Aurora Reyes Chavez delivered the Chairperson’s Report, narrating the accomplishments of CODE-NGO and its member networks and ways forward. Below is the transcription of her speech:

“Our work for the year 2020 began with facing the challenges brought about by the global COVID-19 pandemic. According to the survey jointly conducted by CODE-NGO and the Partnership for Philippine Support Service Agencies (PHILSSA), eight out of every 10 CSO-respondents said that the COVID-19 pandemic and community quarantine in 2020 affected its services, operations, and resource mobilization.

CODE-NGO and its member networks were certainly not spared. So, we immediately responded to the needs of our MNs by extending financial support for their core operations, salaries of staff and support to their families, COVID-19 response, etc.

Beginning in March, the Board met monthly to keep each other abreast of the situation. Our Regional DRRM Coordination Hubs met weekly to share their COVID-19 needs assessment, response updates, good practices, and lessons. We also conducted a quick survey with MNs and reviewed various national and international studies as well. All of those informed our revised plan for the second half of the year.

2020 was indeed a turbulent year, but light flickered in the darkness through what we have accomplished. Public policies and programs were adopted and implemented as a result of our advocacy work in the Philippine Open Government Partnership, with the DBM on digital information for monitoring and evaluation, and with the Cooperative Development Authority on business continuity planning.

On Sept. 21, 2020, we filed the 36th petition to the Supreme Court questioning the Constitutionality of the Philippine Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 (ATA) with three other national networks of organizations. We called the administration for transparency, accountability, and prudent utilization of public funds to address the pandemic; for peace and protection of the civil society sector from the dangerous provisions of the ATA; and for freedom of the press in the service of the people’s right to know.

We applauded our MNs for their advocacy work and service delivery. Examples are the inclusion of cooperatives in new legislations; WASH in conflict-areas and youth development in Mindanao; mental health and wellness; NGO transparency; citizen monitoring and local governance; CSO participation and the DRRM Law; advocacy related to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao; coalition building for social protection; and children’s rights against extrajudicial killings.

We continued to innovate by raising the business sector’s awareness of open government, and by training our MNs on emerging issues and tools like open contracting, data visualization, and risk mitigation related to the ATA. We also forged new partnerships with the following organizations – International Center for Not-for-Profit Law; TrustLaw; Philippine Misereor Partnership Inc. (PMPI); Disaster Risk Reduction Network Philippines (DRRNet PH); Initiatives for Dialogue and Empowerment through Alternative Legal Services (IDEALS), and others. Finally, we managed to end the year 2020 in positive financial results – an excess of receipts over expenses of Php 1.7M.

The Mid-term Assessment of the CODE-NGO Strategic Plan 2018-2022 was recently concluded. In the remaining years of implementing the Strategic Plan, we will synergize our advocacy plans towards what must unite us rather than divide us. These are: the COVID-19 recovery of our sector, the 2022 National Elections, DRRM and Climate Change Adaptation, and protection of our civic spaces. We will restart the work of improving the public image of CSOs. We will revisit and recommit ourselves to what gave birth to CODE-NGO 30 years ago – our Basis of Unity: the Covenant on Philippine Development and Code of Conduct. We will explore innovative models and strategies to generate resources. Lastly, we will improve internal systems, structure, and policies towards sustainability.

In a time when we are physically distant from each other and from the communities we serve, let us bond through our collective purpose, determination, and strength. There is power in that kind of connection. And knowing fully well the opportunities that are in front of us, we can take heart unwaveringly, speak up solidly, and face obstacles unitedly. Others will see, and they will follow. As a result, we can support the efforts of our stakeholders to overcome this crisis.

Dios Mabalos!”