This book contains a wealth of information vital to the ongoing program of strengthening local autonomy and local government units. Discussing at the outset the nature and concept of local governments and local autonomy, it goes on to analyze the degree of control and supervision that the great branches of government -- Executive, Legislative and Judicial -- wield vis-a-vis local government units. The concept of devolution, which in the process of implementation had given rise to various questions, is explained in a detailed manner. Other aspects of local autonomy and governance receive the same treatment.

This book sheds light on the complexities of local power as it examines local development planning, local government budgetting and political decision-making.

It features three case studies. One looks into the planning technology behind award winning programs of the local governments of Irosin and Marikina. The second study looks into the possibilities of people's participation in local budgetting with the Marikina government as a test case. The third study explores the factors affecting political decision-making among elected local government officials in Metro Manila.

This manual has been prepared in general for those who have scant knowledge of economics, economic tools of analysis and their relation to national development, and would like to beef up that knowledge. In particular, this was prepared for professionals and career workers in the world of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), people's organizations (POs), and other self-help development groups who realize the value of economics in analyzing the very problems their organizations were formed to address. Issues such as poverty, income and wealth maldistribution were the core issues of 1970s and 1980s that spurred the growth of these organizations, especially in Third World countries like the Philippines where such problems were seen on a very disturbing magnitude.

1992 &Beyond: Forces and Issues in Philippine Elections dissects the nature of electoral politics in the Philippines, focusing on the first free presidential elections in the country since the fall of the Marcos regime. This book traces the history of patronage politics and the influence of power brokers from the military, business and the Catholic Church. It presents and in-depth analysis of party platforms, as well as comparison of the positions of the 1992 presidential candidates on various issues. It also assesses opinion polls and surveys and the packaging and promotion of candidates.

Influencing policy both at the national and local levels is a perpetual challenge for non-government organizations which want to push various projects and programs. The critical fields that bear watching because they have an impact on the lives of most Filipinos are agrarian reform, fisheries, debt, environment, development assistance ancestral domain and even the circle of non-government organizations.

The highlight of this book is a presentation of two case studies by Ms. Edna Co and Ms. Lourdes Melegrito examining how NGOs in Batangas and Quezon tried to influence environmental and relocation policies. Paper presentations by players in the policy process (Representative Florencio Abad, former Secretary General of Freedom From Debt Coalition Mr. Filomena Sta. Ana II and academician Mr. Avelino Tendero) and workshop discussions in a seminar on NGO Influence in Policy Making are also included in this publication.

""Shift" is an attempt to examine the charter change and the attendant presidential-parliamentary issue as it is tackled in the mid-1990s up to the present. It seeks to examine the feasibility of of the contending systems in the light of the experiences of other countries, Philippine history and current political praxis, and tracks the issue as it was tackled by various interest groups, players and institutions.

As a whole "Shift" tries to discuss the advantage of a parliamentary government if isolated from the country's present political environment. At the same time, it takes stock of that environment which inevitably shaped the outcome of the debate.

A book featuring faces, forces and issues driving the race for Malaca�ang. The book also discusses the various issues confronting the electorate as they decide whom to vote for on May 11.

This study is divided into five main parts. Part One presents the context of the study and mainly consists of the historical sketch of the evolution of Philippine NGOs as social movement. Part Two deals with the current roles and dynamics of NGO work. Part Three tries to surface strategic directions that Philippine NGOs can explore. Part Four is a short exploration of the possible roles donor agencies can play in the light of the emerging strategic roles of NGOs. In particular, it gives some concrete recommendations to PCHRD.

This book focuses on political peacemaking in certain local areas in the Philippines between government military forces and the NPAs. This peacemaking process is citizen-based and indigenous, evolving from Filipino efforts. The term peacemaking refer to attempts made to stop violence and is different from peacebuilding which may concerned with minimizing structural violence.

This is a result of a two-year study on factors affecting the participation ofn four organized groups in local governance.

It features the experience of a social development non-government organizations (NGOs) and its strong peasant mass base ina small rural town in the province of Aurora. With the victory of their leader in local municipal councilor elections, the groups lobby for their local development agenda and discover that people's participation necessitates claiming a share of local power not always freely given by those in power.

The experience of three other organized groups at PPLG are also captured in this book.

The Center's quarterly publication, provides a holistic picture of the Philippines at a given point in time. It packages facts and data relating to the economy, government (both national and local), politics and political players, social development indicators, foreign relations and security with a regional bias. It analyzes and provides deep background on current political issues, and where possible, it projects their outcome in the next quarter. In dissecting issues, it provides a menu of options and weighs the pros and cons of each.

Local Government Index is a quarterly publication of the Center's Databank. It contains abstracts of materials on key local government issues like local bureaucracy and administration, people's participation, updates in the implementation of the Local Government Code, profiles of selected local government units and local chief executives.