CIVIL SOCIETY-citizen participation in political processes
 arena of uncoerced collective action around shared
interests, purposes and values. In theory, its institutional
forms are distinct from those of the state, family and
market. Civil society commonly embraces a diversity of
spaces, actors and institutional forms, varying in their
degree of formality, autonomy and power. (LSE,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_society )
INTEREST GROUPS
Definition
 any group that, on the basis of one or more shared
attitudes, makes certain claim upon other groups in
society for the establishment, maintenance, or
enhancement of forms of behavior that are implied by the
shared attitudes
 organized organizations that engage in activity relative to
governmental decisions
 organizations that attempt to influence public policy
Characteristics
 formal structure of organization
 articulation & aggregation of interests
 acting within the political system
 influencing external power
 representation of political interests
 Lobbying
NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS (NGOs)
Definition
 non-membership organization formed for providing welfare
and development services to the poor
 private, non-profit, legal, small, focused
 usually works with peoples’ organizations (Pos)
Emergence
 fill a gap in the function of the government
 stimulating agent for community development
 creates opportunities for the politically marginalized to
become active participants in the socio-political processes
of society
Roles
 playing as an intermediary mechanism between those who
have power & those who have none
 lays as an alternative institutional setting to political
parties, articulating & aggregating socially relevant
interests
 supplements government’s social delivery mechanisms
 privatizes policy implementation
TYPOLOGY OF PHILIPPINE NGOs
1. DJANGOs (Development, Justice and Advocacy NGOs)
 commonly called development NGOs
 perform direct and indirect support service functions with
POs
2. FUNDANGOs (Funding agency NGOs or Philanthropic
Foundations)
 grant-giving organizations linked to grassroots
organizations through providing financial and other forms
of support
3. MUNGOs (Mutant NGOs)
 - largely composed of government-run NGOs that are
essentially extensions of the state or personal interests of
state actors
4. COME N’GOs (Fly-by-Night or paper NGOs)
 fly-by-night organizations that package proposals to attract
outside funding and promptly disappear with the funds.
CIVIL SOCIETY-citizen participation in political processes
 arena of uncoerced collective action around shared
interests, purposes and values. In theory, its institutional
forms are distinct from those of the state, family and
market. Civil society commonly embraces a diversity of
spaces, actors and institutional forms, varying in their
degree of formality, autonomy and power. (LSE,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_society )
INTEREST GROUPS
Definition
 any group that, on the basis of one or more shared
attitudes, makes certain claim upon other groups in
society for the establishment, maintenance, or
enhancement of forms of behavior that are implied by the
shared attitudes
 organized organizations that engage in activity relative to
governmental decisions
 organizations that attempt to influence public policy
Characteristics
 formal structure of organization
 articulation & aggregation of interests
 acting within the political system
 influencing external power
 representation of political interests
 Lobbying
NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS (NGOs)
Definition
 non-membership organization formed for providing welfare
and development services to the poor
 private, non-profit, legal, small, focused
 usually works with peoples’ organizations (Pos)
Emergence
 fill a gap in the function of the government
 stimulating agent for community development
 creates opportunities for the politically marginalized to
become active participants in the socio-political processes
of society
Roles
 playing as an intermediary mechanism between those who
have power & those who have none
 lays as an alternative institutional setting to political
parties, articulating & aggregating socially relevant
interests
 supplements government’s social delivery mechanisms
 privatizes policy implementation
TYPOLOGY OF PHILIPPINE NGOs
1. DJANGOs (Development, Justice and Advocacy NGOs)
 commonly called development NGOs
 perform direct and indirect support service functions with
POs
2. FUNDANGOs (Funding agency NGOs or Philanthropic
Foundations)
 grant-giving organizations linked to grassroots
organizations through providing financial and other forms
of support
3. MUNGOs (Mutant NGOs)
 - largely composed of government-run NGOs that are
essentially extensions of the state or personal interests of
state actors
4. COME N’GOs (Fly-by-Night or paper NGOs)
fly-by-night organizations that package proposals to attract
outside funding and promptly disappear with the funds
HISTORICAL CONTEXTUALIZATION OF PHILIPPINE CIVIL
SOCIETY
a. Intensifying Unrest, Alarming Protest: The Rise of
Militancy
 1960s: political and economic exploitation by the ruling
elite
 rapid mobilization of revolutionary mass organizations
 emergence of a movement for grassroots development
b. Repression, Co-optation: The Way to Innovation &
Expansion
 declaration of martial law in 1972
 Marcos dictatorship (failure to address problems of
development)
c. Assassination, Revolution: Towards Participation &
Democratization
 Ninoy Aquino assassination (1983) - “2nd wave of
activism”
 “People Power Revolution” (1986)
 1987 Constitution: encourages formation; support for
regional NGOs; respect of their role; right to participate in
decision making; consultation mechanisms
 1991 Local Government Code: NGOs as representatives
of peoples’ interests
d. Democratization Movements
 EDSA Dos – 2001
 Anti-Charter Change
CIVIL SOCIETY IN PHILIPPINE POLITICS
5 areas for NGO participation in electoral processes
1. advocacy for electoral reforms
2. the raising of political consciousness
3. advancement of the people’s platform or agenda in
elections
4. direct participation through the fielding of and campaigning
for chosen candidates
5. post-election activities
CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATION therefore..
 play an essential role in democratizing politics and
governance
 facilitate participation of the people in the policy-making
and execution process of government
 “key participant political force”
 role in enhancing democracy
 important institutional vehicles
 ability to influence
 As organizers: forming community & popular grassroots
organization
 As advocates: mobilizing, articulating people’s interests,
political demands, and institutional reforms
 As mediators: linking the powerful and disempowered
strata of the society
As deliverers: alternative mechanism for delivery of social
services
HISTORICAL CONTEXTUALIZATION OF PHILIPPINE CIVIL
SOCIETY
a. Intensifying Unrest, Alarming Protest: The Rise of
Militancy
 1960s: political and economic exploitation by the ruling
elite
 rapid mobilization of revolutionary mass organizations
 emergence of a movement for grassroots development
b. Repression, Co-optation: The Way to Innovation &
Expansion
 declaration of martial law in 1972
 Marcos dictatorship (failure to address problems of
development)
c. Assassination, Revolution: Towards Participation &
Democratization
 Ninoy Aquino assassination (1983) - “2nd wave of
activism”
 “People Power Revolution” (1986)
 1987 Constitution: encourages formation; support for
regional NGOs; respect of their role; right to participate in
decision making; consultation mechanisms
 1991 Local Government Code: NGOs as representatives
of peoples’ interests
d. Democratization Movements
 EDSA Dos – 2001
 Anti-Charter Change
CIVIL SOCIETY IN PHILIPPINE POLITICS
5 areas for NGO participation in electoral processes
1. advocacy for electoral reforms
2. the raising of political consciousness
3. advancement of the people’s platform or agenda in
elections
4. direct participation through the fielding of and campaigning
for chosen candidates
5. post-election activities
CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATION therefore..
 play an essential role in democratizing politics and
governance
 facilitate participation of the people in the policy-making
and execution process of government
 “key participant political force”
 role in enhancing democracy
 important institutional vehicles
 ability to influence
 As organizers: forming community & popular grassroots
organization
 As advocates: mobilizing, articulating people’s interests,
political demands, and institutional reforms
 As mediators: linking the powerful and disempowered
strata of the society
As deliverers: alternative mechanism for delivery of social
services