Civil Society Monitoring of the MTPDP 2004-2010

Programs

March 18, 2009

CODE-NGO

MTPDP Review

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The Civil Society Assessment of the 2004-2010 MTPDP

CODE-NGO, in partnership with other civil society organizations (CSOs), has undertaken periodic assessments of the government’s performance vis-à-vis its commitments in the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) since the Ramos Administration in 1992-98.  This is part of CODE-NGO’s advocacy program to influence public policy and implementation, particularly in the areas of good governance, asset reform, access to financial resources and sustainable development. It is also a response to the need for an informed and independent assessment of the government’s performance viz. the targets it has set for itself.

In this endeavor, CODE-NGO has brought together and worked with member networks and their affiliates as well as partner organizations that have extensive knowledge on the themes covered by the study.  For the current assessment, there are now 24 CSOs and CSO networks acting as co-convenors covering at least 18 assessment themes.

It was the Advocacy Commission (Advocom) of CODE-NGO, in its meeting last November 26, 2008, that decided to undertake, in 2009, a civil society assessment of the 2004-10 MTPDP and to engage the government, particularly the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the concerned line agencies, in their preparations for the 2010-16 MTPDP.  The Advocom also decided to invite, aside from the CODE-NGO member networks, their partner PO federations and networks and other civil society organizations.

In order to make the civil society monitoring of the MTPDP more effective, the civil society assessment process will link up with the official MTPDP review and other related processes being spearheaded by NEDA and will seek an active interface with these processes – both at the NEDA/inter-agency level and the level of the specific concerned agencies.

The Advocom also agreed to build on existing CSO assessments of government programs such as the 2008 Philippine Asset Reform Report Card (PARRC) which was undertaken by the Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (PHILDHRRA), a member network of CODE-NGO.  The PARRC is a performance review from the perspective of the beneficiaries of the implementation of several asset reform programs – agrarian reform, socialized housing, Fisheries Code and Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA).  

Last April 16 and May 15, 2009, the convenors of the CSO assessment of the MTPDP met and agreed on the objectives, process, assessment framework, planned activities, timetable and decision-making guidelines for the assessment.  The convenors also identified highly respected experts various fields, and who come or have close links with CSOs, to serve as advisers to the assessment.

The advisers include Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, SJ, archbishop of Cagayan de Oro who is also an expert on agrarian reform, rural development and peace building, and is also the current Chairperson of the Peace and Equity Foundation (PEF), Dr. Cielito Habito, former NEDA Director-General and Secretary for Socio-Economic Planning and now a professor at the Ateneo de Manila University, Atty. Christian Monsod, former member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission and Chairperson of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC,) and current Chairperson of the Philippine Agrarian Reform Foundation (PARFUND), Dr. Mary Racelis, recognized socio-anthropologist who has taught at the Ateneo de Manila University and the University of the Philippines and has been active in many NGOs, including INCITEGOV and CO Multiversity, both of which she now chairs, former National Treasurer Prof. Leonor Briones of the UP National College of Public Administration  and Mr. Alberto Lim, Executive Director of the Makati Business Club (MBC).

This civil society engagement with the MTPDP assessment and planning process of the government aims to:

a) assess the government’s performance viz. its commitments/targets in the MTPDP 2004-2010;

b) examine the appropriateness and responsiveness of the MTPDP framework and targets to the development agenda of the basic sectors and of CSOs;

c) build consensus among the convenors/advisers and other CSOs on key policy recommendations for the MTPDP for 2010-2016; and

d) advocate for these recommendations viz. national candidates in the 2010 elections (and eventually, the new President/ Cabinet starting July 2010).

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Partners and Assessment Themes

  1. Housing – Partnership of Philippine Support Service Agencies (PHILSSA) and Urban Poor Alliance (UP-ALL)
  2. Agriculture – Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (PHILDHRRA), People’s Campaign for Agrarian Reform Network (AR Now!), Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang Magsasaka (PAKISAMA)
  3. Fisheries – NGOs for Fisheries Reform (NFR), PAKISAMA  and PHILDHRRA
  4. Agrarian Reform – PHILDHRRA, PAKISAMA and AR Now!
  5. Environment and Ancestral Domain – Foundation for the Philippine Environment (FPE), Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) and Katutubong Samahan ng Pilipinas (KASAPI)
  6. Vulnerable children/youth, women and elderly – National Council on Social Development (NCSD)
  7. Peace Building – Gasto Z. Ortigas Peace Institute (GZO-PI) and Mindanao Coalition of Development NGO Networks (MINCODE)
  8. Anti-Corruption – Transparency And Accountability Network (TAN) and Association of Foundations (AF)
  9. Trade – Trade Advocacy Group (TAG) and Initiatives for Dialogue and Empowerment thru Alternative Legal Services (IDEALS)
  10. Constitutional Reform – Coalition for a Citizens’ Constitution (C4CC)
  11. Cooperative Development – National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO)
  12. Micro/Small/Medium Enterprises and Livelihood Development – Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP)
  13. Education – National Institute for Policy Studies (NIPS)
  14. Health – Philippine Legislative Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD)
  15. Labor – Ateneo School of Government (ASOG)
  16. Electoral Automation – TAN
  17. Tourism – Asia Pacific Projects, Inc.
  18. Information and Communications (ICT) – Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA)
  19. Macro-Economic Policy – Civil Society Resource Institute (CSRI)
  20. General Framework – CSRI and CODE-NGO
  21. Others – Philippine Agrarian Reform Foundation (PARFUND)


