1

CIVIL SOCIETY
AND
SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
AGBAYANI, FRONDA, GUANSING, MANALO, ROLLOQUE
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ACCORDING TO

B R AT TO N ( 1 9 9 1 ) Serrano Silliman and Noble

(1994) (1998)
“Civil society “The State
was the arena represents the “Civil society
for organizing structures of
governance, governance and is the
material Civil Society “politically
activities, and creates the
intellectual, values and active popular
moral, and normative sector” of
cultural aspects framework for
of governance.” society.”
communities.”
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Constituting the most
powerful sector of
civil society is the
traditionally land-
based agro-exporting
oligarchy whose most
aggressive members
would later diversity
i n t o t h e c o u n t r y ’s
highly protected and
oligopolized business
s e c t o r.
The various churches, 4

with the Catholic

church as preeminent,
represent a second
enduring layer of civil
s o c i e t y. W i t h i t ’s
national network of
parishes and lay
activists, educational
institutions, media
outlets and various
property holdings
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Another influential
layer of civil
society revolves
around a large
grouping of mass
media enterprises
and practitioners
representing
diverse economic
and political
interests.
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The most vibrant

aspect of civil
society lies in a
dynamic
community of
people’s
organizations and
developmental
nongovernmental
organizations.
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Three articles to provide for the institutionalization of the roles of NGOs
and POs in Philippine Development

Article II Article XIII Article XIII

Section 23 Section 15 Sect ion 16
The State shall The right of the people
The State shall respect the role of and their organizations
encourage independent people’s to effective and
nongovernmenta organizations to reasonable participation
enable the people to at all levels of social,
l, community- pursue and protect, political, and economic
based, or within the democratic decision-making shall
sectoral framework, their not be abridged. The
organizations legitimate and State shall, by law,
that promote the collective interests facilitate the
and aspirations establishment of
welfare of the through peaceful and adequate consultation
nation. lawful means. mechanisms.
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FIRST, NGOs emerged out SECOND, foreign THIRD, NGOs expanded

of the various social
movements that sought to
transform Philippine society.
Social movements are
“collective challenges by
people with common
purpose and in solidarity in
sustained interaction with
elites, opponents, and
authorities.” (Tarrow, 1994)
funding and exponentially during the
presidency of Corazon Aquino.
institutional support Two factors explain this
from foreign growth of NGOs during this
organizations and period – Aquino government’s
external networks were policy preference for NGOs
and policy of channeling
also linked to the
financial resources to
proliferation of NGOs grassroots and grassroots
in the country. supports.

T H R E E FA C TO R S A R E W O R T H M E N T I O N I N G
I N E X P L A I N I N G T H E P R O L I F E R AT I O N O F
NGOs IN THE PHILIPPINES.
FIRST, NGOs emerged out
of the various social
movements that sought to
transform Philippine
society. Social movements
are “collective challenges by
people with common
purpose and in solidarity in
sustained interaction with
elites, opponents, and
authorities.” (Tarrow, 1994)
The nat-dems and the soc-dems of the9
Philippines Left also formed their own
groups to support their respective
advocacies.
The women’s movement, was also linked
to the emergence of NGOs which focusing
on women’s issues and concerns. These
group include the General Assembly
Binding Women for Reforms, Integrity,
Equality, eadership and Action
(GABRIELA).
Other organizations emerged out of the
environmental movement. Including,
Philippine Environmental Action Network
(PEAN).
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SECOND, foreign funding
and institutional support
from foreign organizations
and external networks were
also linked to the
proliferation of NGOs in
the country
“BLUEPRINT”
“ROLLING BACK THE
STATE”
”GOOD
GOVERNANCE”
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THIRD, NGOs expanded
exponentially during the
presidency of Corazon
Aquino. Two factors
explain this growth of THE RECOGNITION AND
NGOs during this period – ENCOURAGEMENT OF NGOS
Aquino government’s BY THE STATE AS PROMOTING
policy preference for NGOs THE WELFARE OF THE
and policy of channeling NATION.
financial resources to
grassroots and grassroots
supports.
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PHILIPPINE NGOs HAVE A C C O R D I N G TO

SUCCESSFULLY M E L E G R I TO A N D M E N D O Z A
POSITIONED ( 1 9 9 9 ) , N G O S H AV E
THEM SELVES AS “KEY B E C O M E I M P O R TA N T
PARTICIPANT POLITICAL INSTITUTIONAL VEHICLES
FOR MOBILIZING,
FORCE” ESPECIALLY IN
A R T I C U L AT I N G , A N D
ENHANCING A G G R E G AT I N G P E O P L E ’ S
DEMOCRACY IN THE INTERESTS AND POLITICAL
COUNTRY. DEMANDS.
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