Illustrated by Lyle Jome Dela Madrid
Humanity is faced with various pressing issues that only a few dare to address. In this era where greed and personal interest prevails among those in power, it is imperative that we shine a light on the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) working tirelessly in the shadows– much like unsung heroes battling daily struggles neglected by the so-called 'saviors' in the spotlight. As we commemorate the World NGO Day for a decade now, let us reflect on how these micro groups create macro impacts across the globe, yet also the least acknowledged, barely navigating through the red tape of governmental bureaucracy.
Today marks a historic moment for NGO communities across the globe, for the World NGO Day was inaugurated internationally for the first time on February 27, 2014. NGOs are non-profit organizations that operate at local, national, and international level. In the Philippines, there exists a vibrant NGO sector with 60,000 registered aid groups (World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations, 2021). These volunteers play a vital role in addressing issues such as combating climate change, advocating for human rights, promoting gender equality, and implementing livelihood programs.
Albeit driven by their respective goals, NGOs face various challenges, with financing being a significant constraint impacting their sustainability. Sta. Ana (2023) has mentioned that different foreign donor agencies from the United States and Northern Europe moved out of the Philippines one by one. Reasons behind this decline include financial losses among donors and reallocation of funds to the poorest or war-ravaged countries. Meanwhile, a survey from Fernan revealed that Filipinos give more to individuals they know than the volunteers. This is no surprise, given that the poverty rate in the Philippines stood at 22.4% as of the first half of 2023, with less than 1% considered wealthy enough to donate significantly to NGOs.
To make matters worse, aside from financial issues, Philippine NGOs were red-tagged by its own government, mainly the Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). In July 2022, the infamous red-tagger and ex-spokesperson of the NTF-ELCAC Lorraine Badoy had once again trageted ex-Vice President Leni Robredo and her NGO, Angat Buhay. Badoy made accusations of volunteers as part of Communist Party of the Philippines, the New People’s Army, and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP-NPA-NDF). Furthermore, she baselessly claimed that some mothers were finding their missing children who joined Leni Youth that are “now gone and they can no longer find them”. These were immediately denied by Raphael Martin Magno, executive director of Angat Pinas Inc., who emphasized that such false accusations encourage harassment of their volunteers. Other groups and individuals previously red-tagged by Badoy are Ibon Foundation, Alliance of Health Workers, the mother of community pantry advocate Ana Patricia Non, Rappler CEO Maria Ressa, progressive groups of farmers and workers, teachers, and youth groups.
Meanwhile, in 2023, NGOs from Cordillera region were red-tagged by their own DILG and Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC). A list of “Sectoral Front Organizations” was included, such as Karapatan’s Cordillera chapter, the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance, the multi-sectoral Cordillera Peoples Alliance and the LGBTQ rights organization Bahaghari. What alarmed the NGOs is the resolution that “urges local governments to require all groups to seek permission first before they carry out projects and programs in the localities” was released, hindering the red-tagged NGOs from doing their projects and actually violating the freedom of association.
The ramifications of financial insecurities and red-tagging towards our NGOs inflict a deep wound on both the organizations themselves and the communities they serve.
With insufficient funding, the resources to address crucial issues became fewer, restricting their ability to provide services and undertake future projects. Moreso, the unreprimanded practice of red-tagging further exacerbates the challenges faced by NGOs by instilling distrust, fear, and instability in this sector. This discredits the legitimacy of these organizations, dissuading the potential donors and volunteers, while subjecting the activists to violation, harassment, and even violence. The fact that the government itself is tolerating the red-tagging incidents towards those who are filling their lapses is a big insult, a clear indication of its inefficiency. Consequently, who suffers the most from these hurdles are not the NGOs, but the societies that they strive to uplift and empower.
‘Bayanihan’ is a rich culture that embodies the spirit of volunteerism among Filipinos. It is when we whole-heartedly help those in need even in the simplest way we know. This year’s theme, “Building a Sustainable Future: The Role of NGOs in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)” encourages us to recognize the importance of NGO in society.
As locals, what we could do is actively volunteer in different organizations that promote the marginalized sectors that are unattended by the government. With these thousands of organizations that adhere to different issues, it will not be hard to find one that supports our cause. We could also share our resources to those in need to achieve a sense of fulfillment that would help us appreciate our privileges that others are deprived of.
Not all heroes wear capes—some are found on the corners untouched by government reach. Howbeit, these heroes that march for the sake of humanity’s unclear future are instead villainized by those in seats wearing pretentious capes for the sake of credit-grabbing and hollow recognitions. While most of them chatter about their empty promises, the ballad of turned-out pockets and empty plates resounds through the bold symphony orchestrated by the unsung heroes of humanity.
Comments