Other Partners

  1. Oxfam Great Britain
  2. ICCO (Netherlands)
  3. Foundation for the Philippine Environment (FPE)

Advisers

  1. Dr. Cielilto Habito
  2. Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, SJ
  3. Mr. Alberto Lim
  4. Atty. Christian Monsod
  5. Dr. Mary Racelis
  6. Prof. Leonor Briones

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GMA Administration Failed to Meet Most Medium Term Development Plan (MTPDP) Targets

While the Administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo can point to some accomplishments, most of the targets it laid for itself in the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) for 2004-2010 have been missed.  Significant key targets were attained only in the macro-economic program, particularly the moderate economic growth averaging around 5 percent per year since 2001, and in micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) development – only 2 of the 17 assessment themes of a recent Assessment of the MTPDP conducted by 27 civil society organizations (CSOs).  GMA left office with many more of the MTPDP targets remaining unfulfilled promises.

 

Civil society’s assessment of the MTPDP 2004-10 presented to NEDA

CODE-NGO’s adviser and conveners on the project “Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) Assessment” met with NEDA officials to present the summary results of the civil society’s review of the government’s accomplishments toward the MTPDP 2004-2010.  NEDA Deputy Director General Margarita Songco, Director Erlinda Capones and NEDA social development and other staff received the MTPDP Assessment team at their office last January 18, 2010. NEDA officials and project conveners agreed to continue their dialogues and engage in the consultations that will be done for the next MTPDP. 

CSOs start assessment of the 2004-2010 MTPDP

The advisers for the Civil Society Assessment of the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) or 2004-10 met in Quezon City last June 5, 2009 to review the plans and the framework for the assessment. The advisers include Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, SJ, archbishop of Cagayan de Oro who is also an expert on agrarian reform, rural development and peace building, and is the current Chairperson of the Peace and Equity Foundation (PEF), Dr. Cielito Habito, former NEDA Director-General and Secretary for Socio-Economic Planning and now a professor at the Ateneo de Manila University, Atty. Christian Monsod, former member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission and Chairperson of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and current Chairperson of the Philippine Agrarian Reform Foundation (PARFUND), Dr. Mary Racelis, recognized socio-anthropologist who has taught at the Ateneo de Manila University and the University of the Philippines and has  been active in many NGOs, including INCITEGOV and CO Multiversity, both of which she now chairs, and Mr. Alberto Lim, Executive Director of the Makati Business Club (MBC).

CODE-NGO, in partnership with other CSOs, has undertaken these periodic assessments of the government’s performance vis-à-vis its commitments in the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) since the Ramos Administration in 1992-98.

 
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Citizens’ Roadmap for Poverty Reduction and Achieving the MDGs

The Citizens’ Roadmap is the response of a broad range of civil society organizations to the challenge of shifting from fault-finding to helping find solutions to our society’s problems.  It contains our recommendations for the 2010-2016 Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP), which will serve as the economic and development blue print the Aquino administration.  This publication also signifies our commitment to participate and constructively engage government to help reduce poverty, achieve the MDGs and improve the lives of the Filipino people, especially the poor and marginalized.

 

Civil Society Assessment of the 2004-2010 MTPDP

After 5 years of the implementation of the Arroyo administration’s Medium Term Development Plan (MTPDP) from 2004-2009 , the MTPDP has not resulted to (a) reduced inequality and poverty, (2) a sustainable economy, and (3) people empowerment and democratization.  Poverty incidence has increased even as economic growth benefited the richer 40% of the Filipinos, and the poor still have limited access to productive resources (farm land, fishing waters, etc.) and basic social services such as health.

Economic growth has not produced enough jobs and savings and investment rates remain low, which are all fundamental requirements for sustainable economic growth.  Bio-diversity and environmental sustainability are damaged by MTPDP strategies such as the promotion of mining and large-scale agri-business.

Also, the transparency of government transactions in various agencies has become more of a problem in the past years, affecting the capability of the people to effectively participate in democratic governance.

Thus, the MTPDP for 2004-2010 must be marked as having failed on these three developmet goals.

Civil Society Assessment of the 2004-2010 MTPDP

 Download a copy of the SUMMARY here

Download a copy of the FULL REPORT here

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