Decentralization and political participation in the Philippines: experiences and issues in societal transformation

Decentralization and the development of civil society are two key ways of empowering people and communities and changing centralised forms of governance. This paper describes the rise of NGOs in the Philippines and decentralization initiatives of the Aquino administration. Collaboration between NGOs and local government units are critically examined and their impact on governance and community empowerment. Finally, the authors propose a number of policy recommendations.