CODE-NGO held its Social Development Week (SocDev2021) from May 25 to 27, 2021 via Zoom. With the theme: “Network, Empower, Transform: Our Response to Effective Social Change,” #SocDev2021 offered CODE-NGO members, partners, and the wider CSO a week of learning and influencing with new ways to network, empower, and transform towards achieving effective social change.

The first e-Talk session during the week was “Protecting Civic Space and Localizing Leadership in the Time of the Pandemic”, which highlighted various threats and challenges brought by the pandemic to communities, and the many ways that non-government organizations and people’s organizations dealt with those, given their contexts.

Two studies were presented to better understand the impact of the pandemic on the affected sectors and communities. Francis Capistrano, Head of Experimentation of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Philippines’ Accelerator Lab, presented the findings of the COVID-19 PH Pulse Survey, a study commissioned by UNDP and the Zero Extreme Poverty 2030 Movement that used the innovative Messenger chatbots to gather data from poor households. The study validated the negative effects of the pandemic, such as income loss, food insecurity, and a rise in poverty.

Benedict Balderrama, National Coordinator of the Partnership of Philippine Support Service Agencies (PHILSSA), in turn, discussed the results of the survey “Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Implementation of the Government-Mandated Community Quarantine on Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the Philippines”. He mentioned that the pandemic affected most CSOs’ program and project implementation, management, staffing, and operations, funding and resource mobilization. Quarantine protocols impacted on their participation in civic actions on local and national issues. CSOs said they would need help, like – (a) assistance in accessing and mobilizing resources, (b) wellness and mental health, and psychosocial support, and (c) support in developing service continuity plans and restart protocols. Both speakers emphasized the importance of multistakeholder partnerships and local convergence in addressing the COVID-19’s effects and challenges

Following the presentation of the studies, key NGO and PO leaders discussed their coping strategies. Ms. Maricel Genzola, Executive Director of the Foundation for the Development of the Urban Poor (FDUP), highlighted some of their major interventions to promote their welfare and protect civic space during the pandemic, such as the distribution of food packs, wellness and hygiene kits; financial assistance to their partner communities, select COVID-19 patients and their families, and the front line workers.  They also utilized social media for effective communication and coordination with partner communities, NGOs and shelter agencies; and created the “Quarantine Vlog”, an online space where community members could share their experiences and coping mechanisms in these challenging times.

In Mindanao, Rodrigo Olarte Jr, Executive Director of KPS-SEED Microfinance Incorporated, shared strategies to mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic on their microfinance services and social enterprises. He emphasized two key points – “(1) we need to be more open with our members and partners about the real situation, and (2) we must take care of our employees and staff as they serve as the frontliners of these situations” – in order to harmoniously work together to address the challenges.

Among people’s organizations, Cipriano Fampulme, National Convenor of the Aksyon sa Kahandaan sa Kalamidad at Klima (AKKMA), shared their community-led response to COVID-19 prevention. Their goal is to develop adaptive, resilient, and well-informed communities that are adhere to health management protocols. Community education on prevention measures, assistance in COVID-19 affected areas; participatory consultation for community decisions; and local messaging for contact tracing were some interventions they carried out in the communities.

Then, Abdulnasser Binasing, Executive Director of Tiyakap Kalilintad, a people’s organization based in Maguindanao, shared their experiences of how they coped with the pandemic while experiencing peace and conflict issues in their areas. He emphasized that their organization must consider its most vulnerable members during times of crisis.

Altogether, the session showed how the power of networking and empowerment of disadvantaged and vulnerable sectors and partner communities could help them thrive amid a changing environment. This e-Talk session was co-organized by the Partnership of Philippine Support Service Agencies (PHILSSA), a member network of CODE-NGO which works for urban development in the country.

Watch the full session here.