Direct Democracy in the Philippines

In this ADRN Direct Democracy Research group’s working paper, Francisco A. Magno, professor at De La Salle University, finds that civil society organizations (CSOs) and the Philippine government are collaborating closely, allowing them to combine resources and manpower to resolve problems in areas including budget preparation, project monitoring and government performance assessment. This cooperation has led to improved transparency and accountability and reduced corruption. In addition, social media has provided individual citizens with a mechanism to engage with democracy at the grassroots level. Though there are concerns related to the long-term stability of CSOs, such as their dependence on international funding and continued citizen interest, Magno argues these are not unsolvable problems. He also highlights, however, that when governance depends on citizen participation, it is not enough for citizens to be empowered?they must also be competent. Thus, he argues that supporting individual freedoms and developing human capital are necessary for the continued success of Philippine direct democracy.

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