1. Programme Identification Details (Table 1)
GTF Number / GTF-222Short Title of Programme / Institutionalising Local and National Partnerships to Address Urban Poverty and Homelessness in the Philippines
Name of lead institution: / Partnership of Philippine Support Service Agencies (PHILSSA)
Start date: / 02/09/2008
End date: / 30/06/2012
Amount of DFID Funding: / One million two hundred sixty-six thousand and three hundred seventy British Pounds
(1,266,370.00 GBP)
Amount of overall Project Funding including DFID Funding: / One million two hundred sixty-six thousand and three hundred seventy British Pounds
(1,266,370.00 GBP)
Amount of counterpart funds and resources that will be leveraged by the project will be added later
Brief Summary of Programme: / The Partnership of Philippine Support Service Agencies (PHILSSA) aims to institutionalise local and national partnerships to address urban poverty and homelessness in the Philippines. It will be implemented by a network of local implementing partners in the Philippines in 4 urban areas. The aim is to improve access to services, reduce poverty and homelessness through multi-stakeholder partnerships and influence policy.
The project will strengthen urban poor federations in the city and national levels, commission relevant researches, build consensus, develop appropriate city development and shelter strategies, advocate changes in policies and practice, and document experiences and learning as we respond to issues of urban development. The project will produce functioning local and national partnerships of Government, urban poor groups and the private sector. It will also provide legal and technical assistance to communities towards security of tenure and access to services.
1.1 List of Acronyms
DFID / Department for International Development
GTF / Governance and Transparency Fund
HUDCC / Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council
IA / Implementing Agencies
KPMG / DFID GTF Fund Manager
LHB / Local Housing Board
M & E / Monitoring and Evaluation
MTPDP / Medium –Term Philippine Development Program
NCR / National Capital Region
NGO / Non-Government Organisation
NPS / National Programme Secretariat
NSO / National Statistics Office
PHILSSA / Partnership of Philippine Support Service Agencies
PO / People’s Organisation
PSC / Programme Steering Committee
PWG / Programme Working Group
RPS / Regional Programme Secretariat
TLC / Triple Line Consulting
UDHA / Urban Development and Housing Act
UP-ALL / Urban Poor Alliance
UPC / Urban Poor Colloquium
VMG / Vision-Mission-Goals
2. Context Statement
Ever Increasing Poverty in the Philippines
According to Santos of NSO, at least one-third of the Filipino people are poor and the number of poor is growing faster than the population. Government data showed that 28 million people, about a third of the population, were subsisting on less than P40 per day in 2006, up by 16 percent from 2003. (Malaya, Feb. 2009).
In Metro Manila alone, more than 50% of its 11 million population live in slums or depressed areas and the number is steadily growing. Based on national statistics on poverty incidence estimates, in urban areas the number of families increase by 23.6 % as compared to 10.4 % in rural areas (NSO, 2000).
Rapid Urbanization and Urban Migration
Due to unabated poverty incidence of 46.9 I rural areas (NSO, 2000), urban migration is a common occurrence. With the steady increase in urban population estimated to reach 56 million by 2010 and rapid urbanization will cause a great strain in the environmental, political and social urban systems. The urban poor will be the first to be affected by this situation, one evident effect in the urban centers is the existence of numerous slum communities – characterized by inaccessibility of basic services like shelter, water and health services for the urban poor.
Threats to the Urban Poor
The rapid urbanization is increasing the population density in the urban centers, pushing up the demand for land and consequently its price in the market. With the fast-paced development of real property and public infrastructure, the spaces of and for the urban poor, the slums and the informal settlements, are threatened with evictions and demolitions.
These threats of evictions and demolitions are threatening not just their security of tenure, but also their livelihood and employment, as well as their families and well-being. Resettlements are seldom in-city or near-city and thus will put them far from their sources of livelihood and income. Most of these areas lack the basic services for the health and education of the families, as well as the community utilities and facilities such as water, toilets and electricity.
Although a lot of efforts had been exerted in organizing the urban poor, these initiatives had never coped and caught up with the ever-increasing urban population. The urban poor sector is still largely unorganized and thus remained voiceless and powerless in the decision-making in urbanization and urban development discourse.
The years after the peaceful Philippine revolution of 1986 had opened spaces and opportunities for lobbying and advocacy for the basic sectors of society. In 1992, the urban poor federations and their support groups were able to campaign for the passage of Republic Act 7279 (the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992 or simply UDHA) which provided for an urban development and housing framework that emphasizes the rights of the urban poor and the need for social housing. However, the implementation of the law remains weak and the government has remained its biggest violator with numerous cases of illegal and inhumane evictions and failue to provide for social housing for the poor.
The threats to the urban poor and their security of tenure remains and intensifies.
Government Inability to provide housing for the Poor
The key government agencies concerned with housing are:
· Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council
· Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board
· Home Insurance Guarantee Corporation
· National Mortgage and housing Finance Corporation
· Social Housing Finance Corporation
· National Housing Authority.
