Enhancing the role of technical assistance NGOs in housing the poor. A case study of TAO - Pilipinas, Inc

The point of departure of this thesis is on the belief that the role of Technical Assistance NGOs (TA NGO) also referred to as technical service organizations (TSO) in the Philippines, is crucial in helping address the problem of insufficient and inadequate housing for the poor. TA NGO is herein defined as an organization of technical professionals primarily in the urban planning, architecture, and engineering disciplines involved in development work. These are non-profit non-government organizations that focus on issues of housing and land tenure issues for the poor in the Philippines. Housing in this thesis is defined based on John Turner's definition of not just the physical infrastructure but also involves the environment, basic services, community organization as well as economic opportunities (Turner, 1976). By understanding the roles of TA NGO, technical assistance to the poor in housing will become more effective and through a clear understanding of the legal and policy environment in housing and relationships between TA NGOs and key actors in housing, initiatives to enable the poor access housing by TA NGOs will be more efficient, integrated and coordinated. The thesis starts with a review of housing and its issues from an international perspective, touching briefly on the effects of globalization and rapid urbanization in cities especially of developing countries. This is followed by a discussion on the consequent urbanization of poverty and the growing roles of NGO/civil society as acknowledged by international declarations and covenants stressing the importance of NGO/civil society participation in the fight against the effects of urban poverty as manifested by homelessness, insecurity of land tenure, poor housing conditions, poverty, and urban crime1. General concepts and theories on civil society and NGOs are explored by the research where the definition for TA NGO is finally drawn. At the local context the development of the Philippine NGO movement is discussed-its history, dynamism and diversity which facilitated the emergence of TA NGOs in development work. The legal and institutional frameworks in the Philippines are also discussed. These include housing policies and programs that provided the basis for involvement and continued housing assistance by various sectors of society like private and civil society organizations. This research focuses on the experience of TAO-Pilipinas, Inc. one of the three professional TA NGOs in the Philippines based in Metro Manila. A review of international experiences of TA NGOs in Thailand and Cambodia also provides important lessons in order to understand the roles of TA NGOs bringing an international perspective to the debate of the local Philippine case. Further the report makes an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and constraints of these roles. The author, being one of the pioneers in the organization of TAO-Pilipinas, has been involved with development work for already more than a decade and has first hand experience with the complexities and difficulties by technical assistance work in poor communities and this research is critical in rationalizing continued technical assistance in housing the poor by technical professionals. This research contributes to the greater understanding of the roles that TA NGOs play on the issue of housing the poor and concludes among other things that TA NGOs are important actors in supporting the initiatives of housing actors like NGOs and POs in the aspects of community development planning, project design and management, and advocacy for secure tenure.