CODE-NGO, with its 6 national and 6 regional networks representing more than 1,600 development NGOs, people’s organizations (POs) and cooperatives nationwide is in solidarity with our fellow Filipinos during this time of crisis. We recognize indeed that the COVID-19 pandemic creates an emergency situation and the enhanced community quarantine in the whole of Luzon and in parts of Visayas and Mindanao forces all of us to a new reality today. We value our member networks and their member organizations, the CSO community and the communities they serve, and so in this new normal we network, empower, and transform our society today.

Our Board of Trustees have met on March 31, 2020 and agreed that the network will answer the call of the times to respond the COVID-19 crisis. At the onset of the Metro Manila quarantine, several of our members and partner CSOs have already initiated various efforts in fundraising, relief distribution, awareness-raising and community assessments among other activities (list of activities are here). These efforts aim to contribute to the government’s efforts to “flatten the curve” and stop the spread of the virus by communicating the importance of observing basic health precautions such as staying at home and frequent handwashing and answering to basic and financial needs of the most vulnerable communities.

We have activated our DRRM Regional Coordination Hubs in several regions to coordinate member’s responses, support awareness-raising and risk communications to members and most vulnerable among our partner communities. We will facilitate information exchange for solutions that work across Hubs and to the LGUs that they engage with.

Together with the PMPI (formerly Philippine Misereor Partnership now called Partnership Mission for People’s Initiative), we support the calls for government to provide social protection and safety nets for the most vulnerable:

• Subsidy (financial or in kind) to support the basic needs of the poorest in the communities
• Ensure the protection of the frontline health workers by providing them the necessary personal protective equipment (PPEs) and our public hospitals with ventilators and other equipment
• Free testing of all PUIs, PUMs and frontline health workers and the indigents as well as health benefits when confined
• For government and business to continue providing free transportation for frontline workers
• For clearer directives and guidance from the national down to the local and ensure that the team in the barangays are equipped to help in monitoring and reporting of cases.

Together with advocates of transparency and accountability, we call for the prudent utilization of national and local public funds to address the pandemic, with focus on providing safety nets for the most vulnerable. Emergency procurement and negotiated bidding will definitely be called for in this time of exigency, but these processes should not sacrifice openness, efficiency and effectiveness.

We will recognize and commend LGUs and national government bodies which are leading the way in finding solutions and filling in the gaps in pandemic response. But we will also call out abuse of power and privileges among government officials, as these are extremely uncalled for in this time of crises. We must direct our focus in the immediate arrest of the virus and in upholding and protecting human rights, especially that the state has emergency powers now.

Finally, we would like to see our country succeed in controlling the spread of the virus, in saving lives and in providing safety nets for the most vulnerable from the impacts of this health pandemic.  From within our capacities, let us aim to support efforts of all stakeholders – affected communities, civil society, government, business, media and academe – from local to national levels to overcome this crisis. We aim to win over this crisis through peaceful, participatory and empowering means.