Empowering CSO Desk Officers: A Guide

to MC 2021-054 Implementation
Support for the Local Governance Program
Project Management Office
(SLGP-PMO)

Capacity Development on Strengthening CSO Desk Officers in Central Luzon

May 23, 2024
 OBJECTIVES

1. To educate participants on the legal foundations

and importance of CSO desks in local governance.

2. To empower participants with the knowledge and

skills required to establish and operate CSO desks
effectively, including the formation of Local People's
Councils

3. To clarify the roles and responsibilities of key

stakeholders, such as CSO desk officers, LGUs, and
DILG field officers, in fostering collaboration between
civil society organizations and government entities for
community development.

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 OUTLINE
I. Background and Rationale
II. Purpose
III. Legal Bases
IV. Establishment of CSO Desk Office
A. Function and Composition
V. Formation of the Local People's Council
A. Membership
B. Process for Creation
C. Sectoral Composition
D. Roles and Responsibilities
VI. Other Key Stakeholders Roles & Responsibilities
(LGU, Desk Officers and DILG Field Officers)
VIII. Reporting Scheme

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I. BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE

• Local Government Code of 1991 (RA 7160) mandates

the LGUs to promote the active involvement of NGOs,
POs and the private sector in local autonomy efforts.

• Active CSO engagement is crucial for achieving a more

participatory and responsive governance framework.

II. PURPOSE
Municipal Development Council (MDC)
meeting
• This Circular encourages all LGUs to establish CSO Asingan, Pangasinan
http://www.asingan.gov.ph/municipal-
Desks and institutionalize local People's Councils in development-council-mdc-meeting/
provinces, cities, and municipalities.

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 III. LEGAL BASES

• The 1987 Philippine Constitution

o Art 2, Sec 23: Encourages NGOs that promotes national welfare.

o Art 13, Sec 15: Respects independent people's organizations'
roles in pursuing legitimate interests peacefully.
o Arti 13, Sec 16: Ensures people's participation in decision-making
at all levels.

• Local Government Code of 1991

o Sec 34: Promotes POs and NGOs as active local autonomy

partners.
o Sec 36: Allows LGUs to provide assistance for PO/ NGOs projects
through local chief executives and Sanggunian concurrence.

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 IV. ESTABLISHMENT OF CSO DESK OFFICE

o Designate a CSO Desk Officer through an EO.

o Preferably, should have prior CSO experience,
o And not related within the 4th civil degree of consanguinity
or affinity to the appointing/ recommending authority..

• CSO Desks must

o Document & address local CSOs' issues and concerns.
o Assists CSOs applying for accreditation & participation in
the People’s Council.
o Promote CSO engagement in local governance

• A functional CSO Desk requires

o Equipment
o Furniture.
o Supplies

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 V. Formation of the Local People’s Council

A. Membership

Accredited Registered Recognized

• SEC • Meets criteria for
• LSBs • CDA accreditation but
• MC 2022-083 • DOLE not registered
• HLURB

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 B. Process for Creation
1. People’s Council Membership Form (Annex A)
REQUIREMENTS 2. Letter of Intent to be included as a member of the People’s
Council
3. Proof of existence and operation in the city or municipality
where it is applying, for at least one (1) year prior to the date
of application
4. Proof of activities held in pursuit of developmental objectives
or organizational activities conducted
Notice of 5. Program of activities planned for the year following the date
Call for the of application for membership
Submission of
Creation of Requirements
6. Copies of its Constitution, By-laws and/or Articles of
the – Incorporation
People’s CSOs 7. List of its officers and members of good standing and their
Council respective addresses
8. Financial Statement and Declaration of Assets and
Liabilities*
9. Certificate of Registration / Accreditation*
*if applicable

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 Process for Creation

Notice of Evaluation of Recognition

Call for the CSO Desk Issuance of Formal of the
Creation of Submission of Officer, in Certificate of Creation of People’s
the Requirements coordination Authorization the People’s Council
People’s with the Council
Council Sanggunian (Sanggunian
Resolution)

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 C. Sectoral Composition

Farmers and Formal sector and Workers in the Urban poor Indigenous
landless migrant workers; informal sector Peoples
rural workers
Women Children
Artisanal Persons with
fisherfolk disabilities
Victims of disasters
and calamities Cooperatives NGOs
Youth and
Senior students
citizens

Others
 D. Roles and Responsibilities of the People's Council

1. Shall elect its officers and set their internal rules;

2. Shall choose their principal and alternate

representatives in local government councils,
committees, task forces, or special bodies;

3. Ensure Council representation for all member

organizations;

4. Participate in local government program and

project implementation, M&E;

5. If allowed, propose legislation and vote at the

committee level;

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6. Mobilize people's participation in every local development
effort;

7. Protect the People's Council and its member

organizations from being used for political or religious
purposes;

8. Ensure strict adherence to the Sanggunian resolution

granting the Council rights and privileges and

9. Elect a member as a nominee to the Provincial People's

Council.

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 E. Formation of the Provincial People’s Council

All provinces are encouraged to form a Provincial People's

Council which shall be recognized by the Sangguniang
Panlalawigan through a Resolution.

Members
Provincial
All the nominees from the component municipal and city People’s
People's Councils within the province shall elect from among Council
themselves the members of the Provincial People's Council.

Roles and Responsibilities

Same with the city and municipal Peoples’ Council.

