover, then its sustainability will be hampered likewise. Nevertheless, the validation workshops would be open to what CSOs would like to bring forward - positive narratives, good practices. We could pick up the nuances.
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This Agenda should be realizable in the next three years (time-bound).
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To revise the timeline: Conduct an Advocacy and Communications Planning Workshop before the national launch of the Recovery Agenda.
3. Expert Panel Meeting
Ten CSO leaders with expertise on governance, resource generation, research, service provision, and advocacy at the local and national levels were invited to a meeting where the draft Agenda was presented for their review and recommendations. In the meeting, they appropriated the context and timeliness of each Agenda item, identified stakeholders who may support and commit to the advocacy, and discussed opportunities for collaboration with stakeholders. The guide questions were:
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How can each Agenda point best support the sector advance its objectives?
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Who do we need to engage to give this initiative the best chance of success?
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What might a successful collaboration look like? What role can your organization play, if any?
Important highlights from the expert panel meeting were:
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How is shrinking civic space related to the sector’s COVID-19 recovery? Red-tagging CSOs’ community services, advocacy protests and activities restricted the core political and development work of many CSOs. The national life’s political, social, and economic spheres are intertwined, and civil society plays a critical role in contributing to national life. CSOs should not, therefore, be treated adversarially.
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In relating with government, CSOs perform check-and-balance functions. If we advocate for a government-to-CSOs funding arrangement, our independence from government may be affected, especially given the transactional nature of certain Administrations. Nevertheless, CSOs perform important services to society. CSOs can and should be supported by government.
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Lobby more for restricted funding than for unrestricted grants. Look for public funds that remain underutilized ex. People’s Survival Fund and Climate Change Adaptation Fund for CSOs’ advocacy on climate change.
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Rephrase the Agenda by what CSOs need to do to recover; which specific government agency, whether national or local, we need support from; and how we intend to interact with other stakeholders like the academe, business sector, media, and other CSOs.
4. Validation Workshops with CSOs
By this time, we have narrowed down the first draft 23-point agenda to a seven-point agenda.
Nine validation workshops were carried out in coordination with CODE-NGO’s member networks and other CSO groups. Similar to those asked of the experts, the workshop discussions revolved around the following:
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Are there any recovery challenges/issues not covered by Agenda?
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How can the Agenda point best support the CSO Sector’s objectives?
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What agency/ institution/ stakeholder do we need to engage to give this provision the best chance of success?
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What might a successful collaboration look like? What role can your organization play, if any?
The earlier drafts of three of the seven Agenda points that spurred lengthy discussions were on the protection of civic spaces (#2), resource generation mechanisms (#4), and visibility of CSOs (#7). Following those discussions, the statements were revised to its final version now.
The Agenda was presented to the CODE-NGO 7th Congress, a milestone event which we organize every five years, last October 28, 2022 for approval. It was also launched publicly on December 7, 2022.