There is also a Presidential Council for the Urban Poor under the Office of the President that deals with issues and concerns of the urban poor sector.
Based on the Medium Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) of the government, the housing need from 2005-2010 will reach 3.7 million. In the MTPDP, the government has targeted only a third of the housing need. However, government records also showed that only 29% of the target has been accomplished for socialized housing as of 2007 (HUDCC). This shows that the government cannot provide the needed demand for housing- financial and capacity wise.
Private Initiatives to Address the Housing Needs
There are also some private initiatives to addressing the housing backlog. Two of the biggest initiatives are those of Habitat for Humanity,and Gawad-Kalinga. Habitat for Humanity is an international volunteer-based initiative to provide housing for the poor. Gawad-Kalinga is a local initiative of a Catholic lay movement also to provide housing for the poor.
PHILSSA and UP-ALL
The Partnership of Philippine Support Service Agencies, Inc. (PHILSSA) is a national network of NGOs (47 as of present) focused on urbanization and urban development issues. Many members of PHILSSA are involved in urban community organizing, anti-eviction advocacy, resettlement planning, social housing, community social services, women issues, youth formation and many others.
PHILSSA was able to assist in the creation of Urban Poor Colloquium (UPC) of NGOs working on urban poor issues and the Urban Poor Alliance (UP-ALL), a national movement of NGOs and urban poor federations. Currently, PHILSSA serves as secretariat both of UPC and UP-ALL.
UP-ALL is currently involved in advocacy work on the following: 1) UDHA implementation for protection of the urban poor against illegal and inhumane evictions and promotion of their right to social housing; 2) provision of livable resettlement sites; 3) Increase of government financing for social housing like CISFA and improvement of CMP implementation; and 4) Implementation and expansion of Presidential Proclamation of Social Housing Sites.
UP-ALL has regional formations and city level PO federations nationwide. The regional formations are at the National Capital Region, Bicol-Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Urban Poor Alliance and PHILSSA hold the distinction of being in the forefront of the struggle of an inclusive, transformative, sustainable and equitable urbanization. Under its fold is the experience and wisdom of the past and the capability to maximize the present opportunities to continue the struggle of the urban poor.
Pilot Cities Identified for the DFID-GTF Project
Consultations with stakeholders were held to identify the pilot and partner cities for PHILSSA’s project with DFID-GTF. They are:
Regions / Pilot City / Partner CitiesNational Capital Region / Quezon City / Manila
Malabon City
Montalban
Luzon / Legazpi City / Naga City
Tabaco City
Visayas / Mandaue City / Cebu City
Toledo City
Mindanao / Davao City / General Santos City
Zamboanga City
Iligan City
3. Contribution to Governance and Transparency Framework
The programme will contribute primarily in the Responsiveness aspect of Governance, and to a certain degree also in the Accountability aspect.
In terms of outputs in GTF Programme Logframe, it will contribute to the two Responsiveness outputs, namely:
7. Responsiveness – Increased opportunities for people to influence and determine policy and legislation;
Our Indicator 5.1 , housing and development strategies we would help formulate in city and national level in consultation with stakeholders would contribute to GTF Programme Indicator 7.1 (Annual evidence of increased impact by pro-poor CSOs on Government in policy making and in the passing of legislation) as well as Indicator 7.3 (Percentage increase between 2009 and 2012 of new laws that as bills were accompanied by written technical analysis, opinion papers, and/or legislative study on the impact of such laws on poorer groups in society). We would be tracking how urban poor advocacy and the project researches impact on government policy in terms of laws and plans.
8. Responsiveness – Improved implementation of policies that are shaped to meet the articulated needs and provision of services for vulnerable and excluded groups;
Our indicator 6.1, pilot projects on improving security and tenure and access to community services, and 4.1, functional consultation and coordination mechanisms in city and national level with active participation of organized urban poor groups, would contribute to GTF Programme indicator 8.1 (Increase in vulnerable and excluded groups reporting enhanced access to and satisfaction with Government services and public goods between 2009 and 2012, as well as Indicator 8.2 (Number of actions which have contributed to pro-poor policies formulated and implemented increases between 2009 and 2012.)
and also this Accountability output:
4. Accountability – Increased access by citizens to the decision-making processes of government, parliaments or assemblies and greater impact on them;
Our Indicator 3.1, functional urban poor federations in cities and in the national level with strengthened capacity to demand rights of access to housing and community services would contribute to the GTF Programme Indicator 4,4 (Annual evidence of CSOs influencing Government policy decisions and strengthening the effectiveness of watchdog institutions, as well as in Indicator 4.5 (Annual evidence of progress in vulnerable people having a stronger organized voice in the passage and implementation of laws.
As well as in the GTF’s learning output:
9. GTF Grant holders have increased capacity to effectively monitor their own impact, learn lessons and disseminate evidence based findings to different audiences.
Our Indicator 7.1, sharing/ exchanges on the project experience and learnings, will contribute to GTF Programme Indicator 9.2 (Grantees are able to learn lessons from GTF grants and disseminate them to a wider audience of development partners.)
