“BUILDING CAPACITIES OF COMMUNITIES TO COPE WITH GLOBALIZATION” A Philippine Capacity 2015 Proposal

Sustainable Development: The Contemporary Development Paradigm The contemporary view of development does not only want to see economic growth happen. More than economic development, we would want to see sustainable development. Both developments should mutually occur, because SD does not want economic stagnation. In essence, SD wants economic development and improved standard of living while maintaining environmental quality.

This concept takes environment and development as interdependent and integrated. They have to occur simultaneously and that economic development should not be allowed to happen at the expense of environmental quality. Hence, a development activity that would result to depletion of the country’s natural wealth is not within the context of the new development paradigm.

Development is more than growth or quantitative change, but primarily a change in quality. It is concerned with improving the well-being of the people, which include: (Guzman & Guzman, 2000) Raising living standards and improving education, health and equality of opportunity; Ensuring political and civil rights; and Widening the choices from which people can make decisions as far as their basic needs are concerned.

C.2 The Concept of Sustainable Development The concept of SD is an evolving one. There is no quick and fast rule towards SD because of its multi-dimensional and complex nature. The SD concept is therefore dynamic and adjusts to the changing conditions and needs of the time. However, whatever practices are made, these should be within the environment - friendly SD perspective. The Philippine Agenda 21 stipulates a vision for a better quality of life for all, through the development of a just, moral, creative, spiritual, economically vibrant, caring, diverse yet cohesive society characterized by appropriate productivity, participatory and democratic processes, and living in harmony within the limits of the carrying capacity of nature and the integrity of creation. (PA 21, Section 1.4, p.12)

C.4 Working Definitions for Sustainable Development The most recent initiative for promoting SD was the World Summit on Sustainable Development held at Johannesburg, South Africa from 2-4 September The challenges that were brought forward at the conference were overwhelming. These include poverty eradication, changing consumption and production patterns, and protecting and managing the natural resource base for economic and social development. These are requisites for SD. Some of the important political commitments made for SD to happen during that conference include:

The strong determination to ensure that our rich biodiversity will be used for a constructive partnership for change and for the achievement of the common goals of SD. For building human solidarity, every nation will promote dialogue and cooperation among the world’s civilizations and peoples, irrespective of race, disabilities, religion, language, culture and tradition. To speedily increase access to basic requirements such as clean water, sanitation, adequate shelter, energy, health care, food security and the protection of biodiversity. To do these, the world will work together to assist one another to have access to financial resources, benefit from the opening of markets, ensure capacity building, use modern technology to bring about development, and make sure that there is technology transfer, human resource development, education and training to resolve underdevelopment. Ensure that women’s empowerment and emancipation, and gender equality are integrated in all activities encompassed within Agenda 21, Millenium Development Goals and Johannesburg Plan of

Among the above concerns, the Philippine government made its commitment to pursue SD on the areas of Water, Energy, Health, Agriculture and Biodiversity (WEHAB).

Millenium Development Goals Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger –halve the ;proportion of people living in extreme poverty between 1990 and 2015 –halve the proportion of population below level of dietary energy consumption and halve the proportion of underweight children (under 2 years old) Achieved universal access to primary education –Achieve universal access to primary education by 2015

Promote gender equity and empower women –eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005 and in all levels of education no latrer than 2015 Reduce child mortality –reduce children under-five mortality rate oby two- thirds by 2015 Improve maternal health –reduce maternal mortality rate by three quarters by 2015 (half by 2000, half by 2015)

–Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases –increase access to reproductive health services to 60 percent by 2005, 80 per cent by 2010 and 100 percent by –Halt and reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS by –Have halved by 2015, and began to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases

–Ensure Environmental Sustainability –Implement national strategies for sustainable development by 2005, to reverse loss of environmental resources by 2015 –By to have achieved a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers –Halve the proportion of people with no access to safe drinking water or those who cannot afford it by –Halve the proportion of people with no access to safe drinking water or those who cannot afford it by 2015

–Develop a global partnership for development –Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable non-discriminatory trading and financial system, include a commitment to good governance, development and poverty reduction-both nationally and internationally.

“BUILDING CAPACITIES OF COMMUNITIES TO COPE WITH GLOBALIZATION” A Philippine Capacity 2015 Proposal 9 August 2004 Sulo Hotel, Quezon City

BACKGROUND According to the recent UN Common Country Assessment: * The poverty situation continues to be serious. * The country’s environment & natural resources on w/c 2/3 of the population depend, continue to be degraded. * Globalization is providing both opportunities & risks.

Background con’t… * Globalization has ushered a new context & connectivity among actors & activities. * SMEs,comprising 99% of enterprises & providing 76% of labor force has been recognized as a “potent force in the war against poverty”. * However, they only currently contribute 33% to total economic output because of:

Background con’t.. a.) limited access to credit. b.) underdeveloped sources of raw materials. c.) limited access to modernizing technology. d.) lack or low level of market information. *SMEs’ unsustainable practices not only undermine their productivity, but also result in damage to the environment & adverse social impacts.

Background con’t… * The optimal functioning of SMEs is dependent on a conducive policy environment, proper provision of delivery of basic services & presence of critical infrastructure. * LGUs, through good governance, facilitate the provision of the above. * As a capacity building agent and repository of technical information & knowledge, the Academe provides the manpower & technical assistance direly needed by SMEs.

THE PROPOSAL Objective: Strengthen key factors that catalyze the sustainable development of communities e.g. partnerships among and capacities of the key actors at the local level-SMEs,LGUs & the Academe.

WHY SMEs * Free enterprises are the drivers of economic growth. * Wealth creation by local SMEs simultaneously address wealth & disparity issues. * SMEs empower local people through control & ownership of & benefits from productive dev’t., as well as, facilitate a high degree of participatory dev’t. * SMEs w/c are locally initiated & managed are more likely to be socially acceptable & culturally valid.

* Negative environmental impacts are more immediately felt & corrected at local levels. * Facilitating investment flows to local areas moderate the centrifugal flow of natural,financial & human resources to centers. * With ICT, technical &market information are easier to provide to local SMEs.

The Proposed Methodology *Preparatory Assistance (PA) to undertake extensive consultations among stakeholders, experts and other interested parties to determine the elements, scope and methodology for the full blown project.

*PA to generate criteria to determine candidate sites & their rapid assess- ment in terms of conditions,gover- nance structures & inter-actions. * PA to catalyze mechanism building& strengthening of linkages among prospective partners.

* PA to result in development of a Project Document (ProDoc).

Proposed PA Activities Activity 1: Project scope determination & formulation of site selection criteria. Activity 2: Data gathering site selection. Activity 3: Needs assessment for capacity building of critical stakeholders. Activity 4: Mechanism building/ strengthening

Activity 5: Develop Project Document Activity 6: Foster partnerships/networks.

Proposed Duration Nine (9) months from start of PA