CSOs Shaping Peace and Resilience

Kasali ka, Sumali ka! Social Development Celebration 2014

More than 200 civil society organization (CSO) leaders convened last December 3-5, 2014 at the annual Kasali Ka, Sumali Ka! Social Development Celebration (SDC) of the Caucus of Development NGO Networks (CODE-NGO) held at the SMX Convention Centre, SM Lanang, Davao City.

Co-hosted by the Mindanao Coalition of Development NGO Networks (MINCODE), the SDC also served as the 18th General Assembly of CODE-NGO’s 12 member networks (MNs) which represent more than 2,000 development NGOs, people’s organizations, and cooperatives all over the Philippines.

In line with the theme of the celebration, “From South to North and from Bottom Up: CSOs Shaping Peace and Resilience”, the SDC focused on the role of CSOs in promoting peace in Mindanao and disaster-preparedness around the country.  The theme illustrates that CODE-NGO’s work as a national coalition of CSOs are grounded on and arising from the initiatives and lessons of its members at the local levels. Its focus on the twin issues of peace and resilience are timely, now that the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) has been signed and the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) is being deliberated upon in Congress, and it has been a year after typhoon Yolanda, when lessons should have informed and should be informing Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) efforts of various stakeholders. 

The 3-day SDC2014 event opened in the evening of December 3 with a “Welcome Dinner and Mindanao Night” that featured the colorful dance and musical traditions of Mindanao. Ms. Alma de la Paz, MINCODE Vice-Chairperson, delivered the opening remarks, while Davao City Councilor Mabel Acosta welcomed the delegates to the city. The Kaliwat Performing Artists Collective rendered creative dance presentations of the various cultures in Mindanao which was the highlight of the evening.

On December 4, Ms. Patricia Sarenas, CODE-NGO Chairperson, in her welcome message, called for the need to heed the signs of the times in terms of climate change and peace advocacy. The succeeding forums demonstrated how CSOs shape peace and resilience, as expressed in the event theme. Sec. Teresita Deles, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), in her keynote message, presented a national situationer on the peace process and prospects and challenges for CSOs on the Bangsamoro. At the plenary session, Bangsamoro Transition Committee (BTC) Chair Mohagher Iqbal tackled the historical development of the peace process in Mindanao, their vision for the Bangsamoro and its importance in paving a road to peace for Mindanao and the nation. Dr. Gemma Narisma of the Manila Observatory, on the other hand, discussed the critical role of CSOs in helping build disaster-resilient communities and the importance of linking with the scientific community on this effort. This was followed by a press conference with the CODE-NGO and MINCODE representatives and local media partners in Davao City.

After the plenary discussions, six simultaneous learning sessions were conducted which were organized by CODE-NGO member networks and partners, as follows:  

• Peace within Reach: Dialogues / Conversations on the Bangsamoro Struggle and the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, by the CODE-NGO Decentralized Governance Project
• Community-based Peace-Building by Balay Mindanaw Foundation
• Shari’a Compliant Social Enterprise for Peace Building by the Al Qalam Institute and the Peace & Equity Foundation
• Lessons from Yolanda: Creating the Regional DRRM Coordination Hubs by the CODE-NGO Advancing CSO Engagement in DRRM-CCA (ACED) Project
• Angat Calamianes: A Multi-stakeholder Partnership Model for Yolanda Rehabilitation and Resilience, by PHILSSA, and
• Volunteering for Humanitarian Emergencies, by CODE-NGO and VOICE Network-Mindanao.

After the learning sessions, CODE-NGO called its coalition members and partner organizations to support the “Davao Declaration on Peace and Resilience,” to signify the coalition and its members’ commitment to:

• Campaign for the immediate passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) that is faithful to the Comprehensive Agreement for the Bangsamoro (CAB);
• Support the success of the Bangsamoro after its creation, and monitor the faithful implementation of the development plans for sustained peace and growth in the area;
• Mainstream DRR-CCA initiatives in CSOs’ programs and in their advocacies and engagement with local and national governments; and
• Lead the creation of Regional DRRM Coordination Hubs among its member networks, which will support inter-network learning exchanges on and advocacy for responsive DRR-CCA during ‘peace’ times, and effective CSO coordination of humanitarian emergency initiatives in times of disasters.

The Commitment and Affirmation Rites to seal the Davao Declaration followed, before Ms. Emelina Santos, CODE-NGO Board Member, delivered the closing message which emphasized leveraging on positive Filipino values (being helpful, having a sense of responsibility, creativity) to help lessen vulnerabilities, be stronger and bounce back from challenges.

On December 5, “CSO Conversations” or informal discussions on current development issues opened the day. Among the topics discussed were:

• Recent NGO Regulations on Taxation: Boon or bane for CSOs, the recent taxation regulations imposed on NGOs, with resource person Ms. Susan Tusoy of BIR Region 11;
• Spaces for CSOs in ASEAN Integration, the role of the CSOs in the ASEAN integration by 2015, framed by Mr. Dante Dalabajan of Oxfam Mindanao
• The People’s Fund Bill: Will the BIR give funds to CSOS?, the People’s Fund Bill, a bill seeking to establish a mechanism to allow taxpayers to allocate 5% of their annual income tax to charitable organizations or NGOs of their choice, with Mr. Dodo Macasaet of CODE-NGO as resource person
• SD2015 Philippines: One Year Left for Post-2015 Agenda Setting, the Post-2015 Development Agenda or the successor agenda to the Millennium Development Goals, with inputs from Chairperson Patricia Sarenas and Advocacy Officer Jet Pacapac of CODE-NGO, who both just came from the CSO global conversations on Post-2015 agenda at the Civicus’ International Civil Society Week;
• People Empowerment: Affirming CSOs Role in Local Governance, the Empowerment Ordinance or efforts of CSOs to set up local people’s councils, with Mr. Greg Fernandez of NEGORNET and Ms. Janette Corona of BANGON – sharing their local experiences on the subject, and
• Through the eyes of our stakeholders: an audience-centric approach to NGO communications, how CSOs can more effectively share about the value of their work and contributions in social development to mainstream and social media, with Ms. Cecile Dominguez of Evident as resource person. 

Updates on the Bottom-up Budgeting were shared by Mr. Sandino Soliman, Advocacy Officer of CODE-NGO Citizen’s Monitoring of LGU Performance (CML) Project, prior to the Business Meeting of the CODE-NGO 18th General Assembly in the afternoon.

Photos of the SDC2014 may be viewed from this link:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.894278243939668.1073741870.150212781679555&type=1

Presentation slides during the plenary and learning sessions may be downloaded from the link:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8027prpx3endcgb/AAACoDtWnCoyQIX9P8vZJFgqa?dl=0