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 E. Revocation of Certificate of Recognition

The Sanggunian can revoke the recognition

granted to a Council only

• upon action of a petitioner, and

• upon showing that the Council allowed itself

or any of its member organizations, to
engage primarily in, or to be used primarily
for, partisan political activities or religious
purposes.

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 VI. Roles and Responsibilities of Key Stakeholders
Local Government Units

1. Establish a CSO Desk and designate CSO Desk Officer.

2. Enact an ordinance or resolution, establishing a system of partnership
between the LGU and CSOs that defines
a) the roles and involvement of CSOs in the local government’s PPAs;
b) their participation in LSBs, committees, task forces, and similar
groups, as required by law and the national government;
LGUs with existing similar ordinances or resolutions need not issue
an ordinance or resolution for this MC.
3. Fund CSO Desk operations;
4. Provide the CSO Desk & People's Council office space & equipment;
5. Perform other responsibilities and relevant functions

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 Roles and Responsibilities of Desk Officers

1. Facilitate, in coordination with the DILG, the formation

of People’s Council in the LGU;
2. Mobilize and ensure participation of recognized and accredited
CSOs in the various processes and activities of the LGU,
particularly in planning, budgeting, monitoring and other service
delivery areas; CSO
DESK
3. Help ensure the participation of the women sector through at
least 40% women representation in the various local government
bodies, pursuant to RA 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women of
2009;
4. Coordinate with the established People’s Council, the holding
of regular meetings, and other relevant activities of the CSOs;
 Roles and Responsibilities of a CSO Desk Officer

5. Monitor, through the People’s Council, CSO participation in

the programs, projects and activities of the local governments;
6. Coordinate with the concerned Sanggunian during the
accreditation process and the selection of CSO
representatives to the LSBs;
7. Maintain and update the local CSO database;
8. Prepare and submit monitoring reports to the C/MLGOO as
stated in Section 8.0 of this Memorandum Circular; and
9. Perform other responsibilities and other relevant functions as
may be required.
 Roles and Responsibilities of DILG Field Offices

1. Provide technical assistance in the conduct of activities in

the formation of the People’s Council;
2. Collaborate activities with the CSO Desk and whenever
possible, attend the meeting with the CSOs;
3. Submit reports to Office of the Secretary, through the
Bureau of Local Government Supervision (BLGS), using the
forms stated in Section 8.0 of this Circular;
4. Ensure the non-partisan nature of the People's Council;
and
5. Perform other relevant functions as may be required in the
implementation of this Memorandum Circular.
 VIII. Reporting Scheme

CSO DESK OFFICERS

• CSOD Form 1 After Activity

Report - 1 week after the
activity

• CSOD Form 2A (C/M)

CSOD Form 2B (Prov)

Membership in the People’s

Council
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
(FAQs)
 WHY IS A COOPERATIVE CONSIDERED A CSO IF IT
OPERATES FOR PROFIT?

The key distinction between a traditional for-profit business and a for-

profit cooperative is their diversity in the purpose and structure
which is why they can still fall under the category of CSO, e.g.

• Primary mission is to serve the interests of their members

and contribute to the betterment of society.
• Shared ownership and equal voting rights.
• Profit distribution is distinct - either reinvestment or member
distribution.

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 WHAT IS A RECOGNIZED ORGANIZATION?

• It refers to an organization allowed by the Sanggunian to

participate in a local special body for purposes of meeting
the minimum requirements for membership.

• An organization may only be recognized if it meets all

the criteria except for registration.

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 HOW WILL THE DESK OFFICER ENSURE CSO PARTICIPATION
IN LOCAL GOVERNANCE PROCESSES?

1. Facilitate the holding of a CSO conference to encourage CSOs to seek for accreditation.
2. Coordinate with the Sanggunian the issuance of a call for accreditation and assist
CSOs with their applications (e.g. providing templates for the requirements).
3. Assist CSOs in choosing representatives to local special bodies or functional committees,
either through the people's council or, if not, the assembly of accredited CSOs.
4. Assist in ensuring that CSO representatives attend meetings of the local special bodies
to which they belong.
5. Assist CSOs in drafting their agenda for lobbying or advocacy before the proper local
special body, functional committee, or local government.
6. Assist in ensuring that the proposals of CSOs to be lobbied or advocated for are
feasible, attainable, for the common good, and evidence-based.
7. Assist CSOs in developing their capacity to participate in local governance.

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 HOW SHALL THE LOCAL CSO DATABASE, FOR WHICH CSO DESK
OFFICERS ARE RESPONSIBLE, BE MAINTAINED AND UPDATED?

• Create, maintain, and regularly update a directory of all CSOs in the area.

• Aside from a physical copy, create an excel file with essential information about the CSOs
that can be easily sorted, e.g. according to:

1) Accredited and date of accreditation,

2) Recognized and date of recognition,
3) Non-accredited,
4) Sectors they represent,
5) Coverage (brgy/ city/ municipality/ province/ regional or national),
6) Membership in local special bodies or functional committees, and name of local special body
or functional committees where they are a member, among other things.

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 Group Discussion and Brainstorming

1. Please form small groups, one group per table. Discuss and briefly
response to the question: "What challenges do you believe CSO Desk
Officers are facing, and what recommendations do you have to
address them?" You may focus on the following:
• Knowledge and skills required
• Infrastructure and resources needed
• Employment status concerns
• Compensation matters
• Any other relevant issues or recommendations

2. You have 10 minutes to deliberate and to jot down your thoughts. Keep
your remarks concise. After the time elapses, kindly submit your results to
the secretariat.

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