Development actors - government, non-government organizations (NGOs), academe, the business sector and people’s 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 country’s 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 government’s response to the commitment at the 1992 Earth Summit. As the country’s blueprint for sustainable development, the document embodied the common ground for collective action among the various stakeholders.

Another earlier milestone in the country’s 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.