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REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This review presents existing contributions on Non-Governmental Organization

(NGOs) to peace-building and its related concepts. This chapter will be divided into
various themes.
1. Non-Governmental Organization, its context and nature
Non-Governmental Organization (NGOs) come in many forms, sizes and types.
Many are religiously oriented, regionally based, technically specialized, or community
based organizations.
NGOs also are groupings that are outside the domain of government in the areas
of formation, funding, management and the processes and procedure in which it carries
out its sets objectives geared towards cultural, socio-economic and political
transformation of all facets of the society. NGOs are non-governmental, non-profit
creation, self-governing and led by willful volunteers. (Ehigiamusoe, 1998).
NGOs evolves from experiences, interests, idea and innate zeal to respond to or
remedy the observed phenomena or desire in the society. NGOs could be international,
national, regional, or community based depending on its financial resources and
networking capability (Omofonmwan & Odia, 2009).
2. The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations in Peace-building
Referring to peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding, peacemaking,
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according to Boutros Ghali is the action to bring parties to agreement, essentially

through peaceful means (in Attack 2004, p.18). Peacekeeping has been conventionally
associated with UN interventions in armed conflicts. It involves the impartial imposition
Ma. Concepcion A. Betaizar

Elika Er C. Bienes
of the armed forces of uninvolved countries between warring or conflicting groups in

order to preserve or protect whatever peace agreements or political settlements these
groups have been able to achieve (Abozaglo, 2009). The concept of peace-building is
multi-dimensional. It is a complex concept and process-based. It involves a variety of
actors and has a political nature. It includes indigenous and international actors and
emphasizes the need to address the root causes of the conflict and the type of
interventions needed.
The relationship between civil society organizations and government on policy
issues is a concern throughout much of the world, including Southeast Asia. Sustainable
and equitable growth needs to be accompanied not only by democratic decision making
but more effective government-civil society partnerships (Edgar & Chandler, 2004).
Across the developing world, states with limited finances and riddled by poor
governance and corruption have failed to lead to development for all of their citizens.
Within this context, alternative forms of development have been pursued, and since the
1980s, NGOs have been increasingly advocated as a means through which the gulf
between citizens needs and existing services can be bridged (Banks & Hulme, June
2012).
3. Indigenous People in the Philippines
The protection of the rights of indigenous peoples to determine their own social,
economic and cultural development, control their territory and manage its natural
2
resources is one of the priorities of some NGOs. With its vast and varied indigenous
population, the Philippines is a case in point. The country can pride itself on being one

Elika Er C. Bienes
of the few having a specific legislation that recognizes the rights of indigenous peoples.
Yet, the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) enacted in 1997 has so far been
insufficiently and unequally implemented (IPDEV, 2014). The IPRA has been hailed by
the IPs and advocates of IP rights as landmark legislation that will give the indigenous
peoples what has long been due them (Bennagan, 1999)
Yet, despite these guarantees, the fact is that wherever IPs live, they remain
among the poorest and most disadvantaged peoples. The first-ever Report on the State
of the World of Indigenous Peoples, issued by the United Nations Permanent Forum on
Indigenous Issues in January 2010, revealed that IPs make up fully one-third of the
worlds poorest peoples, suffer disproportionately in areas like health, education, and
human rights, and regularly face systemic discrimination and exclusion.
In the Philippines, IPs have been subject to historical discrimination and
marginalization from political processes and economic benefit. They often face
exclusion, loss of ancestral lands, displacement, pressures to and destruction of
traditional ways of life and practices, and loss of identity and culture. In extreme
situations, social and political discontent has erupted into armed conflict the 40-year
old armed conflict in Mindanao, involving secessionists and communist insurgents is a
prime example. Conflicts such as these not only threaten the stability and development
potential of affected areas, they exacerbate the plight of indigenous peoples (United
Nations Development Programme, 2010).
3
Furthermore, most Indigenous Communities do not have legal recognition over
their traditional lands, thus limiting their ability to freely conduct their livelihood activities
and are denied access to other natural resources in their communities (De Vera, 2007).

