PHILSSA’s 24^th General Assembly and Learning Sessions

Rhea Kristine Aguilar

“PHILSSA and its member NGOs should always work together in the forefront of social development”. This was the challenge posed by Ms. Vicky Segovia, Partnership of Philippine Support Service Agencies‘ (PHILSSA) Vice- Chairperson to the network’s members during PHILSSA’s 24^th General Assembly and Learning Sessions held last May 7-8, 2014 at the Audio Visual Room of the Social Development Complex in Ateneo de Manila University. PHILSSA has been consistently conducting this annual gathering of its members for the past 24 years to strengthen partnerships and camaraderie among its member non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

The two-day activity started with the Learning Session on the Bottom-up Budgeting/Grassroots Participatory Budgeting (BuB/GPB). Mr. Glenn Miranda of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) presented an overview of the budget process with focus on areas for CSO engagement. He also discussed the difference between the budget process in the previous and current administrations, emphasizing that the budget process now has become more transparent and has provided more opportunities for civil society organization (CSO) engagement.  Mr. Richard Villacorte of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) then gave a presentation on the BuB/GPB process. He encouraged the participants to be actively involved in these processes and to ensure that their beneficiaries and partners should be capacitated on how to bring their respective advocacies in the BuB CSO Assembly.

CSO experiences on their actual engagement in the BuB/GPB were also shared by Mr. Sixto Donato C. Macasaet of CODE-NGO and Ms. Jessica Amon of Community Organizers Multiversity (COM). Both of them shared that belief that the BuB is an effective way to strengthen local CSO networks, to form alliances on the ground and to build poverty reduction and development agenda. However, there is still a great need for the CSOs to be capacitated to be able to understand the process and to develop and advocate for an evidenced based plan. Weaknesses in the process were also mentioned such as the lack of time to conduct the whole process and the unclear criteria for the identification of CSOs and for the prioritization of projects.

In closing, Dr. Anna Marie Karaos summed up the highlights of the learning session. She pointed out the call for PHILSSA as a network to address the different needs of the members in terms of BuB engagement. It should look on how it will harvest the learning of those who have already been engaged and how it will  share these lessons to those who are still planning to engage.

On the second day, a Forum on Multi-stakeholder Partnerships for Disaster Resilient Communities was held. This was a public forum attended not only by PHILSSA members but also selected partner people’s organizations and other CSOs. A general update on the Yolanda rehabilitation, recovery and reconstruction efforts was presented by USEC Danilo Antonio of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery (OPARR). He discussed the functions of OPARR and the importance of proper coordination among all stakeholders in emergency response and rehabilitation work. 

Good practices on DRRM-CCA were also shared by the Quezon City Government, Aksyon sa Kahandaan sa Kalamidad at Klima (AKMMA) and the Palawan Advocates for Good Governance and Empowerment (PAGE). Their presentations showed that the local government unit (LGU), people’s organization (PO) and NGO sectors have their own way of contributing to disaster response and resilience building. 

Mr. Roby Alampay of Interaksyon TV5 then shared that the media, too has a crucial role in disaster response. Preparedness has become part of the media’s vocabulary. He called for stronger partnerships among CSOs, the public and other groups towards disaster resiliency.

Finally, Mr. Ermin Pimentel gave the forum synthesis noting that everyone has a role to play in disaster response and resiliency building. PHILSSA as a network needs to coordinate the members’ efforts and engagements in DRRM-CCA.

In the afternoon, the PHILSSA members convened again for the business meeting. The network’s accomplishments for 2013 were reported by PHILSSA Chairperson, Rosemarie Herrera, while the financial report was presented by Mr. Rodrigo Olarte, Jr, Board Treasurer. There have already been milestones achieved in terms of the key result areas identified in PHILSSA’s strategic plans such as good NGO governance, network sustainability and multi-stakeholder partnerships and urbanization policy advocacy. Discussion on organizational matters, issues and resolutions were also done. The business meeting ended with the election of the new set of PHILSSA Board as follows:

            Chairperson: Rosemarie Herrera (HEALTHDEV)

            Vice Chairperson: Victoria Segovia (PCA)

            Secretary: Dr. Anna Marie Karaos (JJCICSI)

            Treasurer: Rodrigo Olarte Jr. (KPS-Seed)

            Esperanza Abellana    (FTCP)

            Cristita Epal (BABA’s Foundation)

            Sarah Redoblado (ALTERPLAN)

Rodrigo Olarte Sr. (KPS Foundation)

            Nestor Banuag (KKP-SIP)

            Ann Gladys Ponteras (BALAYAN)

            Michael Cagulada (GROUP)

            Doris Melgar (KAFCODE)

            Primo Lamela (AKASAKA-SUGBU)

Rhea Kristine Aguilar is the Membership Officer of Partnership of Philippine Support Service Agencies (PHILSSA).