Development & Change Politics: strengthening civil society’s engagement in democratic reforms and electoral politics
CODE-NGO held the first of a series of Regional Development and Change Politics (DCP) Consultation Workshops in San Fernando City, Pampanga (for Central Luzon) last July 2 to July 4, 2009. These consultation workshops form part of CODE-NGO’s Development and Change Politics Project, with the support of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), which aims to strengthen civil society’s engagement in electoral politics and efforts to advance democratic reform and good governance in the country. The consultations with civil society leaders were meant to assess the relationship between development work, politics and governance in the country; define the principles and practice of changing this relationship to consolidate democratic gains and socio-economic reforms; review a draft reform agenda for Development and Change Politics and review the profiles and track record of presidential and senatorial candidates viz the draft reform agenda. Regional DCP consultations will also be held this July 2009 in Quezon City and in the cities of Davao, Zamboanga, Cebu and Calamba.
CODE-NGO held the first of a series of Regional Development and Change Politics (DCP) Consultation Workshops in San Fernando City, Pampanga (for Central Luzon) last July 2 to July 4, 2009. These consultation workshops form part of CODE-NGO’s Development and Change Politics Project, with the support of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), that aims to strengthen civil society’s engagement in electoral politics and efforts to advance democratic reform and good governance in the country.
In this Central Luzon DCP workshop, PAKISAMA National Coordinator Socrates Banzuela provided a national situationer and emphasized the relationship between development work, politics and governance in the country. CODE-NGO Chairperson Anna Marie Karaos introduced the practice and principles of changing this relationship to consolidate democratic gains and socio-economic reforms. CODE-NGO Executive Director Sixdon Macasaet presented the draft reform agenda for Development and Change Politics, while Change Politics Movement coordinator Pete Rahon presented the profiles and track record of presidential and senatorial candidates viz the draft reform agenda. A planning workshop was also held, with the participants forming 2 groups – those intending to go into partisan engagement who were briefed about the Change Politics Movement (CPM) and those who are into non-partisan engagement in the 2010 elections, who were oriented about Task Force 2010.
Participants at this workshop actively gave their insights and assessment of the issues presented by the facilitators and speakers, followed by a thorough discussion on the draft reform agenda and review of candidates’ profiles. The attendees of the workshop were also pleased that they were the first to participate in this national project that intends to tackle electoral, political, economic and social reform issues.
The rest of the series of Regional Development and Change Politics Consultation Workshops are scheduled in different parts of the country this July 2009:
Development & Change Politics Consultation – Western Mindanao (Zamboanga City) – July 9 to 11
Development & Change Politics Consultation – Mindanao (Davao City) – July 13 to 14
Development & Change Politics Consultation – Visayas (Cebu City) – July 16 to 17.
Development & Change Politics Consultation – Luzon (Quezon City) – July 17 to 18
For further information about DCP, e-mail caucus@codengo.org.