The civil society organizations (CSO) sector plays a critical role in addressing the historical and existing social inequalities exacerbated in a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite health risks and community quarantine restrictions, CSOs persevered, adapted, and innovated to provide emergency response and services to vulnerable communities in 2020 and 2021. However, the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted CSOs likewise, causing the sector to struggle to recover or survive, in some cases, to continue its operations, employment of its staff, and programs and services in partner communities. Hence, the CSO sector must forward its own agenda to address its needs for immediate recovery and the continuation of its development work.

In 2020, the General Assembly of CODE-NGO urged CODE-NGO to monitor, study, and address the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on CSOs in the Philippines. In response, two CODE-NGO member networks, the Association of Foundations and the Partnership of Philippine Support Agencies, and the CODE-NGO Secretariat conducted two similar but separate researches. The findings indicate that at least seven out of every 10 Philippine CSOs’ management, staffing, and office operations were negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Their communications, civic engagement, and civic spaces were also impacted.

Based on the research findings, the identified next steps were to network and engage with the government, private sector, donor institutions, and other stakeholders to get needed support and partnerships to sustain CSOs’ work on local social and economic development.

We present the following agenda to the government, private sector, media groups, academe, development partners, and other CSOs with the aim that they will adopt or support specific provisions herein to assist the CSO sector.

Download the COVID-19-Recovery-Agenda-for-PH-CSO-Sector

The development of our COVID-19 Recovery Agenda is supported by the French Development Agency (AFD) and FORUS.