Elika Er C. Bienes
This poor delivery in social services could be a consequence of the social

exclusion of these indigenous peoples, but at the same time it is a contributing factor
exacerbating such exclusion. Because they are not part of mainstream society, they
have often been overlooked as a constituency in dire need of social services. The
neglect has contributed to their impoverishment, which in turn has heightened their
exclusion and marginalization (Canoy & Suminguit, 2001).
Thus, from economic development to environmental protection to justice, human
rights, and good governance, the protections and participation promised to IPs needs to
be mainstreamed through all relevant decision-making bodies and stakeholder
organizations (United Nations Development Programme, 2010). The Indigenous
Peoples sector in the Philippines enjoys a very broad base of active support groups.
These form a wide spectrum of organizations representing the academe, civil society
and the church. Assistance comes in varied forms ranging from policy advocacy,
community development, technical assistance and education. It can be said that IP
support groups in the Philippines have gained a certain level of sophistication and
specialization in their respective fields of work (De Vera, 2007).
4. The Higaonons in the Philippines
One example of the Indigenous Peoples group in the Philippines is the
Higaonons. The Higaonon is one of the least known ethnolinguistic groups that inhabit
NorthCentral Mindanao. They occupy the mountainous regions of Misamis Oriental,
4
Bukidnon
plateau, the mountain borders of the provinces of Agusan and Lanao in the
east and west, respectively (NCCA, 2015)

Elika Er C. Bienes
The Higaonon perceive themselves to be in difficult circumstances caused mainly

by outside factors. According to ethnographic literature, they were traditionally coastal
dwellers enjoying the resources both of the sea and the forests. However, they were
subsequently pushed into the interior areas and had to depend solely on the forest for
subsistence and household, health, and ceremonial needs (Asian Development Bank,
2002). Currently, the Higaonon community is optimistic that with the financial and
technical help of the NGOs and other support groups, their needs will eventually be met.
If future support will engage their direct partnership in ways that will make use of
their indigenous knowledgeas well as promote and document this knowledge,
highlight their individual and collective capacities, and respect their cognitive view of the
landscape and its cultural value, along with their tribal customary laws and policies
then the inherent strength and tenacity of indigenous peoples will be reinvigorated
(Canoy & Suminguit, 2001)
5. Initiatives of PAILIG to Higaonons in Brgy. Rogongon, Iligan City
References:
5
Abozaglo, Patricia (2009). The Role of NGOs in Peacebuilding. Kimmage Development

Studies Centre, Kimmage Manor, Whitehall Road, Dublin 12, Ireland.

Elika Er C. Bienes
Asian Development Bank. (2002). Inigenous Peoples/Ethnic Minorities and Poverty

Reduction: Philippines. Manila, Philippines: Asian Development Bank.
Banks, N., & Hulme, D. (June 2012). The role of NGOs and civil society in development
and poverty reduction. Brooks World Poverty Insitute, Working Paper 171.
Bennagan, P. C. (1999). The Indigenous People's Rights Act. De La Salle University,
Manila.
Canoy, M. S., & Suminguit, V. J. (2001). The Indigenous People of Mt. Kitanglad Range
National Park: A Case Study. Social Watch-Philippines.
De Vera, D. (2007). Indigenous People in the Philippines. RNIP National Assembly.
Hanoi: RNIP.
Edgar, L., & Chandler, J. (Eds.). (2004). Strengthening Social Policy: Lessons on
forging government-civil society policy partnerships. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada:
Institute on Governance.
Ehigiamusoe, G. (1998). Understanding NGOs. Benin City, Nigeria: OB-ZED
Publishers.
IPDEV. (2014). The Indigenous Peoples of Mainland ARMM. Makati City, Philippines:
Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Philippines.
Lewis, D. (2010). Nongovernmental Organizations, definition and history. International
Encyclopedia of Civil Society, pp. 1056-1062.
NCCA. (2015, April 30). The Higaonon. Retrieved from National Commission for Culture
and Arts Official Website: http://ncca.gov.ph/subcommissions/subcommission-oncultural-communities-and-traditional-arts-sccta/central-cultural-communities/thehigaonon/
Omofonmwan, S., & Odia, L. (2009). The Role of Non-governmental Organisations in
Community Development: Focus on Edo State-Nigeria. Anthropologist, II(4), 247254.
Ulleberg, I. (2009). The role and impact of NGOs in capacity development from
replacing the state to reinvigorating education. Paris, France: International
Instititute for Educational Planning.
United Nations Development Programme. (2010). Indigenous Peoples in the
Philippines. Makati City: United Nations Development Programme.

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REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This review presents existing contributions on Non-Governmental Organization

according to Boutros Ghali is the action to bring parties to agreement, essentially

Ma. Concepcion A. Betaizar

of the armed forces of uninvolved countries between warring or conflicting groups in

Ma. Concepcion A. Betaizar

Furthermore, most Indigenous Communities do not have legal recognition over

Ma. Concepcion A. Betaizar

This poor delivery in social services could be a consequence of the social

east and west, respectively (NCCA, 2015)

Ma. Concepcion A. Betaizar

The Higaonon perceive themselves to be in difficult circumstances caused mainly

Abozaglo, Patricia (2009). The Role of NGOs in Peacebuilding. Kimmage Development

Ma. Concepcion A. Betaizar

Asian Development Bank. (2002). Inigenous Peoples/Ethnic Minorities and Poverty

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