This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Shatkin, G. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Obstacles to Empowerment: Local Politics and Civil Society in Metropolitan Manila, the Philippines

Gavin Shatkin is in the College of Design, Art, Architecture and Planning, University of Cincinnati, PO Box 210016, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0016, USA. Fax: 513 556 1274. E-mail: gmshatkin{at}yahoo.com

In recent years, the Philippine government has undertaken a number of reforms for decentralising urban governance and increasing the role of community-based organisations (CBOs) and non-governmental organisations in urban policy and programme development and implementation. Popular interpretations see these changes as an outcome of the 'people's power' movement against centralisation and authoritarianism and stress the potential for increased civil society participation in government in the future. This paper critically examines these interpretations with reference to the situation of CBOs in informal settlements in Metropolitan Manila. Specifically, it argues that decentralisation reflects the interests of a variety of politically powerful social groups, including not only organisations of civil society, but also local political families and international and domestic business interests. In addition, a number of factors continue to inhibit meaningful civil society participation. These include the lack of local government capacity in many cities and municipalities and the existence of powerful economic interests at the local level that compete with civil society organisations for influence.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. R. Mason and V. A. Beard Community-based Planning and Poverty Alleviation in Oaxaca, Mexico Journal of Planning Education and Research, March 1, 2008; 27(3): 245 - 260. [Abstract] [PDF]