About Philnet-RDI

Our Vision

PhilNet-RDI envisions the attainment of self-determining rural communities whose development is founded on equity, ecological sustainability, gender fairness, respect for people's rights and culture, and the economic, socio-cultural and political empowerment of the marginalized rural sectors and peoples (MRSP).

Our Missions

  • To actively and directly participate in the process of rural democratization and development (RDD) in partnership with the marginalized rural sectors, their communities and organizations.
  • To actively work for the broadest possible unity, support and participation of various sectors
  • rural, urban and international
  • for RDD.
  • To implement programs and services that will enable the MRSP, their communities and organizations attain self-reliance and greater participation in the process of RDD.

Our Goals

  • To work for the integration of equity, gender equality, empowerment, and ecological sustainability in the process of RDD by engaging in all-sided area-focused development efforts.
  • To work for the expansion and integration of cooperatives of men and women through the advancement of inter-cooperative economic ventures and formal establishment of federations.
  • To strengthen PhilNet-RDI as effective, efficient, and gender-fair machinery in the face of growing number of threats to rural communities, increasing pace and scale of unsustainable development, expanded areas of work, and the need to attain greater self-reliance.

Our Partners

  • Seasonal and plantation agricultural workers
  • Tenants
  • Leaseholders
  • Small owner-cultivators
  • Women-headed households
  • Rural poor
  • Indigenous people
  • Fisherfolk

Our Development Framework

PhilNet-RDI believes in a balanced or an all-sided development initiatives for rural development and democratization at the ground level. Its overall framework aims at evolving a development strategy that works towards the broadest possible participation and balanced development of the marginalized rural sectors and peoples.

Its framework is underpinned by the idea of sustainable development; a "development that meets the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (World Commission on Environment and Development). Thus, it takes heed of three key elements of sustainable development:

  1. the integration of environmental considerations into economic development planning and implementation,
  2. a commitment to social equity, and
  3. a reorientation to the term "development" to include the improvement of the quality of life of the people.

PhilNet-RDI's framework addresses squarely the need to achieve transformation of society; a society that is just, sustainable, and participatory, and a society that will secure for its people meaningful democracy and development.

Our Contact Number

Regional Centers

Regional Center Visayas
604-E-Tres de Abril st.
Labangon, Cebu City
Tel. (032) 2531582
E-mail: philnetvrsv@yahoo.com



Regional Center Mindanao
143 Victorio Lane, Rizal Street, Davao City
Telefax (082) 2216159
E-mail:
rc@philnetmindanao.org

Regional Center-Luzon
Scout Borromeo, Proj 4
30B Scout Borromeo Street, Barangay Scout Triangle, Quezon City
Philippines
Tel/Fax. (02) 3711598
E-mail: philnetrdi@
philnetrdi.bayandsll.ph

PhilNet-RDI, Inc.
Scout Borromeo, Proj 4
30B Scout Borromeo Street, Barangay Scout Triangle, Quezon City
Philippines
Tel/Fax. (02) 3711598
E-mail: philnetrdi@
philnetrdi.bayandsll.ph

Member Organizations

  • Negros Oriental Institute for Rural Development, Inc. (NIRD)
  • Bohol Institute for Rural Development(BIRD)
  • Center for Rural Development-Cebu
  • Davao Provinces Rural Development Institute(DPRDI)
  • Panay Rural Development Center, Inc.(PRDCI)
  • Rural Development Institute-Leyte(RDI-LEYTE)
  • Rural Development Institute-Sultan Kudarat(RDI-SK)
  • Trowel Development Foundation Inc (TDFI)

Programs and Services

Rural Economic Development

  • Rural cooperative organizing and education
  • Asset reform and rural governance
  • Productivity systems enhancement
  • Enterprise development
  • Area development planning and project development and management

Training and Consultancy

  • Alternative development and democratization processes
  • Capability building
  • Rural community communications
  • Development of PO-based educators

Research and Advocacy

  • Sustainable agriculture and productivity enhancement
  • Rural industries and enterprises development
  • Market linkages and development
  • Rural development situationer
  • Local development policy analyses
  • Provincial to regional crop and industry profiles
  • Performance of local and national government agencies

A day in the life of a development worker

A TRIUMPH OF BLOOD, SWEAT AND PURE SyNERGY


CANLAON CITY – It was the 8th of July, 1999. I woke up at 3:30 in the morning, took breakfast at four, and got a taxi to catch up with the first-trip bus bound for Toledo City, south of Cebu, The Philippines. While on a two-hour journey, thoughts on what could happen in the next few days, weeks, months and years to the fate of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) of Carolina Lacson Estate located at barangay Mabigo II, Kanlaon City, Negros Oriental, occupied my mind. One hundred thirty-two ARBs wanted the 208 hectares of land planted to sugarcane former owners, the Lacson family, branded by their enemies as one of a few traditionally despotic sugar planters in Oriental.



I arrived in Toledo City way past 7 AM only to be transferred to a boat for another two-hour cruise to San Carlos City, and then to another bus at 9:30 AM for a full-hour ride here to Kanlaon City. It was a cold morning and you can smell the morning breeze while passing through the mountainous terrain and zigzag roads toward the Mount Kanlaon’s haven.



The ARBs were gathered in the backyard of one of the leaders when we arrived. Tension was high seeing the farmers tuck in their bolos and spading on their waists. Their women were busy preparing balinghoy (cassava) and bulad (dried fish) for lunch. After the usual warm welcome by the local folks, the meeting begun.



Presiding over the emotion-filled meeting was the ARB chairman, Neonito “Nonoy” Ordaniel, as threats from the former landowner that they would be arrested once the installation to the land pushed through, kept on coming. Ordaniel commenced with a mouthful of legalese: “We have evidence to prove our claims; we are not violating any laws. We had in our possession the certificate of land ownership award (CLOA), together with the certificate of deposit as proof that the government, through the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), had already paid the Lacsons their just compensation.”



One farmer declared: “Ngano man mahadlok ta nga aduna man tay legal nga basehanan (Why are we afraid, we have all the legal bases)?” To which a woman responded, by asking: “Andam ba ta tanan nga mapreso” (Are we prepared to be imprisoned)? A moment of silence ensued, only to be broken by another courageous voice who shouted back: “Dili ta mahadlok nga mapreso… Padayon (Don’t be afraid, let’s go on with the plan)!” The ARBs agreed; they yelled back in chorus: “Padayon!” The collective sentiments of the organization sealed their determination and readiness to face any eventualities, come what may.

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