Urban Poor Communities in State-Civil Society Dynamics: Constraints and Possibilities for Housing and Security of Tenure in Metro Manila

Abstract

The relationship of civil society groups, particularly non-government orga nizations (NGOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs), to the Philippine state and its institutions has undergone several transformations in the last 15 years. State-civil society dynamics, particularly in Philippine cities, has been very much conditioned by the broad changes in the socio cultural and political economy, as well as by the changing politics among NGOs/CBOs and the urban poor communities. Several key forces have shaped the changing dynamics between the Philippine state and civil society groups in Metro Manila. The increasing integration of cities to the global systems of production, finance, and infor mation technology has radically changed the structure of land markets, employment, and services. These changes have also been heightened by the trend towards deregulation and privatization of public goods and ser vices. Meanwhile, the decentralization of central state functions to local governments has also highlighted the inability of the latter to sufficiently deliver basic services to its constituent population, especially those residing in urban poor communities. Meanwhile, the democratization of civil soci ety has heightened the pressure on local governments to meet the demands and claims for security of tenure, livelihood, and social services among the urban poor.