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4. Revised Logical Framework
Institutionalising Local and National Partnerships to Address Urban Poverty and Homelessness in the Philippines
Partnership of Philippine Support Service Agencies (PHILSSA)
GTF Number: GTF-222
NarrativeSummary / Verifiable Indicators / Means of Verification / Important AssumptionsGoal:
1. Improved access to housing and community services for the urban poor in the Philippines /
- There is minimal national data on urban poverty and homelessness.
- The project will demonstrate pilot projects and improvements in the 4 pilot cities.
Purpose:
2. To develop and implement partnership models for the improvement of access to housing and community services for the urban poor in 4 regions in the Philippines and for wider dissemination and replication. / 2.1 Improved local government policies and programmes for housing and community services in the 4 pilot cities showing
a. Increasing scores on compliance to existing housing and urban development policies by at least 20%
b. integration of at least 50% of the urban poor agenda items
c. allocation of at least 10% of city development fund for social housing or an increase of at least 20% of the allocation
2.2 Improved national government policies and programmes for the urban poor showing
a. Integration of at least 50% of the urban poor agenda items / 2.1.a. Score cards on compliance of cities to existing housing and urban development policies (especially the Urban Development and Housing Act)
2.1.b. Laws / ordinances / agreements/ pronouncements on local government policies and programmes for housing and community services addressing urban poor agenda
2.1.c. City budget and expenditure studies
2.2 Laws/ pronouncements on national government policies and programmes for housing and community services addressing urban poor agenda / - Organized and strengthened urban poor federation will demand their rights and push for their advocacy agenda
- The project will maximize our engagement in the consultation and coordination mechanisms to develop and implement the partnership activities
Project Summary / Measurable Indicators / Means of Verification / Important Assumptions /
Outputs:
Output 1:
3. Organised federations of urban poor groups in the city and national level with strengthened capacity to demand rights of access to housing and community services / 3.1 Functional federations of urban poor groups in the 4 pilot and 10 partner cities, as well as in the national level, with at least 30% of the federation leaders are women / 3.1 Federation documents
- Organisational VMG, policies, structure, plans
- List of membership
- Minutes of meetings
- Documentation of activities, including advocacy work/ events
- Organizational and advocacy assessments and planning
- Training modules, documentation, and evaluation
- Advocacy documents and materials / - Federation-building/ strengthening will be focus of Lead NGO Implementing Agencies (IAs) in the pilot and partner cities
Output 2:
4. Effective consultation and coordination mechanisms between urban poor groups and government authorities at city/ metropolitan and national level / 4.1 Functional consultation and coordination mechanisms (such as Local Housing Board) in the 4 pilot and 10 partner cities, as well as in the national level with active participation of organized urban poor groups / 4.1 Documents of the consultation and coordination mechanisms
- Laws/ ordinances / agreement establishing city and national consultation mechanisms
- Minutes and proceedings of meetings, consultations and dialogues
Output 3:
5. Evidence-based and need-oriented housing and community development strategies developed (based on analysis of local assets and understanding of key institutional/ legal constraints) / 5.1 Housing and development strategies formulated in 4 pilot cities and in the national level in consultation with stakeholders and based on researches / 5.1 Evidences of programme influence in city and national development and shelter plans/ programmes
- Comparison of city/ national housing and development strategies vs. relevant research outputs/ recommendations and urban poor advocacy agenda / - The project allotted resources for relevant social researches including eviction-watch, policy-watch and budget-watch.
- The consultation and coordination mechanisms will be maximized in terms of participation of urban poor groups and utilization of research outputs of the project.
Project Summary / Measurable Indicators / Means of Verification / Important Assumptions
Outputs:
Output 4:
6. At least 2000 households benefiting from implementation of pilot projects for improving security of tenure and/or access to community services / 6.1 Pilot projects for improving security of tenure and access to community services for at least 500 beneficiary households in each of 4 pilot cities / 6.1 Evidences of success of pilot projects on security of tenure and access to community services
- List and case studies of pilot community projects
- List of beneficiary households
- Satisfaction survey among beneficiary households
- Comparison of community baselines and profiles in end of programme / - The project will assist in the piloting of sub-projects through policy support/ legal service, technical assistance, and financial assistance through the Local/ National Innovation and Leveraging Funds
- There is a need to define security of tenure beyond land titles.
Output 5:
7. Experiences and learning from the project shared with other urban poor groups and government authorities on metropolitan/city and national levels / 7.1 Sharing/ exchanges within and among 4 pilot cities, 10 partner cities, as well as with at least 3 national government agencies and at least 10 legislators / 7.1 Evidences of learning and sharing
- Documentation of engagement activities with government authorities in the
- Programme publications
- Programme videos
- Dissemination plan and activities / - The project will maximize M&E and learning mechanisms and activities such as the Project Working Group and Local/ National Urban Development and Housing Summits
- The project will produce relevant publications and videos.
Activities