Development actors - government, non-government organizations (NGOs),

academe, the business sector and peoples organizations (POs) have been
driven by the necessity to look back and review concepts, issues and
approaches to development, governance and local participation vis-a-vis the
ever-changing trends and realities of development work. Concerns now focus on
accelerating the pace of development but with a deliberate shift towards genuine
and sustainable development, good governance and people-centered
development. These challenges have grown bigger especially in developing
countries like the Philippines. The problem of poverty and marginality that affect
the majority of the population remain. The impact of rural underdevelopment,
resource depletion and pollution, the inadequacy of food supplies limited social
services, the erosion of traditional values, including graft and corruption in
government, the alleged ineptitude of bureaucrats and personalized politics have
done irreparable damage and squandered the countrys now scarce natural
resources.

During the past decade, these development actors- (institutions and
organizations and partner-beneficiaries of development assistance) have tried to
address the problem of poverty and marginality on the basis of a growing
realization of the continuing relevance of an integrated, holistic approach to
development and the primacy of decentralized governance.

There have also been efforts at various levels to balance economic and
technological progress with societal, ecological and human development
concerns. One concrete action step in this regard was the launching of the
Philippine Agenda 21 in July 1995 as the governments response to the
commitment at the 1992 Earth Summit. As the countrys blueprint for sustainable
development, the document embodied the common ground for collective action
among the various stakeholders.

Another earlier milestone in the countrys development history was the
enactment of the 1991 Local Government Code (LGC) or Republic Act (RA)
7160. It is considered landmark legislation as it envisioned the complete
administrative autonomy of local government units and some degree of political
autonomy as it provided for the devolution of certain powers from the central to
the local governments. The Code also called for active partnership among non-
government organizations and that of local government units. Specifically, it
provided mechanisms on initiative and referendum, cooperative undertakings,
recall of local officials, representation in local special bodies, mandatory and
periodic consultation with the people.

This chapter attempts to present the various perspectives, frameworks and
strategies on sustainable development and local governance.